If you are looking to add unique color and amazing flavor to your tomato growing this year – Amana Orange tomatoes are the way to go! With their bold orange coloring and one to two pound slicing size, they are the perfect complement to the traditional red tomatoes growing in your raised beds or garden.
But what really makes this heirloom stand out beyond its eye-catching color is its flavor! The large beefsteak tomato has a sweet flavor profile that almost makes you feel like you are in the tropics. Even better, all of that flavor comes without a high acid content.
Not only is the Amana Orange tomato perfect for slicing and brightening up sandwiches, it also adds a fresh, fruity taste to salads and all kinds of other dishes. The flavor also adds depth to sauces and juices and is a great complement to spicy foods.
The History Of Amana Orange Tomatoes
As with many heirloom varieties, there is a bit of discrepancy when it comes to the history of the Amana Orange tomato. All sources agree that a man by the name of Gary Staley was the original creator of the fiery orange tomato. But where he first developed it is more of a mystery.
Some say the tomato was first developed in 1985 in Amana, Iowa. As the story goes, it was believed to be named after the Amana colonies, which were a group of German settlers located in the same area.
Others claim that Staley instead developed the tomato in his home in Brandon, Florida in 1984. In this version, the name “Amana” supposedly comes from the fact that he was once employed by an appliance company in Amana, Iowa.
If that wasn’t enough, there is still a group of others who say the tomato was simply named after the town that the grower was fond of. No matter the true origins, one thing is for certain, the Amana Orange tomato plant is a delicious addition to the heirloom tomato world!
Growing Amana Orange Tomatoes
Starting Seeds And Transplants
The Amana Orange tomato is slowly becoming one of the more sought after choices for orange slicing tomato varieties. This means you can sometimes have a little luck when it comes to finding transplants at your local garden nurseries or greenhouses.
However, the only option to guarantee you will be able to add this orange beauty to your garden this year is to start them from seed. The good news is that seeds are quite easy to find. Affiliate Product Link: Amana Orange Beefsteak Heirloom Tomato Seeds
Starting Seeds Indoors
The key to growing Amana Orange tomatoes from seed is that you have to start them indoors long before summer arrives. Tomatoes – especially large indeterminate varieties like Amana Orange – take a long time to start producing fruit. In fact, Amana Orange tomatoes take about 80 days from planting to maturity.
For this reason, you need to give them a head start by starting seeds indoors. The exact date will depend on your last expected frost date. Once you have that date, simply count back about 8 weeks and you will have the date for indoor planting.
Use a moistened, high-quality seed starting soil mixture to start your seeds in. Try to use larger seed starting containers to allow the transplants to grow a bigger root system. You also won’t have to transplant them until planting day! Affiliate Link: Large Seed Starting Trays
They should germinate in around 7 to 14 days. After germination, keep the tomato seedlings under bright lights until the threat of frost is gone and the weather is warm enough for them to be planted outside.
There is no need for special grow lights with tomato plants indoors. You can use ordinary fluorescent or LED shop lights. Simply keep the light an inch or two above plants as they grow and they will provide the perfect light for your plants.
Growing Requirements For Amana Orange Tomatoes
Whether you purchase transplants or grow from seed, wait until the soil temperature reaches around 60º Fahrenheit before planting outside. It can be tempting to get these plants in the ground as soon as the weather starts to warm up, but allow the soil to warm for fast root growth.
If planted too soon, young tomato seedlings will struggle to produce healthy, functioning roots. This results in the plants not being able to properly absorb water or nutrients from the cold soil. In addition, they will fail to provide these tall mature tomato plants with a strong, sturdy foundation.
Once the soil and outside temperatures have warmed, choose a planting location that receives full sun and has well-draining soil. Tomato plants require plenty of sunlight to grow healthy and produce an amazing crop. Ensure the planting spot gets at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight – the more the better.
Planting Amana Orange Tomato Seedlings
Loosen up the soil around the planting area and add in plenty of aged compost. Add a few tablespoons of powdered egg shells and worm castings into the growing hole as well. All three of these ingredients will help to increase the nutrients in the soil as well as improve the soil’s overall structure.
Plant Amana Orange seedlings deeply in the ground, burying as much as 2/3rds of the plant if possible. This will ensure that the tall, mature plants will have plenty of roots for absorbing nutrients as well as providing the plants with a strong foundation.
Since Amana Orange tomatoes are indeterminate tomatoes, they will continue to grow and produce tomatoes all growing season long. For this reason, they need plenty of space to grow and expand. Space additional plants 24 to 36 inches apart. See Determinate Vs Indeterminate Tomatoes – How To Know What To Grow!
Planting day is the time to add in your tomato support cages or stakes. Amana Orange tomatoes can grow to be 6 feet or taller. Add their massive height to the fact that they produce multiple 1 to 2 pound fruit – and they definitely need support to help keep them off the ground and keep the fruit from being damaged!
Watering & Fertilizing Tips – Growing Amana Orange Tomatoes
During the first couple of weeks, the Amana Orange tomato seedlings will need to be watered frequently. This helps to get plants established in their new growing location. Once they establish, the plants will require around 1 to 1.5 inches of rainfall or hand watering weekly.
You also want to add a nice thick layer of organic mulch around the root zone of each plant. Not only will the mulch help to retain moisture in the soil, but it will help to prevent competing weeds from growing as well. Keep the mulch a few inches away from the stem of each plant.
Amana Orange tomato plants are extremely heavy feeders. It takes a lot of nutrients from the soil in order to produce all of its beautiful bright orange tomatoes. For this reason, the plants need your help with the addition of fertilizers.
But instead of giving the plants large, infrequent doses of fertilizer, provide plants with a slow steady stream of nutrients. Fertilize plants every two weeks with a half dose of commercial liquid fertilizer or a full dose of compost tea or worm casting tea to accomplish this. Affiliate Link: Espoma Organic 8 Ounce Concentrated Tomato! Plant Food
Pruning & Harvesting
Amana Orange tomato plants can benefit from maintenance pruning. Prune up the bottom 12 to 18 inches of each plant as they grow. This helps to improve airflow and keep foliage off the soil. You can also remove any suckers to help keep plants from growing unruly and make the job of harvesting easier.
This tomato variety is a late-season producer. But late in the season, they will provide quite the steady output. You can tell the fruit is ready for harvesting when they are a beautiful orange color and they have a slight give when gently pressed.
Here is to growing Amana Orange tomatoes in your garden this year and enjoying their delicious sweetness all summer long!
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