Amish Paste
Solanum lycopersicum 'Amish Paste'
A treasured heirloom paste tomato from the Amish communities of Pennsylvania, prized for its incredibly meaty texture and rich flavor. These large, oxheart-shaped fruits contain minimal seeds and juice, making them perfect for sauces, pastes, and preserving. Amish Paste combines the best qualities of paste tomatoes with enough flavor complexity to enjoy fresh.
Harvest
80-90d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Amish Paste in USDA Zone 7
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Amish Paste · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | September – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | May – July |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Water: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
The fruits are smooth, shiny, glossy, and are classified as berries. The size, shape, and color will vary depending on the variety or cultivar. The color of the fruits may be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or pink. The fruits may contain over 100 yellow to light brown seeds.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
Storage & Preservation
Store fully ripe Amish Paste tomatoes at room temperature for 3-5 days for best flavor, or refrigerate for up to one week. The meaty texture holds well, making them excellent for processing.
For preservation, these tomatoes excel at canning due to their low moisture content and intense flavor. Simply core and quarter them for sauce-making, as the minimal seeds and juice mean less cooking time to achieve thick consistency. Freeze whole fruits after blanching and peeling—the firm flesh maintains better texture than most varieties after thawing.
Dehydrate sliced Amish Paste tomatoes at 135°F for 8-12 hours to create intensely flavored sun-dried tomatoes. Their naturally low water content makes them ideal for this preservation method, concentrating the already rich, sweet flavor into deeply satisfying dried tomatoes perfect for winter cooking.
History & Origin
Amish Paste originates from the Pennsylvania Amish communities, where it has been carefully maintained for generations through seed saving traditions. This treasured heirloom was developed by Amish farmers who needed a reliable paste tomato that could withstand their region's unpredictable weather while producing abundant harvests for their families' preservation needs.
The variety gained wider recognition in the 1980s when seed savers began documenting and preserving Amish agricultural heritage. Unlike many commercial paste varieties bred solely for processing, Amish Paste was selected for both preserving qualities and fresh eating flavor, reflecting the Amish emphasis on self-sufficiency and quality.
The distinctive oxheart shape and exceptional meatiness result from decades of careful selection by gardeners who saved seeds only from the most productive plants with the best fruit characteristics. This patient, traditional breeding approach created a variety that combines the convenience of paste tomatoes with the complex flavor profile typically found only in slicing varieties.
Advantages
- +Attracts: Bees, Pollinators, Predatory Insects
- +Wildlife value: The plant is pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees.
- +Edible: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Leaves, Stems): Medium severity
- -High maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Carrots
Helps break up soil without competing for nutrients
Oregano
Repels aphids and provides ground cover to retain moisture
Borage
Attracts pollinators and may repel tomato hornworms
Marigold
Deters nematodes and whiteflies with natural compounds
Chives
Repels aphids and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Brassicas
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract corn earworm/tomato fruitworm, increasing pest pressure
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Limited disease resistance typical of heirlooms. Some tolerance to cracking.
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, flea beetles, stink bugs
Diseases
Late blight, early blight, fusarium wilt, bacterial canker