Most Prolific Black Tomato

[NarnianGarden]

I'll test Paul R. and Tasmanian Chocolate this year - it will be interesting to see if they're anything like the other blacks I've grown. Similarities and differences... growth habits etc.
There is no way to beat black tomatoes

[Gardeneer]

There are so many choices: I have only grown:
==Cherokee Purple
== Black krim
== Japanese Black Trifele
I wont grow BK. It cracks , gets green shoulder, rings. So to me it does not have
a nice look.

This year I am adding Black from Tula and Black Cherry.
I have read a lot of good reviews on Chrokee Strip. But could not find seed @ my seller.
So 4 of them should be enough this season for me.

[FarmerShawn]

This year my planned black list looks like this:
Amazon ChocoLate **
Amazon ChocoLate PL **
Bear Creek*
Big Cheef
BKX
Black Bear*
Black Brandywine
Black Cherry **
Black from Tula
Brad's Black Heart
Carbon
Cherokee Purple
Dana's Dusky Rose
Darth Mater **
Gary O'Sena
Indian Stripe **
Indian Stripe PL **
Japanese Trifele Black*
Kazachka **
Margaret Curtain
Paul Robeson
Purple Bumblebee
Purple Russian
Rosella Purple
Vince P1 **

* means it's new to me this year;
** have probably become permanent residents of my yearly list;
all others are returns, some after just one year.
The venerated Cherokee Purple, for example, almost got cut this year due to inconsistency. Sometimes it is fantastic, other years it either doesn't produce, or the flavor is not there. Vince P1 is interesting to me because if I pick it at the right time, the flavor is sublime, the best I've ever had, but it quickly goes by; when it looks ripe, it is gone by and tastes almost rotten. Unfortunately, if I even think about water when I walk by, it splits, even when quite green.

[Al@NC]

Farmer Shawn, you grow both PL and RL of A. Chocolate and I. Stripe? I'm surprised that you don't like one more than the other (RL vs PL)... I guess it's just a matter of choice, I tend to like the PL more.


Al

[Gardeneer]

By now everybody has probably germinated/ growing under light and some have already planting their so-called "black" tomatoes. Here is my final:

Cherokee Purple (planted)
Japanese Black Trifele
Black from Tula
Black/brown cherry
Purple Heart
Arbuznyi
Kumato

Last season I just had the first two on the list. I liked both of them.
So there is no question about productivity for me. I just want good tasting tomatoes.

[NarnianGarden]

Paul Robeson and Tasmanian Chocolate are alive and well, these will go to my parents'.

My own seedlings are still catching up... Black Seaman and Noire de Crimee hopefully show up, along with Purple Bumble bee.

[FarmerShawn]

Originally Posted by Al@NC

Farmer Shawn, you grow both PL and RL of A. Chocolate and I. Stripe? I'm surprised that you don't like one more than the other (RL vs PL)... I guess it's just a matter of choice, I tend to like the PL more.


Al

For both, last year was my first year with both, and I like to reserve judgment until after three years' growth. Neither IS did particularly well for me last year, and I preferred ACPL just a bit more than the RL. But they've got two more seasons to prove themselves.

[bughunter99]

OP your criteria were productivity and lack of cracking.

For me in a very weather labile are of zone 5 that would be Carbon and Indian Stripe.

Blacks I would not include for my zone due to poor productivity (too late) are anything with Brandywine in its name, Japanese Trifele, Cheroke Purple and Amazon Chocolate, Brads Black Heart and JDs Special C Tex (massive disease in the last one.)

Those with longer seasons, more heat swear by some that don't produce well for me so your mileage may vary.

Stacy

[FarmerShawn]

I also had no luck with JD's Special C-Tex. Disease, no production, over three years consistently means it's gone from my garden. I was sad, because some folks rave about it, but I couldn't get it to produce anything worth eating, even in my hoophouse.

[AZGardener]

Hi guys- I have had my plants in the ground since early Feb and the ones that are doing the best/most prolific (from all 38ish plants) are Cherokee Purple and Black from Tula. Both have at least 20 tomatoes on each and I have picked a medium and monster from the CP yesterday.... This is in zone 9/Phx.

[Gardeneer]

Criteria: Black, Productive, No Cracking
---------------------------------------------

because of that criteria I stopped growing Black Krim.
Of the ones (CP, JBT) that I have grown have not had any cracking issue.

Gadeneer

[Al@NC]

Thanks to all that commented, I have Black Trifele, Cherokee Purple, and Carbon all going in the ground. I have Rosella Purple, Boronia and Perth Pride all in large planters so far.

I visited a large nursery over the weekend and had to restrain myself from grabbing a Black Krim plant!

Al

[Starlight]

I'm still sowing seed. What about Black Prince. I just received seed for it from a friend. I haven't seen it mentioned. Anybody grown it before? What did you think about it?

[JohnJones]

Originally Posted by Starlight

I'm still sowing seed. What about Black Prince. I just received seed for it from a friend. I haven't seen it mentioned. Anybody grown it before? What did you think about it?

I was wondering about Black Prince as well. I am pretty new to heirlooms (3 seasons).

As far as blacks, I have grown CP and Black Krim only in prior seasons. CP was productive and wonderfully flavored. Black Krim kinda sucked (seems like the most accurate description). Low productivity, flavor less than average (although still much much better than any store bought), and cracks galore.

I am saving, buying and acquiring seeds this year to try my hand at growing from seed in 2016, but am depending on purchased plants this year. I found a Black Prince from Bonnie's at a local HD and decided to give it a run. It has been in the container since March 17 and is looking good. Hope it's not a stinker.

[Al@NC]

You guys will have to follow up at the end of the season on how Black Prince performed for you.