Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF

Growing Super Italian Paste Tomatoes in the Vegetable Garden

Although there are many types of tomatoes, growing instructions are almost identical across subspecies. Begin the seeds indoors 7-9 weeks before your estimated final spring frost date. Use a well-draining potting or germination mix that you have already gotten wet to start the seeds. Plant two seeds per cell and cover the seeds lightly with soil. Water them gently with a mister or spray bottle to avoid rinsing the seeds away. Water them regularly and use a clear, reusable dome to increase humidity and moisture around the seeds. Some growers will wrap plastic wrap around the trays to lock in moisture instead of using a dome. As soon as the first seedling sprouts, it is imperative that the tray receives 8-12 hours of sunlight per day; a warm, bright windowsill or artificial lights positioned a few inches above the tray do the trick. Remove the humidity dome once the seedlings have reached the height of it. Ideally, they will have true leaves. Thin the seedlings to one per cell by removing the weaker seedlings when they have reached two inches tall. Optionally, apply fertilizer once they have two sets of true leaves; this optional step gives the tomato plants a hearty boost for the early season and helps them establish quicker out in the garden. Transplant the seedlings into larger, 4 or 6-inch pots once their root systems have developed beyond the cell’s capacity.

Never plant tomato plants or any related plant (any member of the Solanaceae family) in the same patch of soil two years in a row. Before moving the seedlings into your garden soil, the seedlings should be hardened off gradually to acclimate them to outdoor conditions. Transplant them into the garden once the danger of frost has passed. Add a calcium supplement to the soil beneath the seedlings before planting them out. Bury the stems a few inches deep and spread out the existing root ball to facilitate as much root development as possible. Remove the lower leaves that don’t get sunlight and any suckers growing in between fruit-bearing branches. Fertilize with compost, worm castings, or another fertilizer of choice when planting into the garden. The best soil pH is between 6.2 to 6.8. This indeterminate variety should be supported with a trellis as it grows. Allowing the plant to fall over onto the ground will quickly deteriorate the fruit before they can be harvested. Prune the plant periodically throughout the season to remove suckers and bottom leaves. Fertilize again in mid-season. Water regularly but prevent pooling by not overwatering the plants and by improving soil drainage if necessary. Limit disease spread by not splashing water or mud on the leaves. Protect the plants from temperatures below 45 F because they are not cold-tolerant. Garden quilts or other covers should be used if temperatures are expected to dip below their tolerance level during the night or day.

Harvesting Super Italian Paste Tomatoes

Tomatoes are ready to harvest when entirely red. Gently clip or twist the fruit to remove it from the stem without damaging the plant. Super Italian paste tomatoes are an indeterminate bush variety and will continually fruit for as long as eight or more weeks straight but will promptly end at the first frost of fall. Harvest the tomatoes as soon as they ripen to encourage more fruit before the end of the season.

About Super Italian Paste Tomato Garden Seeds

Get excited for the incredible 10-ounce, 6-inch gorgeous tomatoes that these plants yield! Try making them into a smooth and rich tomato paste for a homemade pizza, or use their firm and meaty texture to your advantage as a whole topping on a Margherita-style pizza.

This variety of tomato is equally as delicious for processing into pastes or other sauces as it is for fresh eating straight out of the garden and onto a sandwich or salad. It is also known to be outstanding for canning and other preservation methods.

Indeterminate variety tomatoes need more structural support than determinate tomato plants. Indeterminates will continue to grow all season long until the frost kills them. A trellis system of your choosing is critical to plant and fruit health. It should be able to adapt to the height of the tomato plant as it grows throughout the season and bears fruit.

These oblong heirloom fruits are well-loved for their meaty texture and sweet flavor that complement many dishes and palates. This low-acidity specimen even has fewer seeds than other varieties, making it absolutely ideal for fresh eating.

Tips From Our Gardeners

"Super Italian Paste tomato seeds are often touted and sold as the best, ‘premium’ seeds available on the market for canning and general Italian cooking. These seeds make wonderful gifts for the casual or serious gastronomic gardener!"

- Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

Other Resources

• Guide to Tomatoes

Super Italian Paste Tomato Seeds Per Package:

• 300 mg packet - Approximately 65 Seeds
• .25 oz - Approximately 1,700 Seeds
• 1 oz - Approximately 6,800 Seeds
• 4 oz - Approximately 27,200 Seeds
• 1 lb - Approximately 108,800 Seeds

Non-GMO Super Italian Paste Tomato seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.