Super Italian Paste Tomato

Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last expected spring frost. Use a warm seedbed, ideally between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, to encourage germination. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, and provide bright light once seedlings emerge to prevent leggy growth.

Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions before transplanting. Move them outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally 65 to 70 degrees. Space transplants 24 inches apart in rows spaced 36 inches apart, setting them slightly deeper than they grew in containers to encourage stronger root development.

Pick tomatoes when they reach full size (6 inches long, 10 ounces) and have developed a deep, rich color, typically 70 to 79 days after transplanting. Harvest in the morning when fruits are coolest and most firm. You can pick tomatoes at the 'breaker stage' when color just begins to show and let them ripen indoors, or wait for full color in the garden for peak flavor. Gently twist or cut fruits from the vine to avoid damaging the plant.

As an indeterminate variety, this tomato grows continuously and benefits from selective pruning to manage vigor and improve fruit production. Remove suckers (shoots that grow between the main stem and branches) on the lower half of the plant to improve air circulation and reduce disease risk. Prune judiciously once flowering begins, removing only branches that shade developing fruit or impede airflow; excessive pruning can reduce the total harvest.