Tomato 'Akoya' is a must-have for any gardener looking to grow something truly unique and flavourful. This compact variety stands out with its glossy black fruit, which not only adds a striking visual element to your garden but is also packed with health benefits. The dark black shoulders are rich in anthocyanins, natural antioxidants that are good for your health, while the fruit itself transitions from green to orange and finally to a vibrant red as it ripens.
At just 45cm tall (18in) with a 25cm spread (10in), 'Akoya' is the perfect choice for smaller gardens, balconies, or containers, making it ideal for spaces where other larger tomato plants might struggle. Each fruit, weighing between 20-30g, is a cocktail-sized gem bursting with exceptional flavour, perfect for snacking, salads, or adding to your favourite recipes.
One of the key benefits of 'Akoya' is its impressive resistance to late blight, a common problem for many tomato plants. You can grow this variety with confidence, knowing it’s a reliable and hardy choice. Additionally, its ‘stay green’ trait ensures that the foliage remains vibrantly green throughout the growing season, unlike other varieties that tend to yellow as they mature. If you’re looking for an eye-catching, disease-resistant, and flavour-packed tomato for your garden, Tomato ‘Akoya’ is the perfect choice!
Bush/Determinate
Glossy black fruit ripen into cocktail-sized, 20-30g tomatoes with red bases and black shoulders on plants with very good resistance to late blight.
Pot up and grow tomato plants on in warm frost free conditions.
Outdoor cultivation: Grow on until large enough to plant outdoors. Wait until all risk of frost has passed before transplanting tomatoes - around early June depending upon location. Gradually acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over a period of 7 to 10 days. Choose a sheltered position in full sun on fertile, reliably moist, well drained soil. Alternatively grow tomatoes in patio bags and containers in good quality compost such as John Innes No. 2.
Greenhouse cultivation: When growing in a heated glasshouse tomato plants may be transplanted at the end of May or when the first flowers are showing, if earlier. Allow 3 plants per growbag, or one per 25cm (10") pot, or plant tomatoes directly into the greenhouse soil. Cordon types should be transplanted at a distance of 60cm (24") apart.
Cordon/indeterminate varieties: Drive a (5ft) cane into the soil adjacent to each plant to support them as they grow, and tie each main stem to its support with soft garden twine.
Bush/determinate varieties: These may require a smaller cane to support the weight of the plant and its fruit. Dwarf bush varieties, such as 'Basket' types, do not require any staking.
