Black Plum Tomato

Black Plum Heirloom Tomato – Seedling

• Botanical name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Black Plum’
• Tomato type: Small plum/paste tomato
• Growth habit: Indeterminate
• Variety type: Open-pollinated heirloom
• Fruit weight: Approximately 28 g
• Fruit color: Deep mahogany-red to brown
• Days to maturity: Approximately 70–80 days after transplanting
• Light: Full sun
• Best planting season in Kuwait: September to January
• Suitable for: Raised beds, large containers and kitchen gardens
• Black Plum is a productive Russian heirloom tomato valued for its distinctive color and rich, complex flavor. The vigorous vines produce generous clusters of small, elongated plum-shaped tomatoes that mature from reddish brown to deep mahogany.
  Its full-bodied flavor and relatively meaty texture make it a versatile tomato for fresh eating, salads, roasting, drying and preparing richly flavoured sauces. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange describes Black Plum as an indeterminate Russian heirloom producing approximately 28 g fruits, with maturity in around 70–80 days.

Growing in Kuwait

• – Transplant outdoors from September through January.
• – Choose a location receiving at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight.
• – Acclimatise the seedling gradually before exposing it to Kuwait’s strong direct sun.
• – Plant deeply, covering part of the stem to encourage additional root development.
• – Maintain even soil moisture, particularly during flowering and fruit development.
• – Avoid alternating between very dry soil and heavy watering, as this can encourage fruit cracking and blossom-end rot.
• – Feed regularly with a balanced tomato fertiliser after establishment.
• – Provide good air circulation and avoid wetting the foliage late in the day.
  Support and Pruning
• Black Plum is an indeterminate climbing tomato, not a compact bush variety. It requires a tall stake, cage or trellis and may continue growing and producing throughout suitable weather.
• For easier management, retain one to three main stems and remove unnecessary side shoots. Avoid excessive pruning during Kuwait’s sunny conditions, as sufficient foliage helps protect the fruit from sunscald.
  Container Growing
• Black Plum can be grown in a container, but it is not a patio-sized tomato.
• – Use a container of at least 30 litres; 40 litres or larger is preferable.
• – Grow only one plant per container.
• – Provide a strong vertical support from the beginning.
• – Use a fertile, well-drained potting mixture.
• – Monitor irrigation closely because large tomato vines dry containers rapidly.
  Harvesting
• Harvest when the fruits develop their characteristic deep mahogany-red or brown colour and feel slightly softer when gently pressed. The shoulders may retain some green or olive colouring when fully ripe.
• The color should not be described as truly black. Heat and strong sunlight may deepen the pigmentation, but the final shade can vary with growing conditions.