BBQ Berries (dwarf tamarillo) seeds

BBQ Berry aka Dwarf Tamarillo (Cyphomandra abutiloides, Solanum abutiloides)

(will be shipping the dried fruit, containing many seeds inside, see bottom of this section for planting instructions)

Perennial (can be grown as annual but see below)

Not Forst Hardy

Full Sun or part shade (in summer only)

Best in ground or large raised bed but okay in largish container

Takes up more space than a tomato, but does not need trellising at all

This tomato relative is just as different from a tomato than it is to its namesake the tamarillo. That is why we wanted to create a better name than dwarf tamarillo. Some names are just not that great for plants or food crops, sweet potato being one the primary. Hard to change that one because it's so familiar, but this one is so unknown to most of the world, that this is a great opportunity for a new name. 

We call them BBQ berries because when you cook them (see video) and put them in salsa, it taste like this amazing BBQ sauce. I can only imagine what a real chef could do with them in that regard. 

They are much better cooked, and as a nightshade, we feel that they are more digestible that way. We have done or read no studies on this, but many nightshades have a toxin called solanine, and can be partially denatured when cooked (like in tomatoes and potatoes.) These berries certainly are sweeter when cooked. 

Fresh they have a sweetness for sure, but also a savory and very unique fragrant bitterness. Many people don't like them fresh. But I would think of it as an eggplant in that way, or a potato. Cook and spice it up and that rich sweetness really shines. 

HOW TO GROW: 

Take the dried fruit that you receive and soak in warmish water until soft. Crush and separate the seeds the best you can. However, the way I have always done it (the lazy way) is to just crush the dried fruit with my hands or a tool of some kind and spread the "paste" onto the surface of a small pot filled with potting soil. The seeds are so small, either cover with the slightest little dusting of soil or not at all. 

Not recommended to direct sow. Seedlings are TINY! Once they have a true leaf, very carefully separate and transplant the tiny seedlings into individual pots (like a little six pack you get veggie starts in) or if you feel bold enough putting the teeny tiny seedlings out into where you want them to grow for the season. 

They do best as a perennial. They do grow just fine as an annual in any place with a 5 month or more growing season, but really do not yield very much before that Fall frost comes. They are tolerant of light frosts (they will get damage with the slightest frost, but can usually survive.) Heavy frosts and freezes kill them. 

They are upright and somewhat, pleasantly shrubby. One of the few characteristics they share with tamarillo -- the tree tomato. They also share a uniquely fragrant leaf. Crush up a leaf and smell it -- it carries the same aroma as the berries. 

So back to its perennial nature. They make great container plants and are easy to overwinter provided you keep them from frosts. Like bringing them inside and in a greenhouse that stays above freezing all winter. They don't mind cooler even cold weather (so long as it doesn't freeze) and will fruit well into the winter dark months if protected from frosts. That is a nice advantage to them, long season and very late and very early fruit. But only as a perennial. 

So if you can grow them out the first year in either a container a place in the ground or raised bed where the soil is loose and fluffy. You will probably get some fruit late so you can decide whether or not you like the fruit. But then move the plant inside for the winter. It's best to keep it outside in full sun whenever the temperature outside if above freezing. So that might be a lot of work, but if you are already doing this to several other plants, might as well do this one. You can cut it back (but don't overdo it) if you want it to be manageable. 

The next year when all frost is past, plant that out in the garden, either in the ground or in a raised bed. It'll get really big and produce a lot of fruit. I have never attempted to pot it up after the second year -- just seems too big for me to try. If anyone does this, let me know it goes. I'm happy with the two season plant.