VegetableTomato
Early Choice Black Tomato
Early Choice Black is an F1 hybrid tomato that delivers on its name: dark, dramatic fruit with an almost black blush over deep red arrives in just 60 to 69 days from transplant. Growing 36 to 48 inches tall on indeterminate vines, it produces medium-sized salad tomatoes with a rich, complex flavor that balances sweetness with subtle depth. Hardy across zones 3 through 11, this variety handles both garden beds and containers, making it accessible to gardeners in nearly every climate.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
3-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
48 in
Height
TypeIndeterminate
Spacing
24
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
3-11
Size
48in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The dark blushing that gives Early Choice Black its name isn't just visual theater, it signals a tomato built for flavor complexity. You'll harvest fruit reliably within two months, which matters when you're gardening in shorter seasons or simply eager for homegrown tomatoes. Its strong disease defenses against Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Fusarium Wilt, Late Blight, and Verticillium Wilt mean you spend less time troubleshooting and more time picking ripe fruit.
Common Uses
These tomatoes are salad tomatoes at heart, sized and flavored for fresh eating straight off the vine. The dark coloring and sweet yet complex taste make them stand out on plates or in bowls. Their compact indeterminate growth and suitability for containers means they work equally well in kitchen gardens, raised beds, or hanging baskets near your kitchen door.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last expected spring frost. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in seed-starting mix kept at 70 to 75°F. Seedlings emerge in 5 to 10 days. Provide bright light and keep soil consistently moist but not soggy. Thin seedlings or transplant into individual pots once true leaves appear.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings over 7 to 10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors after your last frost date and once soil temperature reaches at least 60°F, ideally 65°F or warmer. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. Bury stems deeper than they grew in pots; tomatoes will root along buried stem sections for stronger anchoring.
Harvesting
Pick fruit when it reaches full dark coloring with just a hint of give when gently squeezed. Early Choice Black will be ready 60 to 69 days after transplanting. Tomatoes continue ripening after picking, so harvest slightly early if needed to encourage continued production. Twist gently or use pruners to avoid damaging the vine.
Pruning
Because Early Choice Black is indeterminate, it will grow continuously throughout the season. Prune lower leaves once the plant is established and flowering to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure. Remove suckers (shoots growing between the main stem and branches) if you want to direct energy toward fruit production rather than foliage, though light sucker removal or leaving them intact both work depending on your preference. Always support the plant with stakes or cages as it grows taller.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum lycopersicum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Solanum
Growth Habit
Indeterminate
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)