Chocolate Sprinkles

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Chocolate Sprinkles to a garden.

Sweetly fragrant, with a dark “chocolate” blush that ripens to near-burgundy brilliance, Chocolate Sprinkles cherry tomatoes burst with a candy-like pop and a silky, juicy bite.

Their petite, perfectly round fruits hang in clusters on vigorous plants, offering a delightful balance of bright sweetness and gentle tang. Grow them for fresh snacking, vibrant salads, and striking color in salsas and quick pickling—little jewels that make every bowl look garden-fresh and abundant.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 60 DaysHabit: Determinate

Botanical illustration of Chocolate Sprinkles

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Chocolate Sprinkles Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Apr 13th	Jul 27th	Sep 25th – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Apr 6th	Jul 20th	Sep 18th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 31st	Jul 14th	Sep 12th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Sep 8th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 25th	Jul 8th	Sep 6th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 20th	Jul 3rd	Sep 1st – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 16th	Jun 29th	Aug 28th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 13th	Jun 26th	Aug 25th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 7th	Jun 20th	Aug 19th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 2nd	Jun 15th	Aug 14th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 20th	Jun 5th	Aug 4th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 11th	May 27th	Jul 26th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 2nd	May 18th	Jul 17th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 16th	May 1st	Jun 30th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 22nd	Apr 6th	Jun 5th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	60
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Determinate
Support Needed	Cage
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

These cherry tomatoes bring a dessert-adjacent sweetness with juicy, spoonable flesh, so you want fast handling—cut, dress, and serve while they’re still plump. Light heat (or a quick pickle) intensifies their dark “chocolate” blush without turning them into sauce or mush.

Best Uses

snack-sized halving for bowls that need a high-impact sweet pop
quick-pickled tomatoes (vinegar hits, color stays deep)
tossed into warm pasta at the last minute so they blister without collapsing
fresh salsa or relish where they keep texture and don’t weep too much

Flavor Profile

candy-sweet aroma with gentle, rounded tang silky, juicy bite with a bright snap near-burgundy “tomato candy” flavor that stays vivid when lightly cooked

Kitchen Pairings

garlic balsamic vinegar fresh mozzarella olive oil black pepper red onion

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease commonly affects Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) like Chocolate Sprinkles, and what should I do?

A very common problem is early blight (dark, concentric leaf spots that spread from older leaves upward). Remove and discard badly spotted leaves, keep foliage dry by watering at the soil line, and spray a labeled tomato fungicide if new spots keep appearing. Also space plants for airflow because Solanaceae foliage stays damp longer when plants are crowded.

How often should I water Chocolate Sprinkles during the main growing phase?

During the main growth from flowering through fruit set, water deeply to moisten the root zone, then wait until the top 1 inch of soil is dry before watering again. Expect roughly 1–2 inches of water per week total (more in hot weather), delivered in one or two deep soakings. Consistent moisture helps prevent blossom-end rot, which is frequent when watering fluctuates.

How do I know when Chocolate Sprinkles is ready to harvest?

Harvest when the fruit is fully colored and has reached its mature size—count on about 60 days from transplanting as a general target for Solanum lycopersicum. Pick when fruits are firm but give slightly at the blossom end, and they should have uniform color without green shoulders. If you can easily detach the fruit with a gentle twist, it’s usually at peak ripeness.