Indigo Rose

Season Overview

Description

Indigo Rose' is the name of this dark purple cherry tomato from the USA. It was bred under the direction of Professor Jim Myers at Oregon State University. "It is the first improved tomato variety in the world to have anthocyanins in its fruit," said Jim Myers when he introduced the variety in 2012. It is the first 'antho tomato' to be commercialized. The normal-leaved plants have dark green, almost blue-black foliage and grow around 180-200cm tall. 'Indigo Rose' is a late variety and takes about 70-80 days from pollination to maturity. Per panicle grows up to 12 tomatoes, which grow on average 3-4cm and weigh around 40-60g. The fruits, which are still green at first, soon turn dark blue to almost black on the side facing the sun. The side away from the sun remains green. As the fruit ripens, and this can take time, the sunny side takes on a purple hue and the back side turns orange-red. The ripe fruits also lose some of their luster. The round fruits have 2 fruit chambers, juicy soft flesh and are enclosed in a burst-resistant skin. The taste of these crisp tomatoes is spicy and mildly acidic.

Growing tips

Germination at 18-24 °C in 10-14 days. Sow from mid-February. The aim is to plant flowering plants after the last frost. Prick out and pot up after the first leaf has formed. The plant should be covered with soil to just below the cotyledons to allow sufficient roots to form. The Indigo Rose prefers a sheltered, sunny spot in a covered outdoor area or greenhouse, but can also easily be grown in a tub (min. 10L) on a covered balcony/terrace. The plant should be thinned out regularly to ensure good growth. Further growing tips for the pole tomato species.

Details

Light requirement

Sunny

Water requirement

Wet

Soil

Light (sandy)

Nutrient requirement

High

Plant distance

60 cm

Row spacing

80 cm

Seeding depth

0.5 cm