Black krim tomato, a dark-skinned tomato with a rich, meaty flesh

Tomatoes come in many different varieties, some of which stand out when compared to others. This is the case for the ‘Black Krim’ tomato!

• Read also: How to grow tomato

Origin of the ‘Black Crimea’ tomato

As its name shows, it originated in Crimea, a peninsula south of Ukraine. Its dark purple color also contributed to its name. The Black Krim tomato has only spread across the planet in the last 30 years. Its large meaty fruits (up to a pound or 500g) have a soft, yummy taste and are almost seedless – a key to explaining why they’re still as famous as ever.

Planting the Black Crimea tomato

Sowing:

• In April, soak your seeds in water for a day;
• sow them in nursey pots, and then place these under a cold frame;
• after they’ve sprouted, transfer the young seedlings to the ground.

Smart tip:

use plastic water bottles with the top cut off for nursery pots. Plantlets will then create long roots capable of drilling deeper underground for minerals.

• Good read: Succeed in sowing tomato

Planting:

Whether you’ve bought them from a market or have grown them yourself, transplant your tomato seedlings to the ground in May, spacing them 16 to 20 inches apart (40 to 50 cm). For them to settle in well, slant each seedling in the hole and backfill to the point of burying the base up to the first leaves. This portion of the stem will sprout new roots, which increases the plant’s vigor overall.

Smart tip:

Remember to stake your ‘Crimea black’ tomatoes as you’re planting them, so that that you don’t damage the roots later on.

Care and maintenance

All tomatoes, including the Black Krim, need water. Water it often at the base and don’t get any leaves wet. When fruits appear, start removing some of the lower leaves on the plant, to expose the fruits. This speeds the ripening process up.

Smart tip:

Don’t get too zealous about this, though: after all, leaves are what help the plant grow and survive.

Pests and diseases

The main disease that affects the ‘Black Krim’ tomato is downy mildew. As for parasites, more often then not it’ll be cotton bollworm caterpillars and whitefly you’ll be dealing with on your plants.

Harvest and keeping

The Black Krim tomato is ready for harvest in a four-mouth window, from mid-July to end of October. To make the most of the nutritional benefits of this fruits, it’s best to let them ripen on the plant until the very day you need them. In case of excess ripe fruits, store them for about a week in the refrigerator.

Cooking with Black Crimea tomatoes

The fleshy fruit of the Black Crimea plant, and its soft-tasting flesh make it an excellent candidate for your summer salads. The deep color of its meat will contrast interestingly with that of other ingredients.

To learn more, read

• Tomato growing, all the ins and outs of it