Black Cherry Tomato

Start seeds indoors 5 to 6 weeks before your outdoor transplanting date, or about 6 to 8 weeks before nighttime temperatures reliably reach 55°F. Sow seeds 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep, spacing them 1 inch apart in seed-starting mix. Keep the mix moist but not waterlogged, and maintain a temperature around 80°F; seeds typically sprout in 5 to 14 days. Once seedlings develop their first true leaves, pot them up into 4-inch containers and maintain a temperature around 70°F, providing strong light and half-strength fertilizer every 2 weeks until they're hardened off and ready to plant outside.

Transplant outdoors when nighttime temperatures are reliably 55°F or warmer and soil has warmed to 75°F or above. Don't rush, leggy, root-bound, or flowering transplants can stunt growth and reduce early production. Plant several inches deeper than they were growing in their pots, burying stems up to the base of the leaves. Space plants 24 inches apart with rows 36 inches apart. Provide sturdy stakes or tall cages at planting time, as these vigorous vines will grow tall with heavy fruit loads.

Pick fruits when they reach full dark color, a deep dusky purple-brown rather than bright red. At about 1 ounce each, they'll be small but fully mature. The plant will continue producing throughout the season, so harvest regularly to encourage more fruit set. Black cherries are delicate, so handle them gently to avoid bruising.

As an indeterminate variety, Black Cherry Tomato grows continuously throughout the season. Keep tall stakes or sturdy cages in place to support the heavy vine growth. If plants outgrow their support system, you can prune the top once they reach a manageable height for easy harvesting, though this will reduce overall production.