Black Prince tomato: size, taste & care
The ‘Black Prince’ tomato is a strikingly dark heirloom variety. Here we introduce you to this delicious beef tomato.
The dark fleshed ‘Black Prince’ tomato originates from Siberia, so it is particularly well adapted to cool climates. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the ‘Black Prince’ tomato, including its taste, cultivation and use.
Contents
‘Black Prince’ tomato: profile
| Fruit | Beef tomato; dark red with olive green to brown tops |
| Flavour | Juicy, fruity, aromatic |
| Ripening time | Late |
| Growth | Indeterminate, up to 160cm in height |
| Location | Greenhouse, sheltered spot outdoors, pot |
Origin of the ‘Black Prince’
The ‘Black Prince’ heirloom tomato variety comes from Irkutsk in the south of Siberia. It is thought to have originated there in the middle of the 20th century as a variety for hobby gardeners. However, its hardiness and delicious flavour helped it gain popularity throughout the country, before it moved across national borders to the USA, Europe and the area around Kazakhstan.
Taste and characteristics of the ‘Black Prince’ tomato
‘Black Prince’ tomato plants grow just 160 centimetres tall. However, what they lack in height, they make up for in width. With many side shoots, this plant produces flat to round, slightly ribbed fruits, which ripen in clusters from mid-August. The tomatoes tend to vary in size, with some fruits weighing up to 400 grams. However, all share the same dark red flesh, which is olive-green to brown around the stem, even when the tomato is ripe. The flesh is juicy and soft, and the taste is fruity and aromatic. Fortunately, because ‘Black Prince’ is an heirloom variety, you can save its tomato seeds, and cultivate the best-looking fruits next season.
‘Black Prince’ tomato: growing and care
The Siberian ‘Black Prince’ is tolerant to the cold and robust, which makes it ideal for higher altitudes and colder climates. In fact, ‘Black Prince’ can produce a good yield even in cool summers. However, the tomato’s thin skin tends to burst easily, so be sure to keep the plant dry. A greenhouse or outdoors under a roof are ideal locations.
Alternatively, you can cultivate ‘Black Prince’ in a pot on a balcony or terrace. Here, ‘Black Prince’ tends to produce a fine yield. However, you will need to start growing your ‘Black Prince’ in a greenhouse from the beginning of May, before moving it outdoors from mid-May. Despite it being a cold-tolerant variety, it is a good idea to harden off your tomato plants for 1 to 2 weeks before planting them outdoors.
If you intend to grow your ‘Black Prince’ in a pot, use the largest container you can, and fill it with a pre-fertilised compost, like our Plantura Organic Tomato & Vegetable Compost. This is a peat-free, environmentally friendly compost, with a loose consistency that is ideal for tomato plants. It contains essential nutrients that will give the young plants an early growth spurt. After planting your ‘Black Prince’ tomato plant, water it generously and support it with a metal or wooden stick.
- Perfect for tomatoes & other vegetables such as chillies, courgettes & more
- For strong & healthy plant growth as well as an abundant vegetable harvest
- Peat-free & organic soil: CO2-saving composition
From June onwards, the side shoots of ‘Black Prince’ grow vigorously. To harvest early ripening fruits (without compromising on yield!), leave just two to three shoots on the plant. Prune the tomatoes regularly to remove all excess side shoots and fertilise the plant for the first time in June, when the fruits start to grow.
It is at this point, that the plant will need the most nutrients, especially potassium. A slow-release fertiliser, like Plantura Tomato Food, is ideal. Unlike mineral fertilisers, this plant-based granular fertiliser is gentle on soil life and decomposes slowly over a period of two months, releasing nutrients gently and evenly into the soil. You need only top up the soil with fertiliser once more per year, and ‘Black Prince’ will have enough nutrients for the rest of the seasson.
- Perfect for tomatoes, chillies, courgettes, cucumber & more
- For healthy plants & an abundant tomato harvest
- Long-lasting fertiliser that is free from animal products - child & pet friendly
‘Black Prince’ tomato: when to pick and how to use
Finally, the time has come! In mid-August, the first fruits of ‘Black Prince’ will be ripe and ready for picking. They will glow dark red to brown, and the flesh will yield slightly when pressed. ‘Black Prince’ beef tomatoes are best served fresh on bread or in salads. This robust and cold-tolerant variety is also great in sauces, soups and gazpacho.
Despite how damaging it is to the environment, peat continues to be added to many soils and composts for tomatoes and other vegetables. Here are 11 alternatives to using peat, along with their advantages and disadvantages.
