Midnight Snack

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Midnight Snack to a garden.

Sink your fingers into a glossy constellation of Midnight Snack tomatoes—small, perfectly round fruits with a velvety, near-black red sheen that catches the light like midnight ink.

Expect sweet, bright flavor with a juicy snap and a tender skin, ideal for snacking straight from the vine, tossing into vibrant salads, and bursting into fresh salsas where their color deepens beautifully. A prolific 60-day performer for home gardeners who crave bold, dark-fruited charm and reliable harvests.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 60 DaysHabit: Indeterminate

Botanical illustration of Midnight Snack

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Midnight Snack 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	Indeterminate
Support Needed	Stake
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

Midnight Snack’s near-black red fruit gives you that sweet, juicy pop with a lively, bright edge—so it doesn’t taste flat even when eaten raw. Because the skin is tender and the flesh releases cleanly, it’s tailor-made for salsa and warm quick-roasts where it blisters instead of turning mealy.

Best Uses

vine snacking where the tender skin stays crisp under your teeth
quick tosses into salads to keep their shape and color under vinaigrette
bursting into fresh salsa for a slick, jammy release
fast pan-roasting just to blister and concentrate without collapsing

Flavor Profile

sweet-forward cherry flavor bright snap of acidity juicy, tender bite with a delicate skin dark-fruited, slightly smoky richness

Kitchen Pairings

mozzarella balsamic vinegar fresh lime olive oil garlic red onion

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a common disease problem for Solanum lycopersicum (tomatoes) and how do I prevent and treat it?

Early blight is a common issue on tomatoes, showing up as dark, concentric spots on lower leaves that can spread upward. Remove affected leaves as soon as you spot them, improve airflow with proper spacing, and avoid wetting foliage by watering at the soil line. If it keeps spreading, treat early with a labeled fungicide for tomatoes (follow the product label for timing and reapplication).

How often should I water Solanum lycopersicum during the main growing phase?

During active fruiting, aim for consistently moist but not waterlogged soil—about 1–2 inches of water per week, adjusted for rainfall and heat. Water deeply 1–3 times weekly so the root zone is soaked, and let the top 1 inch of soil dry slightly between waterings to reduce disease pressure. Keep watering steady to prevent cracking and blossom-end rot (which worsens when moisture swings).

How can I tell when my Midnight Snack tomatoes are ready to harvest?

Harvest when fruits are fully colored (dark, mature red/black at the shoulders for this variety type) and have a slight give when gently squeezed. The skin should look glossy and the fruit should detach with a light twist rather than pulling hard. For best flavor, pick at full maturity and avoid harvesting while the shoulders are still pale or firm.