Black Cherry tomato - delicious taste but skin very thick

[Snoop Puss]

We've had the first of our Black Cherry toms today (could have had some earlier, to be honest, but I didn't know how dark they'd go when ripe).

We really like the taste but the skin is very thick and unpleasant in the mouth.

Has anyone else grown Black Cherry? Is thick skin typical of this variety or is it just to do with the growing conditions this year?

The growing conditions have been less than ideal this year. They're in an outdoor bed being used only for the second time, so the soil is still very clay-like. The weather has been extremely hot during the day for weeks on end now (mid-40 ºC, sometimes exacerbated by very hot wind). Most nights have been reasonable temperatures, but we had a week or so of sub-10 ºC nights. The plants are watered early every morning and sometimes later in the day as well if it has been very windy as well as hot. They've been fed every two weeks.

I'm hoping it's the conditions, as we really like the flavour.

[MarkPelican]

My Black Cherry are not thick skinned but I'm growing them in the polytunnel. The problem I have with Black Cherry is that they split very easily (the skins are too thin).

[sparrow100]

I have the same problem as Mark - they split really easily if I mess up the watering. Mine are in a greenhouse, not outside though.

[SusieG]

-------I'm growing Black Cherry, too ~ haven't actually tried one yet as unsure how dark they'll go before they're properly ripe ...........!
Mine are growing in grow bags in the GH and are a darkish muddy-brown. Watered daily, fed once a week.
Will have to try one tomorrow - then can report back!

[Guest]

Mine are outside and (touch wood) the skins are just right.

[Scarlet]

Mine are outside and (touch wood) the skins are just right.

Mine are fine too - never had a problem with thick skins. Black cherry is my altimeter favourite cherry Tomato. I grow mine in the green house border, splitting is usually a sign of incorrect watering.

[MarkPelican]

Mine are fine too - never had a problem with thick skins. Black cherry is my altimeter favourite cherry Tomato. I grow mine in the green house border, splitting is usually a sign of incorrect watering.

I agree that splitting is a sign of incorrect watering, my experience is that black cherry are the ones most likely to split. Others treated the same do not.

[Scarlet]

Well, I grow them every year and it's never been an issue for me under glass.
Are yours in the ground in the poly or pots?

[Bren In Pots]

Mine are fine as well they're grown in the GH border soil that's mostly out of my daleks and fed with comfrey each week. I eat them like sweeties

[Thelma Sanders]

Mine are in the greenhouse border, and I find they have thin skins - they split quite easily if I'm not careful when I pick them, or there's a heavy downpour which gives them a lot of water all at once.


Sometimes tomato skins do get hard, though, if they have taken a long time to ripen - is this what happened to yours?

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks for all the replies, guys. Will try them again next year.

Thelma, maybe you've hit the nail on the head. I picked the ones that had been ripening the longest, as I didn't know what colour they would be when ready to eat. Will try some of the more recent ones.

One thing's for sure, none of them are splitting and nor are my Sungolds, which I find are very prone to splitting. So the watering would seem to be about right.

[SusieG]

-------I'm growing Black Cherry, too ~ haven't actually tried one yet as unsure how dark they'll go before they're properly ripe ...........!
Mine are growing in grow bags in the GH and are a darkish muddy-brown. Watered daily, fed once a week.
Will have to try one tomorrow - then can report back!

Just a quick Black Cherry update:

Picked two that looked like they might be ripe ~ and yup, they were ....... not at all 'thick skinned', in fact just the opposite ..........also were sweet tasting, in my opinion ........ Nice...!

(The Tigrella are just to show the contrast in colour/size....)

[bario1]

Are they the first fruit to set? I think the first ones are always a bit thick skinned and then they get better as the season progresses?

[Tripmeup]

Black Cherry are a must grow for me every year too. Just cannot beat the taste!

My Black Cherry are not thick skinned but I'm growing them in the polytunnel. The problem I have with Black Cherry is that they split very easily (the skins are too thin).

I find that they only split when picking them, and then it is the ones that are possibly a day late being picked if you see what I mean..I now cut the stalk with a small scissors rather than pull/pick the tomato off and have no problems....

[Snoop Puss]

Are they the first fruit to set? I think the first ones are always a bit thick skinned and then they get better as the season progresses?

They were certainly among the earliest but not the first. I had one of the more recent ones that I thought might not be quite ripe. Slightly sharper in flavour, but OK skin. So that could be another possible reason.