Russian black tomato: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
When and how do you sow Noire Russe tomatoes under cover?
Sow Noire Russe tomatoes under cover in spring, preparing young plants for moving outside after frost. Adjust the date to your climate and available light rather than a compulsory late-March start. Sowing too early in a dark room often produces long, weak stems. This variety remains cold-sensitive despite its name.
Fill clean pots or a tray with drainage holes using fine seed compost. Moisten it, space seeds without crowding and cover lightly, around 0.5–1 cm deep. Keep steady warmth around 20–25°C for germination. Maintain moist compost without standing water, watering gently.
After emergence, provide plenty of light and air without suddenly exposing seedlings to scorching sunlight through glass. If a cover retained moisture, remove it gradually. Check compost condition daily rather than watering automatically.
Once several true leaves develop, move crowded seedlings to individual pots, handling carefully by a leaf. You can bury part of the stem to steady a slightly stretched plant without covering leaves. Then introduce plants gradually to outdoors on mild days before their permanent move. Keep them protected when nights are still cold.
When and how do you plant Noire Russe tomatoes?
How to care for this plant
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Remove side shoots
If you train an indeterminate tomato on one or two stems, look for small shoots between a leaf and the main stem. Remove only those you do not want to keep, preferably while small, without removing flower trusses. Leave determinate bush tomatoes to branch naturally. If you do not know your variety's growth habit or prefer to let it grow freely, do not prune routinely. Between reminders, check new shoots when harvesting.
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Install plant supports
If your tomato variety needs support, fit a sturdy stake or string when planting. Tie the stem loosely and check ties as it grows. Bush varieties may not need staking.
When and how do you harvest Noire Russe tomatoes?
