How to Grow Tomato 'Black Russian' from Seed

September 16, 2026

Tomato Black Russian large mahogany-brown beefsteak fruits

Bishy Barnabee's Growing Guides

How to Grow Tomato
'Black Russian' from Seed

A large Russian heritage beefsteak in deep mahogany-brown, with fruits of 200g and more and a rich, almost savoury flavour. Best grown under glass in Britain.

'Black Russian' is a large Russian heritage tomato in deep mahogany-brown, shading to green at the shoulder. Fruits run to 200g and more, with dense flesh, few seeds and the rich, almost savoury flavour dark beefsteaks are prized for.

This is a slicing tomato rather than a salad one. One fruit covers a plate, and it is at its best sliced thick with salt and good oil. It needs a long, warm season and does best under glass in Britain.

Quick Facts at a Glance

Crop Type

Beefsteak, cordon, heritage

Sowing Time

Feb to Apr, under cover

Harvest

August to October

Fruit Size

200g and more

Best Grown

Greenhouse or polytunnel

Difficulty

3 out of 5, moderate

Understanding the Crop

'Black Russian' is an open-pollinated heritage tomato, Solanum lycopersicum. It is an indeterminate, cordon variety: a single main stem that keeps growing and setting trusses until you stop it.

Because it is open pollinated, you can save seed from the best fruits for next year.

Support the trusses

A truss of 200g fruit is heavier than it looks, and stems will snap if left to carry it unaided. Tie in the main stem regularly and support heavy trusses with soft string or truss clips.

When & How to Sow

Sow under cover from February to April. Earlier sowings need a heated propagator and good light; March is the most reliable for most growers.

Plant deeply

Tomatoes root along buried stems. When potting on, set seedlings deeper so the stem is buried up to the first leaves.

Sow in warmth. Sow thinly 5mm deep in seed compost at 18 to 25°C. Seedlings appear in one to two weeks.
Pot on. Move seedlings into individual 9cm pots once they have their first true leaves, and grow on in bright light at 15 to 20°C.
Plant out. Plant into a greenhouse bed, large pot or growbag from May, when the first flower truss is showing, around 45 to 60cm apart. Put in a tall cane or string support at planting.

Growing On Tips

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Remove sideshoots

Pinch out shoots that form between leaf and stem to keep a single cordon.

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Tie in weekly

Tie the main stem to its support and support heavy trusses.

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Water evenly

Regular, consistent watering prevents splitting and blossom end rot.

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Feed weekly

Once the first truss sets, feed with a high-potash tomato feed.

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Stop the plant

In late summer, pinch out the growing tip so energy goes into ripening existing fruit.

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Ventilate

Open greenhouse vents on warm days to reduce disease and help pollination.

Common Problems & How to Fix Them

Problem	Likely Cause	What to Do
Black patch at fruit base	Blossom end rot, from irregular watering	Water consistently, especially in pots and growbags.
Split fruit	Uneven watering	Keep moisture even; pick ripe fruit promptly.
Stems snapping	Heavy trusses unsupported	Tie in and support trusses as fruit swells.
Green shoulders that don't ripen	Characteristic of the variety, or heat	Normal for 'Black Russian'. Shade glass in very hot spells.
Brown blotches, rapid collapse	Blight, mainly outdoors	Grow under glass; remove affected plants promptly.

When to Harvest

Fruits ripen from August to October. Pick when the skin is deep mahogany-brown and the fruit gives slightly to gentle pressure. The shoulders often stay green.