{"id":7308,"date":"2026-11-08T12:18:18","date_gmt":"2026-11-08T12:18:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/?p=7308"},"modified":"2026-11-08T12:19:45","modified_gmt":"2026-11-08T12:19:45","slug":"red-charcoal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/red-charcoal\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Charcoal Tomato Review & Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n \n
\n \n
\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n
\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n\n
<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n \n\n
\n Share your rating<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\ud83c\udf45 Quick take:<\/strong> Red Charcoal<\/strong> is an indeterminate<\/strong> anthocyanin slicer bred by Brad Gates<\/strong> of Wild Boar Farms. Producing eye-catching 3 to 7 oz (80-200 g)<\/strong> round fruits with jet-black\/purple splashed shoulders over a scarlet base, it frequently develops prominent pointed beaks. Northern growers report that while it stays dwarf-sized under 3.3 ft (1 m) outdoors in cold summers, it climbs past 5 ft (1.5 m) in greenhouses, yielding firm, crack-resistant slicers whose flavor transitions from classic old-school acid to sweet, jammy plum notes when dead-ripe. Full summary \u2193<\/a><\/div>\n

Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3-6 Experience)<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
C<\/div>\n
\n
cat2008 (Oksana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (5,827 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Orsha, Belarus (USDA Zone 5)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Grew this in the greenhouse. Indeterminate, regular leaf foliage, round scarlet fruit with dark purple anthocyanin shoulders and streaks, weighing around 3-3.5 oz (80-100 g). The photo didn’t capture the real colors accurately; it makes them look orange \ud83d\ude33
\n\"Red<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
E<\/div>\n
\n
Elena 62 (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (2,063 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Oksana! Why aren’t you spilling the beans on that mouthwatering flavor? \ud83d\ude0b A looker like that has got to be downright heavenly, even outside the sunny South! \ud83d\ude04<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
N<\/div>\n
\n
NataNata (Natalya) \u2b50 Pro Grower (2,166 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Grew mine outdoors in open ground. Planted late, so I had to ripen them off the vine indoors. Outstanding variety \ud83d\udc4d. In my garden, it ended up being the largest and tastiest among all my blue anthocyanin types. In the open garden, the plant stayed fairly compact, under 3.3 ft (1 m).
\n\"Red<\/a>
\n\"Red<\/a>
\n\"Red<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
E<\/div>\n
\n
Elena 62 (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (2,063 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Natasha, does the vine take up a lot of real estate? I am planning to stick it outdoors too. How did you prune it, how many leaders? Think I could plant two close together?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
N<\/div>\n
\n
NataNata (Natalya) \u2b50 Pro Grower (2,166 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Elena 62 wrote: Natasha, does the vine take up a lot of real estate? I am planning to stick it outdoors too. How did you prune it, how many leaders? Think I could plant two close together?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Elena, the plant turned out thick-stemmed and vigorous. Since I got it into the ground so late, it probably didn’t show its full potential. For that same reason, I kept it strictly to a single stem; figured it wouldn’t have time to ripen a heavier fruit load before frost anyway. I doubt two plants would fit side by side in tight spacing \ud83e\udd37. I fell in love with it \ud83d\ude18. Absolute stunner and super tasty \ud83d\ude0b<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Flavor Verdict: Classic Acid vs. Jammy Plum Sweetness<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
C<\/div>\n
\n
cat2008 (Oksana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (5,827 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Orsha, Belarus (USDA Zone 5)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Elena 62 wrote: Oksana! Why aren’t you spilling the beans on that mouthwatering flavor?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Elena, honestly, I had varieties that tasted way better \ud83d\ude04. It didn’t really blow me away…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
L<\/div>\n
\n
Lana_s_Kavkaza (Svetlana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (19,274 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Pyatigorsk, Russia (USDA Zone 6)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The flavor is deeply rich and remarkably balanced when it is dead-ripe, right at the point where the texture softens up just like a ripe plum.
\n\"Red<\/a>
\n\"Red<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
F<\/div>\n
\n
fire-cherry (Inga) \u2b50 Pro Grower (1,156 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Grew this from seed. Really liked that it pumps out respectably sized fruits for an anthocyanin type, about 5-7 oz (150-200 g). Grew in the greenhouse in less-than-ideal lighting, topping out around 5 ft (1.5 m) tall. Yield was very solid for me. The flavor was just good, traditional, old-fashioned tomato. Might have missed out on some nutrients or extra sun in my setup. Giving the variety a solid B grade (4 out of 5 stars). Definitely worth growing again.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
E<\/div>\n
\n
Ellis_Cu (Tatyana) \u2b50 Member (144 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Kolomna District, Moscow Region, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Grew it in the greenhouse in 2016. My conditions were dark and wet.
\nThe plant looked scrawny and weak, tucked into the darkest corner, but still produced delicious, high-quality fruit true to type. Saved seed from it. Then in 2017 I gave away every single seedling to friends and forgot to keep one for myself :-. The local gardening gals raved about it and showered me with thanks!
\nHighly recommended.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Siberian Greenhouse Trials: Red Charcoal vs. Amethyst Jewel<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
T<\/div>\n
\n
Tatyana Kemerovo (Tatyana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (2,694 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Kemerovo, Siberia, Russia (USDA Zone 3\/4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
I grew Red Charcoal back in 2015. It really stuck in my memory for its taste, heavy yield, and looks. Flavor: top tier! In my native soil, it tasted even better than Amethyst Jewel<\/a>. Distinct shape too, perfectly round. Gorgeous fruit. I find myself wanting to grow it every single season. Ran it in a polycarbonate greenhouse. Sized out around 7 oz (200 g) on average, with some a bit smaller and others noticeably larger.
\n\"Red<\/a>
\n\"Red<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
T<\/div>\n
\n
Tatyana Kemerovo (Tatyana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (2,694 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Kemerovo, Siberia, Russia (USDA Zone 3\/4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Another winning repeat among my blue varieties: Red Charcoal. The fruits ran a little smaller this season than in years past, but still the same trouble-free, high-yielding, flavorful performer! A lot of them developed cute pointed blossom-end beaks this year.
\n\"Red<\/a>
\n\"Red<\/a>
\n\"Red<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n

Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Climate Flexibility<\/h2>\n