Chocolate Cherry Tomato

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Sink your senses into Chocolate Cherry Tomato’s rich, wine-dark sweetness—small fruits with a velvety, mahogany-chocolate blush and a glossy skin that catches the light.

Bite into a dense, juicy texture with a balanced, tangy-sweet flavor that feels both indulgent and bright, perfect for snacking straight from the vine or gathering for vibrant bowls and colorful platters. Prolific plants produce a steady stream of these deep-toned cherry gems in about 60 days, rewarding attentive gardeners with a harvest as beautiful as it is flavorful.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 60 DaysHabit: Determinate

Botanical illustration of Chocolate Cherry Tomato

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Mar 7th
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Jun 20th
Harvest Begins	Aug 19th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	60
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Determinate
Support Needed	Cage
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	8

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

These chocolate-toned cherry tomatoes hit like a sweet sip—then snap into tang, with denser juice than typical red cherries. They’re at their best bitten raw or blistered briefly, where the mahogany sweetness holds and the skin stays pleasantly poppy.

Best Uses

slice in half for high-gloss snack platters where they don’t collapse
use raw in a tomato-forward salad with a light, fast vinaigrette to keep the sweetness vivid
quick-pan or blister at high heat for jammy edges without turning watery
tumble into warm grain bowls where their tang can cut through starch

Flavor Profile

wine-dark sweetness with a cocoa-tinged finish balanced tangy snap followed by juicy, dense flesh glossy skin that pops pleasantly when bitten small-bite intensity—sweet and bright at once

Kitchen Pairings

burrata aged balsamic vinegar fresh mozzarella olive oil and flaky salt garlic prosciutto

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most common disease issue for Solanum lycopersicum (chocolate cherry tomato), and how do I prevent and treat it?

Early blight and leaf spot are common in Solanum lycopersicum, especially in warm, humid weather, starting as dark spots on older leaves. Remove affected lower leaves, mulch to keep soil from splashing, and water at the soil line so foliage stays dry. If spots keep spreading, spray with a labeled fungicide appropriate for tomatoes and repeat according to the label’s interval.

How often should I water chocolate cherry tomatoes during peak fruiting?

During the main growing and fruiting phase, keep the soil evenly moist—aim for about 1 to 2 inches of water per week total, adjusting for heat and rainfall. Water deeply 1–3 times per week rather than frequent light watering, and stop if the soil stays wet for more than a day or two. Consistent moisture helps reduce blossom-end rot and prevents cracking in cherry tomatoes.

How can I tell when chocolate cherry tomatoes are ready to harvest at about 60 days?

Pick fruit when it has fully developed its mature color (deep brownish-chocolate tones) and the skin looks glossy, not pale or greenish. The tomatoes should come off with a gentle twist and feel firm yet slightly yielding in the hand. Harvesting at peak color improves sweetness and reduces the chance of over-ripening and splitting.