Yes, current year, indoors, and potting soil. A number of reviewers mentioned that they didn’t have good germination, but I didn’t think that was likely to happen, given how careful I am. The variety is “Black Cherry”, which I’ve never grown. It’s an heirloom tomato.
We use potting soil rather than the seed-starting formula, because we’ve had problems in the past with germination and watering.
We’ve decided to buy a cherry tomato, probably that old standby, sweet 100 because it’s getting too late now in the season.
I grew this tomato in 2010. It was interesting looking and tasting. It was such a different color from the other cherry tomatoes, that I was never quite sure when was the right time for picking.
I grew about 15 different varieties that year and then picked the 5 I liked the best. The Black Cherry was not one of the five.
Sometimes the germination time is quite longer than the average, and if you continue to keep the soil at the correct temp and moisture they will suprise you and sprout, however, it does mess up one’s planned schedule.
It could be “bad” seed from the seed company. Maybe deficient seeds made in past quality control.
A word of warning about that black cherry, it’ll never see your table because you’ll be treating yourself to them while you garden. Just like candy!
I did a little experiment this winter about germination viability of some seed varieties. Took a white napkin or paper towel and moistened it up and spread some seeds on it. Then added the towel to a zip lock plastic bag, put it on top of the warm water heater and checked it every few days.
If there were any sprouts I figured the batch of seeds were good — or not. Even transplanted a few of those napkin sprouts as well.