Determinate Paste
Solanum lycopersicum 'Determinate Paste'
A compact paste tomato variety perfect for small gardens and container growing. These meaty, low-moisture fruits are ideal for sauce making and canning, ripening all at once for efficient processing. Their determinate growth habit makes them excellent for gardeners who want a concentrated harvest without the need for extensive staking.
Harvest
75-80d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Determinate Paste in USDA Zone 7
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Determinate 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 | — | August – 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 |
| Zone 1 | May – May | July – August | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | — | September – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | — | April – June |
Complete Growing Guide
The determinate growth habit of this paste variety requires minimal pruning compared to indeterminate types, allowing you to plant and largely leave it alone—a significant advantage for busy gardeners. Plant after soil reaches 60°F and provide consistent moisture to prevent the fruit-cracking common in paste tomatoes during uneven watering cycles. The concentrated ripening window, typically within a 2-3 week period, demands attention to early blight and powdery mildew, which thrive in humid conditions around heavily laden plants; ensure adequate air circulation by spacing plants 24-30 inches apart. Unlike sprawling varieties, determinate pastes rarely need the extensive staking required by others, though light support prevents fruit from touching soil. The meaty flesh suits sauce production perfectly, but avoid overhead watering late in the day to reduce fungal pressure. For maximum productivity, remove only the lowest leaves once plants mature to improve airflow without sacrificing the abundant foliage that protects ripening fruit from sunscald.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. 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
Determinate paste tomatoes reach peak harvest readiness when they develop a deep red color throughout with slight give when gently squeezed, indicating optimal flesh density for processing. Unlike indeterminate varieties that produce fruit continuously throughout the season, determinate paste tomatoes fruit all at once, typically within a two to three-week window, making them ideal for bulk harvesting and canning projects. Watch for fruits to reach full size—usually three to four inches long—before color fully develops, as this signals imminent ripeness. A valuable timing tip is to harvest when the majority of fruits on the plant show color simultaneously; this concentrated ripening window, combined with their meaty texture and low moisture content, allows you to process large quantities efficiently without staggered harvests.
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
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 freshly harvested Determinate Paste tomatoes at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, in a single layer on a well-ventilated surface. Avoid refrigeration until fully ripe, as cold temperatures dull flavor. Once peak-ripe, they'll keep for 5–7 days at room temperature before softening noticeably.
Because these tomatoes are bred for low moisture content and concentrated flavor, they excel at preservation. Canning whole or crushed yields excellent results with minimal cooking time needed. Freezing works well—simply core and freeze whole, then thaw and slip off skins when ready to process. For sauce and paste, cook down over moderate heat; the low water content means faster reduction and deeper flavor concentration. Drying is also rewarding with this variety; halved tomatoes dry to intensely flavored chips in a standard dehydrator. Their natural sugar concentration and firm flesh mean you'll need less time and fuel compared to juicier varieties, making preservation economical and straightforward.
History & Origin
Determinate paste tomatoes emerged from early twentieth-century breeding efforts focused on developing compact, high-yielding sauce varieties suited to mechanical harvesting and commercial processing. While specific breeder attribution remains unclear, this class developed from selections within the broader paste tomato lineage, particularly through Italian heirloom varieties and American agricultural programs emphasizing efficiency. Universities and seed companies prioritized the determinate growth trait—a naturally occurring mutation limiting vine extension—paired with the meaty, low-acid characteristics essential for canning and sauce production. The variety represents generations of selection rather than a single documented introduction, embodying practical farm knowledge refined through both professional breeding and home gardener preservation.
Origin: Peru
Advantages
- +All fruits ripen simultaneously for efficient batch processing and canning
- +Compact determinate growth requires minimal staking and suits container gardening
- +Meaty, low-moisture flesh produces concentrated, flavorful tomato sauce
- +Early maturity at 75-80 days fits shorter growing seasons well
- +Easy growing difficulty makes this variety beginner-friendly
Considerations
- -Susceptible to early and late blight in humid climates
- -Concentrated harvest window means brief picking season for fresh eating
- -Prone to blossom end rot without consistent soil moisture management
Companion Plants
Basil and French marigolds are the two worth prioritizing. Basil shares space efficiently without crowding a determinate plant's 18-24 inch footprint, and it's just useful to have 12 inches away at harvest time. French marigolds produce thiophenes in their roots — compounds that suppress root-knot nematodes in the surrounding soil, which is a real concern for a paste tomato parked in the same bed repeatedly. Carrots and lettuce fill space at different root depths without pulling from the same moisture zone. Keep fennel out of the bed entirely — it releases allelopathic compounds that stunt tomato growth — and plant nothing within 50-80 feet of a black walnut, whose juglone is toxic to Solanum lycopersicum.
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms while potentially improving tomato flavor
Marigold
Deters nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with natural compounds
Carrots
Helps break up soil for tomato roots and doesn't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that prey on tomato pests
Chives
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Nasturtiums
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting tomatoes
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and mulch effect while using different soil nutrients
Borage
Repels hornworms and attracts pollinators and beneficial predatory insects
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Brassicas
Compete for similar nutrients and can attract pests that also damage tomatoes
Fennel
Inhibits growth of tomatoes through allelopathic compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good resistance to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt, and tobacco mosaic virus
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, whiteflies, cutworms
Diseases
Early blight, late blight, bacterial speck, blossom end rot
Troubleshooting Determinate Paste
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Sunken, leathery brown or black patch on the blossom end of developing fruit
Likely Causes
- Blossom end rot — calcium deficiency in the developing fruit caused by inconsistent soil moisture or actual lack of calcium in the soil
- Irregular watering (wet-dry-wet cycles) that disrupts calcium uptake even when calcium is present
What to Do
- 1.Water on a consistent schedule — drip irrigation or soaker hose every 1-2 days in hot weather works better than irregular deep soaks
- 2.Mulch 3-4 inches deep to hold soil moisture between waterings
- 3.Get a soil test before adding calcium amendments; if pH is already 6.0-6.8, the problem is usually water, not soil chemistry
Large gray-green patches on foliage wilting and withering fast — sometimes overnight — with water-soaked or rotted spots on fruit
Likely Causes
- Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) — moves fast in cool, wet weather and can devastate a planting within days
- Infected transplants or windborne spores from nearby fields
What to Do
- 1.Pull and bag affected plants immediately — do not compost them
- 2.NC State Extension's Plant Disease and Insect Clinic (PDIC) monitors late blight timing regionally; check their alerts before treating, because the fungicides that work on early blight do almost nothing against Phytophthora
- 3.Rotate this bed out of tomatoes and potatoes for at least 3 years; if southern bacterial wilt is also a recurring problem, NC State Extension suggests growing in containers with fresh potting mix kept from contacting native soil
Lower leaves developing yellow-brown spots with a concentric ring pattern, starting around day 45-50 after transplant
Likely Causes
- Early blight (Alternaria solani) — a soil-borne fungus that splashes onto lower leaves during rain or overhead watering
- Dense planting under 18 inches apart that traps humidity and slows leaf drying
What to Do
- 1.Strip affected lower leaves and throw them in the trash, not the compost pile
- 2.Lay 3-4 inches of straw mulch at the base of plants to stop rain splash from soil to leaf
- 3.NC State Extension IPM guidance recommends rotating nightshades out of the same bed for 3-4 years minimum — up to 5-7 years if disease pressure has been heavy
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do determinate paste tomatoes take to grow?▼
Can you grow determinate paste tomatoes in containers?▼
Are determinate paste tomatoes good for beginners?▼
What's the difference between determinate and indeterminate paste tomatoes?▼
When should I plant determinate paste tomatoes?▼
Do determinate paste tomatoes taste different from regular tomatoes?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.