Orange Tomato with Purple Spots: Characteristics and Description of the Variety, Reviews

Gardeners never cease to be amazed by what collectors offer them, striving to develop new varieties with improved flavor, excellent resistance to unstable weather conditions, and other factors. The "Orange with Purple Spots" variety has become a true miracle and a favorite for many farmers.Many gardeners are desperate to find seeds of this variety, as it has a unique appearance and special characteristics. Despite being bred by Americans, farmers claim it has thrived in Russian gardens and has become just as popular in the post-Soviet space as it is in its homeland.

Description and characteristics of the variety

The Orange with Purple Spots tomato variety produces medium-sized fruits, weighing between 200 and 300 grams, depending on growing conditions. The fruits are round and slightly flattened. As the name suggests, the outer skin is bright orange with purple blotches that develop on the upper half as they ripen. The spots become visible under light and temperature fluctuations. The orange-yellow flesh is firm and has minimal seeds. The mild, sweet flavor is well-balanced by a hint of tartness.

This Orange tomato with purple spots is distinguished by excellent resistance to adverse environmental conditions. The fruits develop on tall vines, reaching 1.8 meters in height. This firm, thick-skinned tomato contributes to its shelf life and good condition after long transportation. It is considered disease-resistant and hardier than other tomato varieties.

The Orange tomato with purple spots, according to the official description, is a variety of Solanum lycopersicum, characterized by multicolored blotches on the fruit. This is the cultivar's main characteristic. The rare coloration intensifies with higher light levels and longer ripening periods. Like all tomatoes with similar unique characteristics, seeds saved from this variety will bear fruit with the same blotches and coloring year after year.

Peculiarities

Supposedly, the orange tomato with purple flecks was the only tomato to exhibit a true purple color before the development of blue tomatoes. Before the research and breeding pioneered by Dr. Jim Myers of Oregon State University in the United States, this variety was prized for its naturally deep purple coloring, which became a popular focus for blue tomato breeding.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Orange with Purple Spots tomato variety is chosen for its unique characteristics, large fruits, and excellent fruiting from a single tall bush, allowing for small-scale cultivation and a high yield.

1. Tomatoes are a good source of calcium, iron, and vitamins A, B, and C. The fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and choline content of this variety support heart health.
2. The purple skin of tomatoes boasts high levels of anthocyanin, a disease-fighting compound. This compound may help fight cancer, reduce inflammation, and slow the aging process.
3. The soft, sweet flavor of these tomatoes has a slight tartness and is excellent for eating raw. The fruits of this variety are popular for serving in salads, appetizers, canning, and selling. They pair well with soft cheeses and herbs, as well as certain dessert herbs, such as mint.

Growing

The quality of the harvest is improved by pre-sprouting. It takes up to 65 days for seedlings to form and be ready for transplanting into open ground. The weather for planting should be warm. The soil temperature should not fall below 10 degrees Celsius. It's impossible to say exactly which month is best for planting this variety. Each gardener should consider the climate of their region.

The variety thrives best in southern regions. The further north you grow, the less fruit the crop will produce. However, according to farmers' recommendations, it can be cared for in less favorable regions in a greenhouse. The variety requires planting in high-quality soil. It should be well-fertilized with the best fertilizers and thoroughly loosened after planting.

Care

1. The Orange with Purple Spots variety requires plenty of sun and space to develop. For this reason, it's planted sparingly to allow the bushes to produce the maximum number of fruits.
2. Tomatoes should be watered regularly.
3. Hilling is only necessary once, immediately after planting. This is necessary to protect the plant from temperature fluctuations, which significantly affect tomato yield and flavor.
4. The plant's response to high humidity deserves special attention. Overwatering is not recommended, as it will cause the fruits to crack. The bitterness level will increase, or the acidity will become more noticeable, something not found in regular tomatoes.
5. Loosening the soil is essential for the development of additional roots for this crop. These roots will ensure the successful development of the bush and the formation of a large number of fruits.

Diseases and pests

By creating ideal growing conditions for the crop, many problems can be avoided. Fortunately, a plant with a well-developed root system and regular weeding rarely suffers from attacks by insects that love tomatoes. This variety is often attacked by the Colorado potato beetle, which can quickly adapt to various chemicals. If the pest is detected early in the infestation, it can be removed by hand.

If your plants are under attack and this method doesn't save your tomatoes, you need to purchase and use pesticides. It's best to choose chemicals that break down quickly and don't cause addiction or pests.

Spots characteristic of certain diseases may appear on the plant's leaves. These tomato diseases can be stopped with the use of specialized treatments. It's advisable to treat the seedlings before planting by soaking them in a potassium permanganate solution. Diseases such as tobacco mosaic virus and bacterial spot are rare for this variety.

However, Orange with Purple Spots is not immune to surface rot. Attentive gardeners can quickly spot the problem and address it early.

Reviews

Dmitry:

The seeds are sprouting like crazy! I'm treating them as usual. I was worried they wouldn't work. My neighbor's germination rate was minimal, and he had high hopes for this variety. The seedlings turned out quite strong. I can't wait to taste the first fruits.

Marina:

I just ordered some seeds. A friend of mine grew this variety successfully. I treated her to some, and my kids absolutely love these tomatoes. They don't like vegetables, though! I'll be growing them in a greenhouse; the weather hasn't been great in recent years. I'm afraid I'll ruin the harvest.

Christina:

I adore this variety. It's strange that some people complain about how fussy this tomato is. I don't see any problems. I tied up the bushes, watered them regularly, kept the weeds out, and harvested a wonderful crop of large tomatoes.

Alexey:

The tomatoes I got were even larger than the variety description suggested. I was surprised by how sweet they tasted. A wonderful tomato. My wife loves adding it to various salads and sandwiches. We'll definitely be planting it again next year.

Victor:

The bushes are tall and strong, each producing numerous fruits. If the tomatoes get enough sun, they'll ripen early. But I'm in no rush to pick them. The ripe fruits taste sweet, and the tomatoes themselves are very juicy.

Valeria:

I've long dreamed of planting this variety. It's so beautiful and appetizing. I can't say I was disappointed, but the harvest wasn't as good as I'd hoped. Next year I'll give it some extra fertilization and soil treatment. It seems the problem is in the soil.