Chocolate Cherry tough skin?

flyfiishn · June 23, 2014

Getting my first rounds of chocolate cherries and although the taste is excellent the skins are a bit tough compared to all my other cherry toms (sungold, sweet 100).

Wondering if this is perhaps climatic or if others have had similar experiences with choc. cherry. Going to try black cherry next year to see if any difference.

All of my cherry tomatoes are kicking out ripe fruit daily now, which makes my 2 year old son very happy. He helps me pick them and occasionally some make it back for a salad.

**carolyn137** · June 23, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyfiishn

Getting my first rounds of chocolate cherries and although the taste is excellent the skins are a bit tough compared to all my other cherry toms (sungold, sweet 100).

Wondering if this is perhaps climatic or if others have had similar experiences with choc. cherry. Going to try black cherry next year to see if any difference.

All of my cherry tomatoes are kicking out ripe fruit daily now, which makes my 2 year old son very happy. He helps me pick them and occasionally some make it back for a salad.

There's a thread here that compares Chocolate Cherry, bred by Aaron Whaley, Brown Berry, bred by Sahin Seeds in the Netherlands, and Black Cherry, bred by Vince Sapp,now deceased, the former husband of Linda Sapp who owns TGS( Tomato Growers Supply).

Speaking just for myself, I've grown all three of the above, which are somewhat similar in color, prefer Black Cherry, but have never found thick skins with any of the three as grown by me in upstate NY.

But I do know of those in dry climates such as CA have commented on same with various varieties indifferent seasons, so possibly an environmental issue for some.

Carolyn

kath · June 23, 2014

Climate/weather in a particular year, etc. could factor in but I grew Chocolate Cherry and Black Cherry in the same year and found the skins on CC to be thicker.

RayR · June 23, 2014

I would agree it may be an environmental issue, I've grown Chocolate Cherry for some years now and never noticed that it had tough skin compared to other varieties.

zipcode · June 23, 2014

I think one of the most important factors in tough skins is direct sun on the fruit. Try to leave sufficient foliage to cover them or use shading cloth.
I haven't grown Chocolate cherry but Black cherry has fairly tough skins.

flyfiishn · June 24, 2014

thanks all for the input.

June 23, 2014	#1
flyfiishn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Northern CA Posts: 80	Chocolate Cherry tough skin? Getting my first rounds of chocolate cherries and although the taste is excellent the skins are a bit tough compared to all my other cherry toms (sungold, sweet 100). Wondering if this is perhaps climatic or if others have had similar experiences with choc. cherry. Going to try black cherry next year to see if any difference. All of my cherry tomatoes are kicking out ripe fruit daily now, which makes my 2 year old son very happy. He helps me pick them and occasionally some make it back for a salad.

June 23, 2014	#3
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Climate/weather in a particular year, etc. could factor in but I grew Chocolate Cherry and Black Cherry in the same year and found the skins on CC to be thicker.

June 23, 2014	#4
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	I would agree it may be an environmental issue, I've grown Chocolate Cherry for some years now and never noticed that it had tough skin compared to other varieties.

June 23, 2014	#5
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	I think one of the most important factors in tough skins is direct sun on the fruit. Try to leave sufficient foliage to cover them or use shading cloth. I haven't grown Chocolate cherry but Black cherry has fairly tough skins.

June 24, 2014	#6
flyfiishn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Northern CA Posts: 80	thanks all for the input.