Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3-4 Experience)
Got these seeds from Natasha (Yaroslavna). 🙂 The bush is sturdy, really short, only about 16 inches (40 cm) tall, with lots of foliage. While it was growing it didn’t need any staking, but then it set so many tomatoes that it quickly tipped over, and I had to prop it up and tie it.
The tomatoes aren’t large and have a very thick skin. Inside, the flesh is a vibrant, dark burgundy (wish I took a picture of the inside). Very tasty, but that skin really ruins the experience for me. Here are the growth stages.
Edited October 13, 2015 by Drosera
Irisha, thanks! You did an amazing job growing it! This variety (or rather, a breeding line for now) K 25-56 stayed true to its original characteristics in its second year of trials!
The plants are sturdy, really short, and very productive. The fruits are beautiful, turning a dark burgundy color when fully ripe. Really tasty, that’s for sure! And yeah, the skin is definitely on the thick side… On the bright side, they can be stored for a really long time 🙂
Hey folks, what’s the weight on these? Are they really tiny?
Nera wrote:
Hey folks, what’s the weight on these? Are they really tiny?
I posted a picture in my first message with the tomatoes sitting on a scale.
Nera wrote:
Hey folks, what’s the weight on these? Are they really tiny?
Around 2.5-3.2 oz (70-90 g) roughly… I don’t have any pictures on a scale 🍅
Yuriy shared a photo of his K 25-56 harvest:
Full Summary: Plant Habit, Taste, Yields, and Storage
- 🌿 Plant & Foliage: A very compact determinate bush, reaching only about 16 inches (40 cm) in height. It has dense foliage and initially doesn’t require staking. However, the fruit set is so heavy that the plant will eventually tip over and require support.
- 🍅 Fruit Appearance & Size: Small, dark burgundy-purple fruits weighing roughly 2.5-3.2 oz (70-90 g). The flesh is a deep, vibrant burgundy color.
- 👅 Taste: Flavor is highly praised as very tasty and rich. The major drawback noted by Irina is the exceptionally thick, tough skin, which can detract from the fresh-eating experience.
- 📈 Yields & Storage: Yields are incredibly high for such a small plant footprint. The silver lining to the thick skin is that this variety has an excellent shelf life and can be stored for a long time without spoiling.
The name “K 25-56” indicates that this was originally an unnamed breeding line or trial variety (as mentioned by Yaroslavna) that stabilized and became popular among collectors before ever receiving a commercial name. It is highly valued by growers looking for dark tomatoes that can be grown in small containers or tight spaces.
