How to Grow Stallion Tomato

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Stallion Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum 'Stallion'

vegetable

Stallion is a determinate paste tomato variety bred for sauce and processing applications. It produces elongated, meaty fruits with few seeds and thick walls, ideal for canning and commercial tomato products. This compact, disease-resistant variety is popular among home gardeners and small-scale farmers.

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

  1. Plant Stallion Tomato

    Around Apr 17

    Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.

  2. Tend & protect

    Late spring–summer

    Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.

  3. Harvest Stallion Tomato

    Around Jul 1

    ≈ 75 days after planting

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

Growing Conditions

☀️
Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum (8+ hours preferred)
💧
Water: Consistent, deep watering 1-1.5 inches per week; more during fruiting. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water at soil level to prevent fungal diseases.
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Spacing: 24 inches
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Days to maturity: 75-85 days from transplant
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Planting depth: ¼ inch for seeds; transplant at soil line (can bury stem up to first leaves)

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil rich in organic matter
pH: 6.0-6.8
Amendments:
Compost or aged manure Balanced fertilizer (5-10-10) Calcium (lime or gypsum) to prevent blossom end rot Mulch to retain moisture and regulate temperature

Growing Zones

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Thrives in zones 3-10; grows as annual in cooler climates, perennial in warmest zones

2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a

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Growth Stages

1

Seedling

2-3 weeks

Tiny cotyledons emerge, followed by true leaves. Plant is 2-4 inches tall with delicate stems.

Keep soil consistently moist, provide bright light (14-16 hours), maintain 65-75°F. Thin or transplant when second true leaves appear.

2

Vegetative Growth

4-6 weeks after transplant

Plant develops bushy growth with multiple branches. Compact determinate growth habit; 12-24 inches tall at maturity.

Harden off transplants before planting outdoors. Space 24 inches apart. Begin light staking or support system. Prune suckers minimally as determinate types set most fruit on main stems.

3

Flowering

3-4 weeks

Small yellow flowers appear in clusters (trusses). Plant is stocky with dense foliage.

Maintain consistent watering to prevent blossom end rot. Apply balanced fertilizer or switch to lower nitrogen to encourage flowering. Avoid over-fertilizing nitrogen, which promotes foliage over fruit.

4

Fruiting

3-4 weeks

Elongated, paste-type fruits develop (2-3 inches long). Fruit gradually turns from green to red. Dense clusters on compact plant.

Water deeply and regularly; maintain mulch layer. Support heavy fruit clusters if needed. Monitor for pests and diseases. Continue fertilizing with balanced or slightly higher phosphorus/potassium ratio.

5

Harvest

2-4 weeks of peak harvest

Fruits fully red and firm. Determinate type ripens most fruit within 2-3 week window.

Pick fruits at full red color. Harvest regularly to encourage any remaining fruit to ripen. Whole plant can be pulled at end of season if frost approaches.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) Fennel Potato Kohlrabi Other solanums (eggplant, pepper - can share same diseases)

Common Pests

  • Hand-pick; use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis); encourage parasitic wasps

  • Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap; use yellow sticky traps; reflective mulch

  • Increase humidity; spray with water; use miticide if severe

  • Strong water spray; neem oil; insecticidal soap; encourage natural predators

  • Remove infected leaves; improve air circulation; mulch to prevent soil splash; copper fungicide

  • Remove infected plant parts; space plants for air flow; avoid overhead watering; resistant varieties; fungicide if needed

Uses

🍳

Canning & Sauce Production

Culinary

Stallion's thick walls, low seed content, and high solids make it ideal for tomato sauce, paste, and canned products. Its paste-type shape and determinate ripening pattern are perfect for bulk processing. [source]

🍳

Fresh Cooking & Soups

Culinary

The meaty, seedless flesh works well in soups, stews, and cooked dishes. The concentrated tomato flavor develops when cooked down. [source]

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Home Food Preservation

Household

Ideal for home canners due to reliable ripening window and low moisture content. Reduces cooking time and water content loss during preservation. [source]

💊

Nutritional & Antioxidant Content

Medicinal

Rich in lycopene, vitamins C and A, and potassium. Concentrated flavor means more nutrients per serving when used in sauces and cooked preparations. [source]

🦋

Garden Productivity

Wildlife

High-yielding determinate variety produces abundant fruit in a compact space, supporting beneficial insect populations through flowers and providing food sources. [source]

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

Harvest Tips

Pick fruits when fully red and slightly firm. Stallion has determinate growth, meaning most fruit ripens within a 2-4 week window—ideal for canning and bulk harvesting. Harvest regularly to encourage any remaining production. Green tomatoes can be ripened indoors at room temperature after frost. For maximum flavor, let tomatoes fully ripen on the vine.

Fun Facts

  • 🌱 Stallion was specifically developed as a paste tomato for sauce production, with breeding focused on thick walls, few seeds, and high solids content—characteristics opposite of salad tomato varieties.
  • 🌱 As a determinate (bush) type, Stallion is sometimes called a 'finite season' tomato because it produces most of its fruit within a concentrated 2-4 week window, then production tapers; this makes it perfect for planning a canning day.
  • 🌱 The variety is notably disease-resistant for a paste tomato, with resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium wilts, making it reliable in challenging growing conditions.

Gardening Terms

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