Variety field guide
What to expect from Black Krim
Black Krim tomato seeds produce black beefsteak tomato fruit about 8–12 oz on indeterminate plants reaching 61–72 in; maturity is 80-89 Days.
Read the complete product descriptionTraits, flavor, garden use, variety notes, and the full catalog record
Black Krim tomato seeds grow into indeterminate plants reaching 61–72 in, bearing black fruit about 8–12 oz. This beefsteak tomato is especially suited to fresh slicing, sandwiches, and salads. Maturity is 80-89 Days from transplanting.
About Black Krim
Black Krim is a beefsteak tomato grown as Solanum lycopersicum L. Plants have an indeterminate habit and reach 61–72 in; support is listed as stake. The principal mature or market color is Black, with fruit described as about 8–12 oz. Reproductive classification: Open-Pollinated (OP). Maturity: 80-89 Days. Names associated with this variety include Tomato, Tomato Seeds - Indeterminate - Black Krim Beefsteak.
- Scientific name:Solanum lycopersicum L.
- Life cycle:Annual
- Planting season:Spring
- Growth habit:Indeterminate
- Plant height:61–72 in
- Sunlight:Full sun
- Seed depth:1/8 in
- Germination:6–12 Days at 75–90 °F
- Spacing:30 in between plants; 36 in between rows
- Soil:Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5
- Water:Moderate
- Support:Stake
- Reproductive type:Open-Pollinated (OP)
- Fruit:Black; About 8–12 oz
History and seedkeeping context
Cornell records Black Krim as an open-pollinated Russian heirloom beefsteak tomato with indeterminate growth. Cornell records Black Krim as a Russian heirloom. Black Krim is widely associated with the Crimean region near the Black Sea.
The broad geographic association is longstanding, while many detailed online origin stories are repeated without a documented chain of custody. This page therefore emphasizes the fruit’s observable color, flavor, plant habit, and seed-saving value. Black Krim is an open-pollinated Russian heirloom beefsteak tomato.
Cornell describes indeterminate plants producing fruit with iridescent purple skin, greenish-black shoulders, and partly dark interiors.
Fruit, flavor, and kitchen use
Black Krim is best for fresh slicing, sandwiches, and salads. The expected flavor is rich, savory, complex tomato flavor with balanced sweetness and acidity. Fruit is described as black and about 8–12 oz. Use a tested current recipe for home canning; cultivar name alone does not establish safe acidity. Black Krim is especially useful for fresh slicing, sandwiches, and salads. Flavor and eating quality are described as rich, savory, complex tomato flavor with balanced sweetness and acidity. For home canning, use a tested current recipe; cultivar name, color, or perceived sweetness does not establish safe acidity.
How to grow Black Krim
Start Black Krim indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost. Sow 1/8 in deep in a warm, evenly moist seed-starting mix; expect 6–12 Days near 75–90 °F. Give seedlings strong light, move them into larger cells before they become root-bound, and harden them gradually before planting outside after frost danger.
Plant in full sun with loamy soil near pH 6.0–6.5. Space plants 30 in apart and rows 36 in apart. Maintain moderate moisture, mulch after the soil warms, and keep foliage off wet soil where possible. Set up stake at transplanting. The indeterminate plant reaches 61–72 in.
Season care
• Give Black Krim strong light from emergence so seedlings remain stocky rather than stretched. • Install stake when transplanting; adding support after vines are large can damage roots and stems. • Water at the soil line and maintain even moisture to reduce cracking, blossom-end rot risk, and stress-related fruit problems. • Harvest when the fruit has reached its cultivar-specific color and gives slightly to gentle pressure; color alone can be misleading on green, purple, or striped varieties. • Use 80-89 Days as a planning range rather than a guaranteed calendar date; weather and transplant stress can shift first harvest.
Harvest and maturity
80-89 Days from transplanting under suitable conditions. Harvest when the cultivar-specific color has developed and the fruit gives slightly to gentle pressure; green-ripe, striped, purple, and dark cultivars require more than a simple red-color test.
Saving seed
Tomatoes are primarily self-pollinating, but occasional crossing can occur. To maintain Black Krim, save seed from several healthy true-to-type plants and bag unopened flower clusters when extra isolation is needed. Allow labeled fruit to ripen fully, squeeze the seed and gel into a container, ferment briefly until the gel releases, rinse clean, and dry the seed in a thin labeled layer. Store the finished lot cool and dry with the year, source, plant count, and isolation notes.
Common questions
When is Black Krim ready?
Plan around 80-89 Days. The listed range is a planning guide, and weather, transplant stress, and harvest stage can shift the actual date.
How long does germination take?
Expect 6–12 Days near 75–90 °F. Cooler media, excess water, old seed, or uneven moisture can delay emergence.
How large does it grow?
Expect about 61–72 in. Growth habit: Indeterminate. Support: Stake.
How is it used?
Fresh slicing, sandwiches, and salads
Can I save seed?
Tomatoes are primarily self-pollinating, but occasional crossing can occur.
