How to Grow Candy Stripe Tomato

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Candy Stripe Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum 'Candy Stripe'

vegetable

Candy Stripe is a visually striking heirloom tomato variety featuring distinctive red and yellow striped fruits with a sweet, complex flavor profile. The indeterminate plants produce medium-sized fruits (2-3 oz) throughout the season and are prized by gardeners for both ornamental appeal and delicious taste. This open-pollinated variety offers excellent flavor and disease resistance for home gardeners.

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

Plant Candy Stripe Tomato
Around Apr 17

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

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Candy Stripe Tomato
Around Jun 26

≈ 70 days after planting

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

Growing Conditions

☀️

Sun: Full sun, minimum 8 hours daily (10+ hours preferred for best flavor)

💧

Water: Consistent moisture of 1-2 inches per week; water deeply and evenly at soil level to avoid wetting foliage. Reduce watering slightly as fruit ripens to concentrate sugars.

📏

Spacing: 24 inches

📅

Days to maturity: 70-85 days from transplant

🌱

Planting depth: Bury stem up to first true leaves when transplanting; plant indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil rich in organic matter

pH: 6.0-6.8

Amendments:

Compost aged manure bone meal calcium (crushed eggshells or lime to prevent blossom end rot)

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 5-9; can be grown as an annual in zones 3-4 with season extension

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

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Growth Stages

Seedling

2-3 weeks

Tiny plants with 2-4 true leaves; pale to medium green color

Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Provide 12-16 hours of bright light daily under grow lights. Thin seedlings or transplant to individual containers at 2-3 true leaves.

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks after transplanting

Bushy plants with multiple stems and compound leaves; rapid stem and leaf development

Harden off transplants over 7-10 days before planting outdoors. Install stakes or cages early. Prune suckers on indeterminate varieties to direct energy to fruiting. Fertilize every 2-3 weeks with balanced fertilizer.

Flowering

4-6 weeks

Yellow flowers appear in clusters; plant reaches full height with abundant foliage

Maintain consistent watering to prevent flower drop. Switch to lower-nitrogen fertilizer (higher phosphorus and potassium). Avoid pruning heavily during flowering. Ensure adequate pollination with gentle plant movement or bee activity.

Fruiting

3-4 weeks

Small green fruits develop with characteristic striping becoming visible as fruits enlarge; colors transition from green to red and yellow

Continue consistent watering; drip irrigation works best. Support heavily laden branches with ties or additional stakes. Prune some leaves to allow sun penetration for proper color development. Monitor for pests and diseases.

Harvest & Ripening

8-12 weeks (continuous until frost)

Fruits fully mature with vibrant red and yellow striping; slight give when gently squeezed

Harvest when fully colored but still slightly firm for best flavor. Continue harvesting throughout season to encourage more fruit production. Plants remain productive until frost.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil Parsley Carrot Marigold Nasturtium Borage Lettuce

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) Fennel Walnut trees Potatoes

Common Pests

Hand-pick caterpillars daily. Plant dill or basil to attract parasitic wasps. Use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) if infestation is severe.
Use yellow sticky traps. Spray neem oil or insecticidal soap on leaf undersides. Encourage predatory insects like ladybugs.
Increase humidity by misting foliage. Spray with water to dislodge mites. Apply neem oil or sulfur dust if severe.
Remove lower leaves as plant grows. Ensure good air circulation. Mulch to prevent soil splash. Apply copper fungicide preventatively.
Remove infected leaves promptly. Water at soil level only. Maintain spacing for airflow. Apply copper or sulfur fungicides.

Uses

🍳

Fresh slicing and salads

Culinary

Candy Stripe tomatoes are excellent sliced fresh in salads where their striking appearance and sweet-tart flavor enhance the visual appeal and taste. Their medium size and firm flesh make them ideal for serving in wedges or chunks. [source]

🍳

Sauces and cooking

Culinary

The complex flavor profile with good sugar content makes these tomatoes suitable for fresh sauces, salsas, and cooked dishes. The balanced acidity works well in tomato-based recipes. [source]

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Canning and preservation

Culinary

With proper acidification, Candy Stripe tomatoes can be canned whole or as sauce for long-term storage. Their naturally good flavor concentrates during cooking and preservation. [source]

🎨

Ornamental garden display

Craft

The striking red and yellow striped appearance makes Candy Stripe tomatoes highly valued as edible ornamentals in vegetable gardens and container displays. They add visual interest and color contrast. [source]

🏠

Seed saving

Household

As an open-pollinated heirloom variety, Candy Stripe tomatoes produce viable seeds that can be saved, fermented, and replanted year after year to maintain this variety in home gardens. [source]

Harvest Tips

Pick tomatoes when fully colored with characteristic red and yellow stripes and they yield slightly to gentle pressure. Harvest in the cool morning hours. Fruits continue to ripen after picking if stored at room temperature away from direct sunlight. For peak flavor, allow fruit to fully ripen on the vine. Regular harvesting encourages continued production throughout the season.

Fun Facts

🌱 Candy Stripe is an heirloom variety that has been grown and passed down through gardening families, with origins traced to the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s-1990s.
🌱 The striped pattern intensifies with proper sunlight and ripening; fruits grown in full sun develop more vibrant and distinct red-yellow coloring compared to those in partial shade.
🌱 This variety's sweet flavor profile (higher sugar content) comes from the balanced ratio of acids and sugars, making it prized by tomato enthusiasts and award winners at agricultural fairs.

Gardening Terms

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

Full Sun Heirloom Open-Pollinated pH Pollination Sucker Transplant True Leaves

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