If you cut open a Black Sea Man tomato to discover something other than the entirely red innards expected of a tomato, don’t panic—they’re supposed to look like that!
At first glance, Black Sea Man tomatoes can appear spoiled. Both their exterior and interior are very different than your usual tomato. However, these tomatoes haven’t gone bad—they’re actually one of the most delicious varieties you can get.
Let’s go over everything you need to know about this unique tomato variety!
Characteristics of the Black Sea Man Tomato
First, let’s explore the appearance, taste, and traits of the Black Sea Man tomato!
Appearance of the Black Sea Man Tomato
As I mentioned, the Black Sea Man variety has a pretty different look. While the bottom half is often the same bright red as most tomato varieties, the top half doesn’t match. Its coloring often appears as an “ombre” effect: the top half is a dark green shade that streaks downward until it brightens to red.
The interior is even more striking. When you cut a Black Sea Man open, you’ll discover a vibrant scarlet center…surrounded by a ring of blackish-green.
It’s easy to think at first glance that this tomato variety has spoiled. Its interior color leans heavily into green and black shades, and when it comes to fruit, we usually think blackened spots are a bad thing.
Luckily, the Black Sea Man is the exception! This mottled, strange coloring is completely normal and has no effect on its delicious flavor.
Taste of Black Sea Man Tomatoes
Speaking of flavor, this tomato variety is one of the most delectable ones out there. Its flavor is described as incredibly rich and sweet, with almost citrusy undertones.
You can’t go wrong when choosing a recipe to throw these tomatoes in—their taste is perfect for sauces, jams, salads, and any other tomato dish you’re fond of!
Black Sea Man Tomato Plant Traits
Black Sea Man tomatoes are pretty sizeable. The fruit can reach weights of up to a pound per tomato!
With this weight comes the need for support—these plants thrive best when you provide them with stakes to help them hold their burden up off the ground. The stalks aren’t hardy enough to hold the weight themselves.
These plants can reach heights of up to four feet, so keep this in mind when arranging your garden! If you have other plants that require ample sunlight, be careful to plant your tomatoes far enough away. Otherwise, they might end up casting too much shade.
If you live in an area with a high risk of frost, even leading into the spring months, it’s best to start these plants indoors. You can expect them to reach maturity in about two and a half months.
Uses for the Black Sea Man Tomato
Now let’s go over all the ways you can utilize this distinctive tomato variety!
Snacking
Snacking on raw tomatoes by themselves isn’t for everyone. However, if you’re someone who enjoys nibbling on slices of tomato, the Black Sea Man is a great choice! Its flavor is robust enough to stand all on its own without any additions, so it’s one of the best choices of tomato for snacking.
Of course, there are other ways to add tomatoes to your afternoon snack besides eating them on their own. The Black Sea Man is a fantastic addition to any side salad, bruschetta, finger sandwich, avocado toast, and any other nibble-worthy recipe you may want to try your hand at!
Cooking
As mentioned earlier, the Black Sea Man is a great choice for your tomato sauce if you’re a pasta enthusiast (though the sauce’s color might be a bit different!).
Since these tomatoes lean on the sweeter side, they’ll be best utilized in savory dishes to add a bit of balance. But don’t let that stop you from experimenting with tossing them into something with a sweeter palate!
Canning
Tomatoes are a great choice of fruit for canning! One downfall of growing your own tomato plants is the possibility you and your family won’t be able to use them up before they spoil, as tomatoes are highly prolific growers.
By choosing to can your tomatoes rather than storing them in the pantry or fridge, you can store your tomato harvest for about a year and a half before you have to worry about them going bad!
When Is the Black Sea Man Tomato in season?
As previously mentioned, the Black Sea Man Tomato plant will reach maturity about 75 days after you plant them in your garden, so their date of maturity depends on when you plant them!
If you plant them directly after the final frost in your area, they should be ripe and ready to pick by early to mid-summer, depending on the final frost date; if you plant them later, they will naturally come into season later.
Be careful not to plant too close to the beginning of the next cold season—you’ll run the risk of the first frost of the new season killing your tomatoes.
Growing Black Sea Man Tomatoes at Home
Tomatoes are fairly easy to grow at home; that’s why they’re such a popular choice for first-time fruit gardeners!
The most important factor in growing tomato plants at home is ensuring they have the proper support. You can assemble good supports for your plants by purchasing trellis netting and stakes, or by purchasing tomato cages.
Where to Buy Black Sea Man Tomato Seeds
You want to be careful to buy your tomato seeds from reputable sellers, especially when shopping on the internet. We recommend purchasing your Black Sea Man tomato seeds from Amazon.
You always want to ensure that you’re getting good seeds that will result in healthy sprouts; if you aren’t careful about where you source your seeds, you might end up with a pack of duds!
Grow Your Own Black Sea Man Tomatoes!
Now you know everything you need to know in order to grow, store, and cook with your own Black Sea Man tomatoes!
For more information on different tomato varieties, how to care for tomato plants, and more, check out our tomato section now!
- About the Author
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Cassidy Eubanks is a proud Michigander, an avid reader, a lover of colorful gardens, and a writer for Minneopa Orchards.
After earning her bachelor’s in Creative Writing (partially through virtual learning, thanks to the pandemic), gardening gave her an excuse to get outside and get away from all the screens. With a particular love for decorating with colorful flowers, using herbs grown in her own garden, and finding creative ways to build big gardens in small spaces, Cassidy enjoys helping others learn about growing their own food, flowers, and trees through Minneopa Orchards!