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Tomato Black Zebra Cocktail - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

Solanum lycopersicum Black Zebra Cocktail
Tomato

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1 reviews

Irritating. They sprouted then died. My husband has successfully grown seeds for fifty years, and these were useless. The packets were dirty, probably soil residue. Very, very disappointed. I will never buy anything from this company again.

Pauline, 24/04/2024

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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

More information

'Cherry' version of the Black Zebra Tomato, this variety produces a multitude of small spherical fruits - 20 to 30 g - arranged in panicles of 7 to 11 individuals. They have a very dark green epidermis veined or marbled with orange-red and a dark juice. Its flavor is tangy. Sow from March to April to harvest from June to September.
Ease of cultivation
Beginner
Height at maturity
1.20 m
Spread at maturity
50 cm
Soil moisture
Moist soil
Germination time (days)
14 days
Sowing method
Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Sowing period March to April
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Harvest time June to September
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Description

The Black Zebra Cocktail Tomato is the 'Cherry' version of the Black Zebra Tomato. This dwarf variety produces a multitude of small fruits - 20 to 30 g - arranged in panicles of 7 to 11 individuals. Spherical in shape, they have a very dark green skin veined or marbled with orange-red and a dark juice. With a very tangy flavor, they are perfect for sharing during summer aperitifs with friends or picnics. This variety reaches a height of 80 to 120 cm (32 to 47in) and is well suited for cultivation in pots or large containers. You can sow it from March to April and harvest it from June to September.

The tomato is native to South America and Central America. Several varieties were already cultivated by the Incas long before the arrival of the Conquistadors. We are still amazed by the variety of this solanaceous plant. The term "tomato" comes from the Inca word "Tomatl" and refers to both the plant and the fruit it produces. There are tomatoes of all colours (red, of course, but also green, yellow, and even some very rare blue varieties), in all shapes and sizes. Ancient varieties are indeterminate plants and can live for two years. More recent varieties have determinate growth and stop growing as bushy plants, so they do not need to be staked or trellised.

The tomato is one of the many foods that came to us from the New World, along with beans, corn, squash, potatoes, and chili peppers. It took a while for it to become part of our diet. For a long time, it was cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities. It was thought to be toxic because it resembled the fruit of the Mandrake, another solanaceous plant. It only became a regular on our tables at the beginning of the 20th century.

The tomato plant is a perennial herbaceous plant in tropical climates, but it is cultivated as an annual in our latitudes. It becomes lignified over time and produces small, inconspicuous yellow flowers arranged in clusters that will turn into fruits.

It must be admitted that the tomato fruit is very attractive and adds pleasant colour to the vegetable garden. It also has many nutritional benefits. Low in calories like most vegetables, rich in water, it contains a very interesting molecule: lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. And the longer the tomato is cooked, the more lycopene becomes available. It is also rich in vitamin C, provitamin A, and trace elements.

Today, its taste and nutritional qualities are well established. For gardeners, tomatoes are an essential vegetable of summer. They just need to consider how they want to use them to guide them among all the existing varieties. Will they be used for salads, sauces, consumed directly on site, or cooked? They will also consider when they want to harvest them. The answer will, of course, depend on the average summer sunshine in the region where their garden is located. Rest assured, the choice is vast, and there is a tomato for every situation! And even though tomatoes need a lot of sun and heat, they do not necessarily require a lot of space. Therefore, there is no reason not to grow them in containers on a balcony, where varieties with small fruits can be preferred. Beware, immature fruits, stems, and leaves contain solanine and should not be consumed.

Harvesting: depending on the variety, it can take 50 to 100 days between the transplanting date and the harvest. There is no foolproof way to determine in advance when a tomato has reached its full ripeness. The fruit should be picked when it is fully colored as announced and when its texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better storage, be sure to pick the fruit with its calyx.

Storage: tomatoes do not last as long as their water content is high. They can be kept for a few days in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator or spread out in the open air. To keep them longer, consider culinary methods such as tomato confits, sun-dried tomatoes, sauces, frozen fruits, preserves, jams, or juices. We love making confits because it's simple and so flavorful: cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place the halved tomatoes facing upwards on the baking tray of your oven. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least an hour. Remove your tomatoes and consume them immediately, or store them in a glass jar and cover with olive oil.

Gardener's tip: it is recommended to cultivate several varieties of tomatoes each year to minimize the risk of a complete loss of harvest due to climatic conditions or specific diseases. To prevent the phenomenon of 'blossom-end rot' - not a disease but a calcium deficiency - spray a comfrey maceration rich in calcium on your plants. When transplanting, do not hesitate to bury the stem up to the first leaves. This will stimulate the root system, ensuring a bountiful fruit harvest. Winning combinations in the garden are often the same on the plate. It's a good mnemonic to remember that tomatoes and basil go well together.

 

Harvest

Harvest time June to September
Type of vegetable Fruit vegetable
Vegetable colour black
Size of vegetable Small
Interest Flavour, Nutritional value, Colour, Very productive
Flavour Very sour
Use Table

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1.20 m
Spread at maturity 50 cm
Growth rate fast

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour dark green
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased

Botanical data

Genus

Solanum

Species

lycopersicum

Cultivar

Black Zebra Cocktail

Family

Solanaceae

Other common names

Tomato

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference33701

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Planting and care

Soil Preparation: Tomato plants are extremely easy to grow. Sunlight and heat are crucial for the success of this cultivation. However, they can thrive in any type of soil, although they prefer rich and well-draining soil. If the soil is too compact, you can add some sand to improve its texture.

Sowing Under Cover: From mid-February to May, sow your seeds indoors or in heated greenhouses in trays at around 20°C (68°F). Bury the seeds under 5 to 7 mm (0in) of special seed compost as they require darkness to germinate. Avoid using compost at this stage as it may burn the future roots. Tomato plants grow very quickly, with seeds typically sprouting in two weeks on average. Do not discard a tray if the seeds haven't germinated within this timeframe, as some varieties take longer. When the plants have reached a height of about 15 cm (6in), consider transplanting them.

Transplanting in Open Ground: Once the risk of frost has passed, usually after the "Ice Saints" in mid-May, transplant your seedlings into open ground. Choose the sunniest and warmest spots in your garden. Planting them at the base of a south-facing wall is an ideal position. Loosen the soil and dig a hole at least 3 to 4 times the volume of the plant's root system. Add some well-decomposed compost at the bottom. Place your plant, which can be buried up to the first leaves, and then backfill the hole. Firm the soil, create a small basin around the plant, and water generously. Be careful not to wet the leaves to protect your plants from fungal diseases.

Maintenance: Applying a mulch around the base of your plants helps retain moisture and reduces the need for weeding. Tomato plants do not require excessive watering, as their root system can reach deep to find available resources. Water thoroughly only in case of prolonged drought.

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Seedlings

Sowing period March to April
Sowing method Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Germination time (days) 14 days

Care

Soil moisture Tolerant
Disease resistance Good
Pruning instructions Some gardeners are not in favor of pruning tomato plants. Others recommend removing the leaves in direct contact with the soil to prevent fungal diseases. They suggest removing the suckers, that is, all the new shoots in the axils of the leaves as they appear, in order to concentrate the sap on the main branches and fruit clusters. The goal is to obtain fewer but larger fruits. Others also remove the leaves around the fruits to give them permanent access to the sun. We find that systematically practicing one or the other of these methods is not necessarily suitable for the multitude of situations encountered in gardens. Depending on the exposure, the variety planted or the region, the soil, etc., all these methods have their reasons for being. Above all, we recommend a balanced approach that only you can experiment with, considering the constraints that are specific to your situation.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year

Intended location

Type of use Container, Vegetable garden, Greenhouse
Hardiness Hardy down to 1°C (USDA zone 10b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Soil draining and rich in organic matter
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), 130
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