Pear Tomato
Chocolate Pear is an heirloom tomato that delivers exactly what its name promises: pear-shaped fruits with a deep, complex flavor that serious tomato lovers crave. These small fruits, averaging just one ounce, arrive in enormous quantities over a remarkably long season, making this indeterminate variety a workhorse for both home gardeners and market growers. The striking appearance alone makes it worth growing, with light red skin overlaid in swirls of green and brown that look almost chocolate-like. Expect full maturity in 70 days, and plan on at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun daily to fuel the prolific harvest.
Full Sun
Moderate
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?in H x ?in W
Annual, Perennial
High
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The sheer abundance of Chocolate Pear tomatoes sets this variety apart; indeterminate vines produce continuously through the season in waves that keep coming. Each tiny, pear-shaped fruit carries the rich, full tomato flavor that made heirloom varieties so beloved by gardeners tired of bland supermarket tomatoes. The visual drama of its unusual coloring, with warm light red overlaid by swirls of green and brown, makes these tomatoes as beautiful as they are delicious. This is a variety that thrives in the hands of someone who wants production and flavor in equal measure.
Chocolate Pear tomatoes excel in fresh applications where their small size and rich flavor shine. Use them whole in salads, halved on cheese boards, or roasted as a showstopping garnish. Their pear shape and unusual coloring make them especially popular for market growers and CSA boxes, where visual appeal drives sales. Home gardeners treasure them for fresh eating straight from the vine, where the concentrated flavor belies their diminutive size.
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Maintain soil temperature between 68 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit for consistent germination, which typically occurs within 7 to 14 days. Sow seeds at a depth of 1/8 inch and keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date has passed and nighttime temperatures remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Harden off plants gradually over 7 to 10 days by exposing them to increasing amounts of outdoor conditions. Space plants 24 inches apart in full sun, planting deeply so the soil line reaches the first true leaves to encourage stronger root development.
Harvest Chocolate Pear tomatoes when they reach full color, showing the characteristic light red with green and brown swirls. The fruits should yield slightly to gentle pressure but still feel firm. Pick tomatoes when fully colored and ripe for the best flavor, as these small fruits do not improve significantly in sweetness after harvest. Continue harvesting throughout the long season as the indeterminate vines produce continuously until frost arrives.
As an indeterminate variety, Chocolate Pear benefits from pruning to maintain vigor and improve air circulation. Remove lower leaves once the plant is established and producing fruit, which encourages better airflow and reduces disease pressure. Pinch out suckers (shoots that grow between the main stem and branches) to direct energy toward fruit production rather than excessive vegetative growth.
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