Heirloom

Black Krim

Solanum lycopersicum

Harvest

80d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun

☀️

Zones

10–11

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

1-10 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Harvest

Start Indoors

Transplant

Harvest

Showing dates for Black Krim in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 tomato →

Zone Map

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Black Krim · Zones 10–11

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Moderate

Spacing24-36 inches

SoilRich, well-drained soil with good organic content

pH6.2-6.8

WaterHigh — consistent moisture needed

SeasonWarm season annual

FlavorRich, complex, and smoky with sweet undertones and mild saltiness

ColorDark purple-black with green shoulders

Size8-16 oz.

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 3	April – April	June – July	—	September – October
Zone 4	March – April	June – June	—	September – October
Zone 5	March – March	May – June	—	August – October
Zone 6	March – March	May – June	—	August – October
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	—	July – September
Zone 8	February – February	April – May	—	July – September
Zone 9	January – January	March – April	—	June – August
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	—	May – July
Zone 1	May – May	July – August	—	October – August
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	—	September – September
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	—	April – June
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	—	April – June
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	—	April – June

Complete Growing Guide

Black Krim combines bold, smoky flavor and good texture with an unusual appearance. Deep brown/red, 8-16 oz. tomatoes have brown/green shoulders that get darker with more heat and sunlight. High-yielding. Indeterminate. According to Johnny's Selected Seeds, Black Krim is 80 days to maturity, annual, open pollinated, indeterminate growth habit. Notable features: Organic Seeds, Plants, and Supplies, Heirloom.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Black Krim reaches harvest at 80 days from sowing per Johnny's Selected Seeds. Expect 8-16 oz. at peak. As an annual, harvest continues until frost ends the season.

The fruits are smooth, shiny, glossy, and are classified as berries. The size, shape, and color will vary depending on the variety or cultivar. The color of the fruits may be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or pink. The fruits may contain over 100 yellow to light brown seeds.

Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: > 3 inches.

Garden value: Edible, Showy

Harvest time: Fall, Summer

Edibility: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.

Storage & Preservation

Black Krim tomatoes are best stored at room temperature (68–72°F) away from direct sunlight, where they'll keep for 5–7 days at peak flavor. Avoid refrigeration, which dulls their complex taste and damages texture. Store stem-side down in a single layer on a breathable surface like a wooden crate or cardboard box lined with paper towels to prevent moisture buildup.

Fresh use is ideal for this variety—their rich, smoky character shines in slicing and salads. Due to low acid content, they're unsuitable for conventional water-bath canning. Instead, consider freezing whole or chopped for soups and sauces, though this sacrifices texture for fresh eating. Drying intensifies their savory notes beautifully; slice thin and dry at 135°F until leathery. Fermentation also works well, preserving flavor while developing depth. Because Black Krims are primarily grown as fresh market tomatoes, plan harvests around consumption needs rather than bulk preservation.

History & Origin

Black Krim is an heirloom variety with documented breeding heritage. Black Krim is open-pollinated, meaning seed saved from healthy plants will produce true-to-type offspring. Listed in the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalog.

Origin: Peru

Advantages

+Bold, smoky flavor with complex sweetness makes Black Krim exceptional for cooking
+Unusual dark appearance with brown shoulders creates striking visual appeal in dishes
+High-yielding indeterminate plants produce abundant 8-16 oz. tomatoes throughout season
+Medium ripening time at 80 days allows reasonable harvest window in temperate zones

Considerations

-Fruit cracking tendency requires consistent watering and careful moisture management practice
-Susceptibility to late blight makes Black Krim risky in humid or wet climates
-Green shoulder coloring can indicate incomplete ripeness, confusing harvest decisions
-Multiple pest vulnerabilities including hornworms and spider mites demand vigilant monitoring

Companion Plants

Basil planted 12–18 inches out is a reliable neighbor — same full-sun, high-water needs as Black Krim, no meaningful root competition, and it won't shade the fruit. The pest-repellent claims get overstated online; the real value is that you're using space that would otherwise sit empty under a sprawling indeterminate plant. Marigolds (Tagetes patula specifically) earn a spot for a concrete reason: their roots produce thiophenes that suppress root-knot nematodes in the surrounding soil. That matters more for Black Krim than for most varieties, because NC State Extension flags that heirloom tomatoes often lack resistance to soilborne diseases that modern hybrids carry. Carrots and lettuce tuck in well as low-growing gap fillers; lettuce especially appreciates the afternoon shade a 4–5-foot tomato plant throws by midsummer.

Fennel is broadly allelopathic — it suppresses nearby plants through root exudates — and Black Walnut roots release juglone, a compound that's toxic to Solanaceae, so give it at least 50 feet of clearance from any walnut tree. Brassicas and corn are lower-drama, but both pull aphid pressure and both attract cutworms; running them adjacent to your tomatoes just stacks the same problems in one corner of the garden.

Plant Together

Basil

Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor

Marigold

Deters nematodes and aphids with natural compounds

Oregano

Repels spider mites and provides ground cover

Parsley

Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps

Carrots

Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients

Nasturtium

Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles

Chives

Repels aphids and may improve disease resistance

Lettuce

Provides living mulch and utilizes different soil layers

Keep Apart

Black Walnut

Releases juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunting

Fennel

Inhibits growth through allelopathic compounds

Brassicas

Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth

Corn

Both attract corn earworm which also damages tomatoes

Nutrition Facts

Calories

27kcal(1%)

Protein

0.83g(2%)

Fiber

2.1g(8%)

Carbs

5.51g(2%)

Fat

0.63g(1%)

Vitamin C

27.2mg(30%)

Vitamin K

4.2mcg(4%)

Iron

0.33mg(2%)

Calcium

11mg(1%)

Potassium

260mg(6%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Resistance

Typical heirloom susceptibility, prone to cracking in wet conditions

Common Pests

Tomato hornworm, aphids, whiteflies, spider mites

Diseases

Late blight, early blight, blossom end rot, fruit cracking

Troubleshooting Black Krim

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Large gray-green patches spreading across foliage fast — whole branches wilting and dying within a few days, sometimes with dark sunken spots on fruit

Likely Causes

Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) — NC State Extension notes this is a highly destructive disease monitored across North Carolina; timing varies year to year but it can move through a planting shockingly fast in cool, wet weather

What to Do

1.Pull and bag affected plants immediately — don't compost them, don't leave them in the bed
2.Don't work in the garden while foliage is wet; you'll spread spores on your hands and tools
3.Rotate nightshades out of that bed for at least 3 years; NC State IPM guidance suggests up to 5–7 years for serious tomato diseases

Lower leaves developing dark brown bullseye-patterned spots, yellowing around the spots, starting around day 45–50 after transplant

Likely Causes

Early blight (Alternaria solani) — soil-borne fungus that splashes up onto lower foliage during rain or irrigation
Crowded spacing under 24 inches that traps humidity and slows the leaves from drying

What to Do

1.Strip the affected lower leaves and throw them in the trash, not the compost pile
2.Lay 3–4 inches of straw mulch at the base of each plant to stop soil splash
3.Make sure plants are spaced at least 24 inches apart and suckers are pruned so air can move through

Dark, leathery, sunken patch on the blossom end of the fruit — not rot, not a bug hole, just a flat black depression

Likely Causes

Blossom end rot — a calcium deficiency in the developing fruit, caused by inconsistent soil moisture rather than a lack of calcium in the soil (NC State Extension's diagnostic framework points to moisture fluctuations as the driver)
Irregular watering: letting the soil dry out between waterings, then soaking it

What to Do

1.Water consistently — Black Krim needs high, even moisture; drip irrigation on a timer is the most reliable way to get there
2.Mulch heavily to buffer soil moisture swings between rain events
3.Test soil pH; if it's below 6.2, calcium uptake suffers regardless of how much is in the soil — lime to bring it into the 6.2–6.8 range

Fruit splitting radially or in concentric rings after a heavy rain, especially on nearly ripe fruit

Likely Causes

Fruit cracking — rapid water uptake after a dry period causes the inside of the fruit to expand faster than the skin can stretch
Black Krim's thin skin makes it more susceptible than most modern hybrids

What to Do

1.Keep soil moisture as even as possible through the fruiting period — mulch and consistent drip irrigation help more than anything else here
2.Harvest fruit at first blush of color and let it finish ripening on the counter; a fruit cracked on the vine draws disease and insects within hours
3.Ease off nitrogen fertilizer once fruit sets — a late-season nitrogen push drives fast vegetative growth and thinner skin

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Black Krim tomato take to grow from seed?▼

Black Krim tomatoes take 80-90 days from transplant to harvest, plus 6-8 weeks for indoor seed starting. From seed to harvest, expect approximately 110-120 days total. Start seeds indoors in late winter, transplant after soil warms to 65°F, and harvest begins in mid to late summer depending on your growing zone.

Is Black Krim good for beginners?▼

Black Krim rates as moderate difficulty, making it challenging for complete beginners but manageable for gardeners with basic tomato experience. The main challenges are preventing fruit cracking through consistent watering and managing typical heirloom disease susceptibility. Start with easier varieties like Roma or Early Girl if you're new to gardening.

Can you grow Black Krim tomatoes in containers?▼

Yes, Black Krim grows well in large containers (minimum 20-gallon capacity) with strong support structures. The indeterminate vines reach 6-8 feet tall and produce heavy fruit, requiring sturdy cages or stakes. Container growing actually helps control watering consistency, reducing the cracking issues that plague this variety in ground cultivation.

What does Black Krim tomato taste like?▼

Black Krim offers a complex, rich flavor profile with distinctive smoky undertones and subtle saltiness that's unique among tomatoes. The taste is described as deep and wine-like, with sweet undertones balancing the smokiness. Low acidity makes it less tangy than typical red tomatoes, creating an almost umami-rich experience that's prized by gourmet cooks.

When should I plant Black Krim tomato seeds?▼

Start Black Krim seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last expected frost date. For most regions, this means late February to early March. Transplant outdoors only after soil temperature reaches 65°F and nighttime temperatures stay above 50°F consistently – typically 2-3 weeks after last frost. Cold soil severely stunts this variety's growth.

Black Krim vs Cherokee Purple - what's the difference?▼

While both are dark heirloom tomatoes, Black Krim has deeper purple-black coloration with green shoulders, while Cherokee Purple shows more brownish-purple with pink undertones. Black Krim offers smokier, more complex flavor with saltiness, whereas Cherokee Purple is sweeter and more traditionally tomato-like. Black Krim typically produces slightly smaller fruits but with better heat tolerance.