Red Torch is a striped oblong tomato with 1.5” long fruits that weigh about 1.5 ounces. This hybrid is a very prolific early-season producer. The combination of excellent flavor, great texture, and high yields make this hybrid better than other varieties in the trendy niche market of striped tomatoes. Plants have been bred with excellent tolerance to environmental stresses like heat and harsh growing conditions. Fruits are borne on indeterminate vines that grow 5-6’ tall and ripen 60-70 days from transplanting. Judges were pleased with both the earliness and yield of this variety in addition to the unique skin coloration.
Blog: The best cherry and small-fruited tomatoes to grow in garden beds and containers
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Tomato seeds need to be started indoors, planted ¼” deep in pots or flats 6 weeks before the last frost. Seeds will take 7-14 days to germinate. When seedlings reach 2” tall, transplant into individual pots. Transplant outdoors 24-30″ apart in rows 36″ apart when nighttime temperatures are above 50° F. Indeterminate plants require stakes or trellising. Maintain soil fertility and a steady, consistent supply of water.
- “Delicious, long-standing in the garden (still producing in late September, even after we pulled some of the comparisons).”
- “Very pretty, covered in lots of fruits. Perfect size too–not too big, not too small! I think this one is a winner!”
- “The entry is prolific, flavorful and unique in appearance.”
- “Very good entry with high yields, great appearance, and great taste. Good disease resistance to the common leaf spots.”
- “Entry has attractive striped fruit and better taste than the checks. Overall performance was good.”
- “Trial variety beat out the competition in the taste test.”
Jeni Cullen, Eden Park, Cincinnati, OH –
I grew these in a display garden mixed in with annual flowers. Not only are they prolific and tasty, they added an interesting look growing up through the props.