Tasmanian Chocolate tomato
Tasmanian Chocolate is a dwarf Tomato bred by the dwarf Tomato Project. Grows to a height on 1.5m by end of season on firm strong stems. Staking required to hold the weight of the fruit. Produces medium sized, brick red to brown colour fruit that is meaty and well balanced in flavour.
Grows well also in grow bags/pots in a hothouse. First crossed by Patrina Nuske between New Big dwarf and Paul Robeson varieties. Many thanks to Patrina for sharing this seed to Dave’s Seed.
Sow – Start on a heat mat or indoors in late August, plant out after risk of frost and soils warmed (November cool climate). Can start earlier if planting in a hot house. 8 weeks from sowing to planting approx.
Spacing – 50cm.
This seed is part of the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI). You have the freedom to use these OSSI- Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict others’ use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this Pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives.
- The wild ancestor of the tomato is native to western South America. These wild versions were the size of peas. Aztecs and other peoples in Mesoamerica were the first to have domesticated the fruit and used in their cooking. The Spanish first introduced tomatoes to Europe, where they became used in Spanish food.
- In France, Italy and northern Europe, the tomato was initially grown as an ornamental plant. It was regarded with suspicion as a food because botanists recognized it as a nightshade, a relative of the poisonous belladonna. This was exacerbated by the interaction of the tomato’s acidic juice with pewter plates.
- The leaves and immature fruit contains tomatine, which in large quantities would be toxic. However, the ripe fruit contains no tomatine.
