Most Prolific Black Tomato

@Carolyn

I'm calling it Indian Zebra (and mentioning the seed source) to make tracking my seed source easier, especially because they sell Indian Stripe, too. If I called it Indian Stripe and it turned out that it had orange leaves when I grew it, it would be nice for others to know that they could rule out contacting dianeseeds about their Indian Stripe seed source, which I imagine is in different bags or packets than their Indian Zebra.

I got Indian Zebra instead of Indian Stripe because she made it sound like the plants yielded larger fruit (and I like to select for large fruit). I didn't buy Indian Stripe there, too. So, I'm not seeking to compare them, particularly. I'm not saying Indian Zebra is its own variety.

@Carolyn

Or were you referring to how I said it had an erroneous history? It sounds like its correct history is known now, by what you said.

[Mushimi]

Originally Posted by shule1

Now that you mention it, I'm growing Indian Zebra, too (specifically from dianeseeds.com). I'm not growing Indian Stripe this year, though, but I'll probably grow Indian Stripe Heart next year from the free seeds I got from Marsha. Where did you get your Indian Zebra? That's important to know for a tomato with an erroneous history, probably.

I was surprised to see that someone from a dry, hot part of Arizona earlier in this thread had a very productive Cherokee Purple. That probably either means mine last year was diseased, a cross, or not an ideal strain for my area (or something); or, maybe it was the soil. Usually I hear that Indian Stripe does better in dry, hot areas (but they weren't comparing).

I can't get Cherokee Purple to do anything for me either in warm/hot, dry southern California. Black Krim and Black from Tula have done much better for me - I haven't tried Indian Stripe yet, though. I've officially given up on Cherokee Purple after several years of hoping, and waiting...

[Gerardo]

I like BFTula, done well for me a couple of times. Carbon is steady throughout, and quite strong (contender sense, not intensity) flavor wise. PRobeson is great, drawback is it gets beat up by fungus every time. Son of PR Tasm Choc does better and tastes very good to me.

Looking forward to JD's SCT, Vorlon, Amazon Chocolate, and Bear Creek.

[Al@NC]

I am trying Paul Robeson and Boronia Dwarf this season. Boronia is another tomato from that same dwarf line as Tasmanian Chocolate. I'll have to try TC next year.

Al

@Al

Boronia sounds like it should be a good one. It's supposed to have Paul Robeson, New Big Dwarf, Ponderosa Pink and Dwarf Champion in its lineage. It's fairly early for how big the tomatoes look. They say it's supposed to taste like Cherokee Purple. Does Cherokee Purple taste something like Paul Robeson? I wouldn't have thought that.

[Al@NC]

I have my fingers crossed on Boronia, I also purchased Brandyfred, which is a new release this year. I got them both from Victoryseeds....


Al

[Fusion_power]

Black Sea Man was the biggest disease magnet in my garden ever. Septoria loves it. Early blight adores it. Nematodes consume it. Late Blight devours it.

There are always a few standouts and in black tomatoes, Black Cherry, Black From Tula, Black Krim, J.D.'s Special C-Tex, Perth Pride, and Bear Creek are consistently near the top. If you can find Black From Tula Potato Leaf aka Spudatula it is a tad better than the original.

[efisakov]

This are last year black varieties with production in pounds:

Cherokee Chocolate (9 pounds)
Berkeley Tie-Dye Heart (7.5 pounds)
Brad’s Black Heart (7.7 pounds)
Bear Creek (7.5)
Girl Girl's Weird Thing (16)
Carbon Copy (11.8)
Black Master (10)
Blackberry (11.5)
Sara (6, most years it is just below 10)
Indian Stripe (12.5)
Black from Tula (7.8)
JD's Special C-Tex (17.9)
Amazon chocolate (10.5, easy to get sick most of the years)
Chocolate Stripe (13.3)
Rosella Purple Dwarf (9.5)
Black Cherry (7.2)

I grow one plant of each variety usually. I did not list varieties that underproduced because something else affected it (squirrels, fungus, bugs and other reasons). All listed above are great tasting once that I would recommend to grow.

This year my blacks are:
Sara black
Owen's Purple (first time)
Black Master
Cherokee Chocolate
Indian Stripe
Black Krim PL/BKX (first time for PL, grew BK RL many times before)
Bear Creek
Spudakee (first time for PL, grew CP RL many times before)
Black Cherry
JD's Special C-Tex
Girl Girl's Weird Thing
Margaret Curtain
Rosella Purple Dwarf
Carbon
Blackberry
and Carbon Copy (it will self seed in flower bed along with the cherry varieties that I just let grow on its own)

Many people are trying Negrillo de Almoguera and Daniel Burson. I will grow Daniels this year to see how parents look like. This two I would like to try next year. I have many new great varieties that I have to grow first.

[dipchip2000]

Carbon Copy (11.8) I think that Carbon Copy speaks for itself in reference to its production for a small cherry size tomato. The flavor is also unquestionable. Yes it will reseed itself in a bed because you can not pick them all and some will undoubtedly fall to the ground. nuff said

ron

[imp]

Originally Posted by dipchip2000

Carbon Copy (11.8) I think that Carbon Copy speaks for itself in reference to its production for a small cherry size tomato. The flavor is also unquestionable. Yes it will reseed itself in a bed because you can not pick them all and some will undoubtedly fall to the ground. nuff said

ron

Really looking forward to tasting these this year. I like cherries and love the big flavors of many of the black tomatoes, so my two really good things together along with great production should be terrific.

[Canehdian]

Most prolific for me in zone 3a was Black Pear. Big vigorous PL plant. Best tasting was Royal Purple from J and L Gardens. Any Canuckleheads have luck with Indian Stripe?

[JosephineRose]

This thread is the worst enabler.

Looks like I'm doing a bed of all blacks next year. I've just picked up Black and Brown Boar, Bear Creek, Indian Stripe, Vorlon, JD's special C, Black from Tula, Spudatula and Noir de Crimee.

[Al@NC]

Canehdian, I've been wondering about Royal Purple, did you get decent production up there and did it grow true? I've started a few seeds already and I'm looking forward to it.

Dipchip2000, where do you get Carbon Copy?

Al

[Al@NC]

@Josephine, I've learned a lot in this thread! It is an enabler though but hey that's what T-ville is all about!

Seriously though, it's helped me learn about varieties and how some light the heat of the south and do well there like JD's Special C but then it looks like this variety may not grow so well in the North with the colder nights and it tends to get disease such as Amazon C.

Al