How to Grow King Midas Tomato
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King Midas Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum 'King Midas'
vegetableKing Midas is a determinate paste tomato with golden-yellow fruits that are meaty and flavorful, ideal for sauce-making and canning. This heirloom variety produces high yields of medium-sized, oblong tomatoes with dense flesh and low seed content. Known for its rich, sweet flavor and striking color, it's a favorite among home gardeners and food preservers.
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Example King Midas Tomato timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant King Midas Tomato
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest King Midas Tomato
Around Jul 1≈ 75 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact King Midas Tomato dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 5-9; can be grown in cooler zones with proper timing
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Get my King Midas Tomato timeline →Growth Stages
Seedling
2-3 weeksEmergence of cotyledons and first true leaves within 5-10 days of planting
Provide bright light, maintain soil moisture without waterlogging, keep temperature 70-75°F, thin seedlings to strongest plant
Vegetative
4-6 weeksDevelopment of robust root system and stem growth with multiple sets of true leaves; no flowers yet
Gradually acclimate transplants to outdoor conditions, harden off over 7-10 days, provide support structures early, maintain consistent watering
Flowering
2-4 weeksFirst flower clusters appear at internodes; yellow flowers develop along the main stem and branches
Ensure pollination by gentle shaking or allowing air movement, maintain consistent watering and balanced nutrients (avoid excess nitrogen), continue staking/caging
Fruiting & Development
3-5 weeksFruit sets behind flowers, developing from golf-ball to full size (2-3 inches); color progresses from green to golden-yellow when mature
Prune lower leaves gradually to improve air circulation and reduce disease, mulch soil to regulate moisture and temperature, reduce nitrogen fertilizer, water deeply and consistently
Harvest
2-4 weeksFruits reach full golden-yellow color, firm texture, and peak sweetness; determinate type bears most crop within 2-3 week window
Harvest when fully colored for best flavor; handle gently to avoid bruising; pick regularly to encourage continued production
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Hand-pick (check undersides of leaves), use row covers on young plants, encourage parasitic wasps, apply spinosad if severe
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Remove heavily infested leaves, use yellow sticky traps, spray insecticidal soap, encourage natural predators
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Spray with strong water jet, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap, use reflective mulches, introduce ladybugs
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Prune lower leaves, improve air circulation, mulch soil, apply copper fungicide, water at soil level only
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Remove infected foliage, improve drainage, avoid overhead watering, apply chlorothalonil or mancozeb, remove nearby potato plants
Uses
Sauce & Canning
CulinaryKing Midas is a paste tomato with high solids content and low seed count, making it ideal for marinara, tomato sauce, and canning operations. Its dense flesh yields excellent sauce consistency with minimal reduction time. [source]
Fresh Eating & Flavor
CulinaryDespite being a paste variety, King Midas has rich, sweet flavor with citrus notes and lacks the acidity of many red tomatoes. Excellent sliced fresh, in salads, or cooked down for soups. [source]
Golden Yellow Color
CulinaryThe striking golden-yellow color provides visual appeal and indicates lower acidity than red varieties. Creates beautiful, color-contrasted dishes when mixed with red tomatoes. [source]
Food Preservation
HouseholdThe determinate growth habit ensures most fruit ripens at once, concentrating harvest for efficient batch processing, canning, and long-term storage. [source]
Pollinator Support
WildlifeTomato flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators that are essential for fruit set. Growing King Midas supports local pollinator populations in the garden ecosystem. [source]
Harvest Tips
Harvest when fully golden-yellow and slightly soft to pressure; pick during cooler morning hours for best flavor and shelf life. As a determinate variety, King Midas produces most of its crop within a concentrated 2-3 week period, making it excellent for canning and sauce production. Gently twist or cut fruits from the vine to avoid damaging the stem.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 King Midas is an heirloom variety, meaning it has been passed down through generations and can be seed-saved for future seasons—seeds true-to-type will grow from saved seeds
- 🌱 The golden-yellow color comes from high carotenoid content rather than lycopene (the red pigment), giving it a different nutritional profile and milder acid taste than red tomatoes
- 🌱 As a determinate variety, King Midas produces a single, concentrated flush of fruit rather than continuously throughout the season, which is why commercial canneries favor it
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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