How to Grow Chocolate Cherry
Solanum lycopersicum 'Chocolate Cherry'
Chocolate Cherry tomatoes offer a unique deep purple-black fruit flavoring savory dishes and salads. As an heirloom variety, this warm-season crop delivers intense taste but requires attentive care to thrive in your garden.
📷 Wikipedia: TomatoStarting Chocolate Cherry: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Chocolate Cherry is not usually started indoors.
Plant seedlings outdoors only after the last spring frost when soil temperatures have warmed sufficiently.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare loose, fertile soil with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8 for optimal growth. Since tomatoes are frost-sensitive, start seeds indoors only after the danger of spring frost has passed or wait until soil is warm. Sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep; they typically germinate within 7 to 14 days.
Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart in full sun. Provide sturdy support like a cage or trellis as the vines grow up to 10 feet tall. Maintain consistent moisture by watering regularly and applying mulch around the base. Feed with balanced fertilizer if fruit production slows.
Watch for aphids, whiteflies, hornworms, spider mites, late blight, early blight, and cracking. Prevent issues by ensuring good air circulation, avoiding overhead watering, and inspecting leaves frequently. Harvest the dark fruits approximately 65 to 75 days after planting when they are fully ripe.
When to Plant Chocolate Cherry
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | May | — | September – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | — | September |
| Zone 3 | April | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 10 | January | — | May – July |
| Zone 11 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 12 | January | — | April – June |
| Zone 13 | January | — | April – June |
Companion Plants for Chocolate Cherry
✓ Good companions
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor
Aerates soil and doesn't compete for nutrients
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Provides ground cover and utilizes different soil layers
Deters nematodes and whiteflies with natural compounds
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Repels pests and attracts beneficial pollinators
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
✗ Keep away from
Releases juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Both attract tomato hornworms and corn earworms
Inhibits growth through allelopathic compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
