How to Grow Loraine Sunshine

Wikimedia Commons

Loraine Sunshine

Lycopersicon lycopersicum 'Loraine Sunshine'

vegetable

Loraine Sunshine is a heirloom determinate tomato variety known for its golden-yellow color with red-orange striping and sweet, complex flavor. This compact bush tomato produces medium-sized fruits (4-6 oz) with a rich balance of sweetness and acidity. It's prized by gardeners for its beautiful bicolor appearance and reliable production in home gardens.

When should you plant Loraine Sunshine in your zone?

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my Loraine Sunshine timeline →

Example Loraine Sunshine timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant Loraine Sunshine
Around Apr 17

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

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest Loraine Sunshine
Around Jun 26

≈ 70 days after planting

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

Growing Conditions

☀️

Sun: Full sun, 6-8 hours daily minimum; 8+ hours preferred for best fruit quality

💧

Water: Consistent moisture is critical; water deeply 1-2 inches per week. Drip irrigation preferred to prevent fungal diseases. Avoid overhead watering. Water at soil level, especially during fruiting. Maintain even moisture to prevent blossom end rot and fruit cracking.

📏

Spacing: 24 inches

📅

Days to maturity: 70-80 days from transplant

🌱

Planting depth: 0.25 inches for seeds; plant transplants deeply (up to first true leaves) to encourage strong root system

Soil

Type: Well-draining, fertile loamy soil rich in organic matter

pH: 6.0-6.8

Amendments:

Compost Aged manure Peat moss or coconut coir Balanced NPK fertilizer (5-10-10 recommended for tomatoes)

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 3-10; best grown as summer annual in most regions

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

Get my Loraine Sunshine timeline →

Growth Stages

Seedling

2-3 weeks

Tiny cotyledons emerge and develop into true leaves. Plant is delicate and light green.

Provide bright light (grow lights 2-3 inches above seedlings). Keep soil moist but not waterlogged. Maintain temperatures 70-75°F. Thin to strongest seedlings.

Vegetative

3-4 weeks after transplanting

Plant develops multiple true leaves and establishes bushy structure. Stems thicken and become woody. No flowers yet.

Gradually acclimate seedlings outdoors (hardening off) over 7-10 days before transplanting. Plant deeply after last frost. Begin staking or caging early. Pinch side shoots if desired for more compact growth (determinate types need less pruning).

Flowering

3-4 weeks

Yellow flowers appear in clusters along the stems. Plant is full and bushy. Early fruit clusters are visible.

Ensure consistent watering and adequate sunlight. Apply balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. Maintain cage/stake support. Mulch around base to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Watch for early pest/disease issues.

Fruiting & Ripening

4-5 weeks

Green fruits develop to full size. Fruits gradually transition from green to yellow-orange with red striping. Fruits become sweet as they ripen.

Continue consistent watering; critical for preventing blossom end rot and fruit cracking. Reduce nitrogen-heavy fertilizer; switch to lower nitrogen formula (e.g., 5-10-10). Remove lower diseased leaves for air circulation. Provide afternoon shade in extremely hot climates (90°F+).

Harvest

Ongoing, typically 4-6 weeks of peak production

Fruits reach full golden-yellow color with red-orange stripes. Fully ripe fruits yield slightly to gentle pressure. Flavor is optimal at full ripeness.

Harvest when fully colored and slightly soft. Can pick at breaker stage (first blush of color) and ripen indoors if needed. Continue harvesting regularly to encourage more fruit production. Plants produce until first frost.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil Parsley Carrots Marigold Nasturtium Garlic Onion Borage

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower) Fennel Kohlrabi Dill Potatoes

Common Pests

Hand-pick visible caterpillars. Encourage parasitic wasps. Use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray if infestation is severe. Check undersides of leaves regularly.
Use reflective mulch to confuse insects. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Introduce parasitic wasps. Remove heavily infested leaves.
Increase humidity with regular misting or irrigation. Spray with water to dislodge. Use neem oil or sulfur dust. Avoid overhead watering which creates ideal conditions.
Remove lower infected leaves. Improve air circulation by pruning lower foliage. Mulch to prevent soil splash. Apply copper fungicide or sulfur. Avoid overhead watering.
Remove infected leaves immediately. Ensure good air circulation. Apply fungicide (copper-based). Space plants adequately. Avoid wetting foliage.

Uses

🍳

Fresh eating and salads

Culinary

Loraine Sunshine's sweet, complex flavor and attractive bicolor appearance make it ideal for fresh slicing, salads, and eating out of hand. The balanced sugar-to-acid ratio provides a rich tomato taste without excessive acidity. [source]

🍳

Sauces and cooking

Culinary

The medium size (4-6 oz) and dense flesh make it suitable for fresh salsas, gazpacho, and cooked sauces. The golden color produces distinctive golden-hued sauce. [source]

🏠

Ornamental and display

Household

The striking yellow-orange fruits with red striping are visually appealing enough for ornamental use in kitchen gardens or decorative displays. Many gardeners grow this variety as much for aesthetics as for flavor. [source]

🎨

Seed saving

Craft

As a heirloom open-pollinated variety, Loraine Sunshine produces viable seeds that can be saved and replanted each year. Seeds remain true to type, allowing gardeners to maintain and propagate their favorite plants. [source]

💊

Lycopene and antioxidants

Medicinal

Like all tomatoes, Loraine Sunshine contains lycopene and other antioxidants. Interestingly, the yellow pigment (xanthophyll) in this variety provides additional phytonutrients different from red tomatoes. [source]

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

Harvest Tips

Harvest when fruits are fully golden-yellow with red-orange stripes and yield slightly to gentle pressure. For sweetest flavor, allow to ripen fully on the vine. Can pick at breaker stage (first color change) and ripen on kitchen counter if needed—especially useful before the first frost. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production. The variety produces until first frost in most climates.

Fun Facts

🌱 Loraine Sunshine is a relatively modern heirloom, developed in the 1980s in New Zealand by combining the bicolor genetics of Solarium species. Its name honors a breeder's daughter.
🌱 The golden-yellow color with red-orange striping comes from two different pigment systems: carotenoids (yellows/oranges) and lycopene (reds), making it a true bicolor variety.
🌱 This determinate variety is sometimes called a 'bush tomato' because it stops growing at a fixed height (typically 2-3 feet) and produces most of its fruit in a concentrated window, making it excellent for canning and preserving projects.

Gardening Terms

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

Full Sun Hardening Off Heirloom Mulch Transplant True Leaves

Shop Loraine Sunshine plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized Loraine Sunshine planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Loraine Sunshine seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my Loraine Sunshine timeline →