Cherokee Purple Tomatos!

[that_crazy_lady]

It seems like every few years my mother brings home some tomato plants, and today along with her grape and patio varietys, she has 4 cherokee purples I've never had heirloom plants befor so I'm real excited

She also got some peppers and we are thinking about herbs too. Nothing much this year, but I'm planing a real garden for next year. I think we are going to keep them all in pots. Any tips/thoughts are very welcome. Thanks JP

 

[lesa]

I'm growing Cherokee Purple's for the first time this year, too! Do you have to grow them in pots? Or, do you have garden space? Good luck and Happy Gardening!

 

[digitS']

Okay, now that I know that "zone 4 Lesa" is growing Cherokee Purple tomatoes - I want reports!

I've long wanted to try these! They get very good press on flavor! Their days-to-maturity make them look almost possible here . . . am I wrong? An under 80 day, tomato?

I know, that's 80 perfect days but anything that is rated over 75 is going to ripen at the last minute or on the kitchen counter after the frosts of autumn. I find it disappointing and almost embarrassing to carry buckets of green tomatoes off plants that never ripened a single 1 thru an entire growing season.

Overwhelmed with tomatoes after all the nice weather has passed . . . I like indeterminates so I can have some at that time of year but I get frustrated with staring at the plants as the weather cools & cools & cools.



Besides, I have Cherokee ancestors .

Steve

edited to ask: where are you JP? it seems you told us once but maybe i forgot.

 

[lesa]

I am afraid if the weather continues in this pattern- I won't have much to report!! The plants look great at the moment, I'll keep you posted!

 

[wifezilla]

I grew them last year. flavor was good but not spectacular. They are also prone to splitting. None of my other tomatoes split, but about half of the Cherokees did.

They had no problem with our cool nights so if you have weather issues, this would be a good variety. They still beat store bought by a mile. Hubby liked them more than I did. Instead of the purple Cherokees, I am trying black krim this year.

 

[4grandbabies]

Okay, now that I know that "zone 4 Lesa" is growing Cherokee Purple tomatoes - I want reports!

I've long wanted to try these! They get very good press on flavor! Their days-to-maturity make them look almost possible here . . . am I wrong? An under 80 day, tomato?

I know, that's 80 perfect days but anything that is rated over 75 is going to ripen at the last minute or on the kitchen counter after the frosts of autumn. I find it disappointing and almost embarrassing to carry buckets of green tomatoes off plants that never ripened a single 1 thru an entire growing season.

Overwhelmed with tomatoes after all the nice weather has passed . . . I like indeterminates so I can have some at that time of year but I get frustrated with staring at the plants as the weather cools & cools & cools.



Besides, I have Cherokee ancestors .

Steve

edited to ask: where are you JP? it seems you told us once but maybe i forgot.

Steve, have you ever experimented with the "red Mulch" that the garden catalogs are advertising now, its supposed to cause the tomatoes to grow faster, ripen faster etc...I bought some(looks like a sheet of red plastic to me) and want to try a patch of it this year, but for now, all I have is a MUD patch out there. also floating row covers are sheer, light and warms what ever is under them at least by 10 degrees..I buy those from gardens alive, but they are carried by several seed catalogs-- Just wondering if those experiments might help you get some vine ripe tomatoes.

 

[lesa]

Grandbabies, I will be very interested to hear how that red mulch works... I have been tempted by it, every time I get that catalog.
Wife, I've got some black krim ready to go, as well. Fingers crossed that something grows!

 

[SweetMissDaisy]

I picked up a Black Krim at "big blue box store" last night -- couldn't believe they had a few of them, so I figured one was meant to be mine.

I'm out of room in the raised beds for it, but have a big container I'm going to plant it in. It must be 10 or more gallons, so it should be successful.

 

[vfem]

Mine split alot here too. I did love the flavor, but got very few tomatoes per plant.

I also took awhile to realize, but the tops stay grew and the whole tomato doesn't turn purple. So when the bottom is purple and the top is green, pick.

 

[Southern Gardener]

I grew them last year. flavor was good but not spectacular. They are also prone to splitting. None of my other tomatoes split, but about half of the Cherokees did.

They had no problem with our cool nights so if you have weather issues, this would be a good variety. They still beat store bought by a mile. Hubby liked them more than I did. Instead of the purple Cherokees, I am trying black krim this year.

I grew some last year also and was disappointed in the flavor - not tomatoey enough for me. They did grow very well though.