Solanum lycopersicum
Black Cherry Cherry Tomato, black cherry: developed in the 1990s by crossing heirloom varieties with dark flesh, it quickly won over gardeners. Its deep brown-purple color is spectacular, but it is above all its flavor that sets it apart: a rare intensity and complexity for a cherry tomato.
Characteristics:
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Deep color: almost black brown-purple fruits, highly decorative when growing in clusters.
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Intense flavor: sweet and complex, with the rich notes of dark-fleshed tomatoes.
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Early and vigorous: it produces early and abundantly, with good disease resistance.
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Suitable for growing in pots: perfect for a balcony in a deep container.
Sowing advice:
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Exposure: full sun and warmth — this is what fully develops its dark color.
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Soil: rich, loose and well-drained, enriched with compost. Less demanding than large varieties, it still appreciates well-nourished soil.
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Method: sow from February to April under cover, at 20 °C minimum — below this temperature, the seeds will not germinate. Cover with 5 mm of soil. Transplant into pots at the two true-leaf stage. See how to sow your seeds.
Planting advice:
- Transplant after the last frosts, spacing plants 60 cm apart. Bury the stem up to the first leaves: the tomato produces roots along the entire buried section, resulting in a more vigorous plant.
- This is an indeterminate and particularly vigorous variety: it easily exceeds 2 meters. Provide a sturdy stake from the time of planting.
Care advice:
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Always water at the base, never over the foliage, preferably in the morning: water on the leaves provides an entry point for blight. Apply a thick mulch.
- Water regularly and evenly to prevent the fruits from splitting.
- With cherry tomatoes, removing suckers is optional: allowing the plant to bush out increases the number of fruits if you have enough space and adequate support.
- Rotate crops every three to four years.
Harvesting advice:
- Color alone is not enough to judge ripeness in a dark variety: rely on touch; the fruit should yield slightly. If harvested too early, it will be acidic.
- Store at room temperature, never in the refrigerator, which destroys its aromas.
Beneficial companion plants:
Benefits for biodiversity:
- Its flowers are pollinated by vibration: only bumblebees make full use of them. Welcoming them directly improves your harvest.
- As a seed-saving variety, it allows you to resow it year after year. See our heirloom tomatoes to sow.
Uses:
- As an appetizer, in salads, on skewers or roasted in the oven. Its dark color creates a striking contrast when mixed with yellow or red cherry tomatoes.
Harvesting your own seeds:
Take the pulp from a few fully ripe fruits and let it ferment for two to three days in a little water — this step breaks down the gelatinous coating that inhibits germination — then rinse: the healthy seeds will sink to the bottom. Dry them flat. See how to store your seeds.
Commitment to Quality: at SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we grow and select our seeds with respect for all living things as our guiding principle. Based near the Volcanoes of Auvergne, we choose open-pollinated, non-hybrid varieties, test them for their germination rate, and carefully sort and package them without any chemical treatment. Our conviction: to give gardeners back the ability to resow, year after year, seeds that truly belong to them.
The tastiest and most spectacular cherry tomato.
