Description of the Purple Candle tomato and growing the variety using seedlings

The unusual early-ripening tomato, Purple Candle, offers several advantages. This variety produces a good harvest and high-quality, delicious fruit.

The plant doesn't require any special care when growing. All the basic rules for planting nightshades also apply to the Purple Candle variety.

Tomatoes are grown using seedlings in open ground. However, in northern regions, plants do better in a greenhouse or hotbed. Experienced vegetable growers give positive reviews of the Purple Candle variety, describing it as hardy, robust, and disease-resistant.

Description of the variety and its characteristics

The plant is an indeterminate variety. A mature bush reaches approximately 1.7-2 m and has a robust root system.

Gardeners recommend training the plant into 1-2 stems to increase yield. Such a tall bush requires support. When the fruit ripens, it's a good idea to tie up the branches.

The Purple Candle variety has complex clusters. A single cluster can produce up to 12 fruits. The first cluster forms above the 7th leaf. Each stem bears 5-6 clusters. The foliage fills the bush moderately, is light green, and is usually slightly elongated.

Purple Candle tomatoes are an early-ripening variety. From the first shoots to full ripening, the tomatoes take 105-110 days.

Fruit characteristics:

1. Purple Candle tomatoes are immediately noticeable due to their appearance. They have an elongated cylindrical shape, reminiscent of a candle. They reach 12-15 cm in length.
2. The weight of one fruit is about 110 g.
3. Inside the fruit there are small seeds, which are located in four chambers.
4. The color is rich, closer to a raspberry shade.
5. The skin is dense and smooth, but at the same time matte without gloss.
6. The tomato is not prone to cracking.
7. The flesh is dense and sweet, aromatic and juicy. These tomatoes have an excellent flavor and are suitable for eating fresh and for preparing various dishes. They are also used for canning.
8. The fruits can be picked at the milky stage of ripeness. They are capable of ripening further.

Tomatoes have a high yield. With proper cultivation practices, up to 9 kg of fruit can be harvested from 1 m². Tomatoes can be stored for about 4 weeks in a cool, dry place. They are perfectly suitable for long-distance transportation, retaining their marketable appearance.

How to grow tomato seedlings

Seedlings are prepared 55-60 days before planting in open ground. Sow seeds in shallow containers filled with nutrient-rich soil. It's best to purchase prepared soil from a store; regular soil will need to be enriched with peat and sand.

The seeds are planted at a depth of 2 cm, watered, and covered with plastic wrap. The seedlings are kept under the plastic wrap until the first shoots emerge. Then, the plastic wrap is removed and the box is placed in a warm, bright room. The room temperature should not fall below 18°C. The ideal temperature for seedlings is 22-25°C.

Pricking out is done when the seedlings develop two leaves. Plants should be transplanted directly into peat containers. When planting in their permanent location, simply dig the pots into the soil with the seedlings. This method prevents damage to the young roots and promotes rapid adaptation of the seedlings to the new soil. Many gardeners recommend using a sieve or spray bottle when growing seedlings to avoid disturbing the topsoil.

Seedlings should be planted in fertilized soil. Use humus, nitrogen, potassium, superphosphates, and other complex minerals. The soil should be moist and loose, and no more than four bushes should be planted per square meter.

After planting, the beds are watered with warm water and the holes are mulched with natural material such as sawdust or straw. 10 days after planting, the seedlings need to be fed with fertilizer.

Further care of the plants consists of the following:

• regular watering;
• loosening the soil and weeding the beds;
• preventative spraying against fungi and pests;
• fertilizing with mineral fertilizers;
• tying up branches when fruits ripen;
• regular removal of stepchildren.

The Purple Candle variety has received excellent reviews. It's easy to care for and produces a rich, high-quality harvest.