How to Grow KY Champion Tomato

KY Champion Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum 'KY Champion'

vegetable

KY Champion is a determinate paste tomato variety developed by the University of Kentucky, renowned for its disease resistance and reliability in humid climates. It produces medium-sized, oblong fruits ideal for sauce, paste, and canning. This variety is particularly prized by gardeners in the Southeast and other high-humidity regions due to its strong resistance to early blight and fusarium wilt.

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Example KY Champion Tomato timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant KY Champion Tomato
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest KY Champion Tomato
Around Jul 1

≈ 75 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact KY Champion Tomato dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily (8+ hours preferred for best production)

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Water: Consistent moisture; water deeply 1-2 inches per week. Avoid wetting foliage to reduce disease. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are ideal.

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Spacing: 24-36 inches

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Days to maturity: 75-85 days from transplant

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Planting depth: Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep; transplants at first true leaf level (burying stem encourages root development)

Soil

Type: Well-draining, fertile loamy soil rich in organic matter

pH: 6.0-6.8

Amendments:

Compost aged manure perlite for drainage bone meal for phosphorus

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Zones 5-9, especially thrives in zones 6-8 with high humidity

3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b

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Growth Stages

Seedling

3-4 weeks

Tiny plants with 2-4 true leaves, fragile and pale green

Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide bright light (14-16 hours under grow lights). Maintain 65-75°F. Avoid overwatering which promotes damping-off fungus.

Vegetative Growth

4-6 weeks

Robust plants 6-12 inches tall with multiple leaf sets, beginning to develop sturdy stems

Transplant into larger containers when first true leaves appear. Harden off for 7-10 days before outdoor planting. Provide support stakes or cages. Feed weekly with balanced fertilizer (10-10-10).

Flowering

3-4 weeks

Small yellow flowers appear in clusters; plant reaches 2-3 feet tall, determinate growth slows

Provide consistent water and nutrients. Reduce nitrogen slightly to promote fruiting over leaf growth. Remove bottom leaves (6-8 inches from soil) to improve air circulation and reduce disease. Stake or cage securely.

Fruiting

4-6 weeks

Green oblong fruits 2-3 inches long develop; plant remains compact and bushy

Maintain consistent watering to prevent cracking and blossom end rot. Mulch to regulate moisture and temperature. Continue removing lower foliage. Fertilize every 2-3 weeks with balanced formula or tomato-specific fertilizer.

Maturity & Harvest

4-8 weeks until frost

Fruits ripen from green to deep red over 2-3 weeks; determinate variety finishes producing within 6-8 weeks

Harvest when fully red for best flavor and shelf-life. Pick ripe fruits regularly to encourage continued production. At season's end, pull entire plant and compost (disease-free varieties only).

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil parsley marigold carrots onions lettuce spinach nasturtium

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) fennel kohlrabi dill potatoes

Common Pests

Hand-pick daily, encourage parasitic wasps, use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) if infestation is heavy
Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap, use yellow sticky traps, maintain good air circulation
Increase humidity, spray with water, use miticide or neem oil if severe
Remove infected leaves, improve air circulation, mulch to prevent soil splash, apply copper fungicide or sulfur if needed (KY Champion is resistant but not immune)

Uses

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Sauce & Paste Making

Culinary

KY Champion's meaty, paste-type fruits with few seeds and lower water content make it ideal for tomato sauce, paste, and salsa. The oblong shape and uniform ripening are perfect for canning operations. [source]

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Fresh Cooking

Culinary

While a paste variety, KY Champion fruits are flavorful and can be used fresh in salads, cooked dishes, and sauces. The firm flesh holds up well during cooking. [source]

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Lycopene-Rich Antioxidant

Medicinal

Like all red tomatoes, KY Champion contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant associated with cardiovascular and prostate health benefits. Lycopene content increases when tomatoes are cooked or processed. [source]

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Home Preservation & Canning

Household

Developed at the University of Kentucky for regional growing needs, KY Champion is specifically suited to canning whole, crushed, or as sauce. Its disease resistance reduces crop loss that would waste canning season. [source]

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Pollinator Support

Wildlife

The small yellow flowers attract bees and other pollinators to the garden, supporting local ecosystems and ensuring good fruit set. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

KY Champion is a determinate paste tomato that ripens most fruits within a 2-3 week window, making it excellent for canning or sauce-making. Harvest when fully red for best flavor; fruits can be picked at the 'breaker stage' (when first blush of color appears) and ripened indoors. Determinate varieties finish production by mid-late summer, so successive plantings 3-4 weeks apart extend the harvest season.

Fun Facts

🌱 KY Champion was specifically developed by the University of Kentucky to resist early blight, a devastating fungal disease common in humid climates, making it a favorite among Southeastern gardeners for 30+ years.
🌱 As a determinate or 'bush' tomato, KY Champion produces most of its fruit within a concentrated 4-6 week window, making it ideal for gardeners who want a single large harvest for canning rather than continuous harvests throughout the summer.
🌱 The name 'Champion' reflects its original development as a competition-winning variety, and it remains a preferred choice at state fairs and county extension programs across the Mid-South and Southeast United States.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Compost Full Sun Mulch Transplant True Leaves

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