Vegetables
If you ’re thirst luscious purple heirloom tomato , former constituent farmer Logan Hailey has all the steer you demand for thrive ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ works !
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With their dusky pink skins and multicolor interior , ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ tomatoes are dazzling on the vine and in the kitchen . This unique heirloom variety has a full - bodied flavor and dense , scrumptious grain , perfect for slice . This is grounds enough to plant and grow ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ tomatoes !
The heavy globe - mold fruits are almost as meaty as a ‘ Beefsteak ’ and have similarly small seed cavities , making for an exceptionally plentiful culinary experience . Plus , the stalwart vines spring up chop-chop !
Heirloom tomatoes come from seeds that have been passed down for centuries . While ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ flora enjoy standardised conditions to your favorite garden loan-blend , they have a few unique requirements you ’ll need to satisfy to maximize your issue . countenance ’s dig intoeverything you need to know about maturate this flavorful tomato plant !

Solanum Lycopersicon ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ Plant Overview
History and Cultivation
While the ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ tomato stock the name of the Cherokee tribal people and stories claim that they grow with that kindred , there has never been conclusive proof of their tribal origins – only a news report pass along to the man who spearheaded their popularity .
Heirloom tomato plant specialiser Craig LeHoullier receive a packet of semen of this almost - black tomato in the mail service . The sender stated the seeds had originally descend from a tribal appendage . While the tribal origin was never proven , LeHoullier chose to keep the name to honor the statement made by its originator .
The rich feeling revealed in test trials proved that this love apple was worthy of further development . In 1993 , the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange was the first seed party to offer it as a circumscribed variant ejaculate packet . Ironically , the owner of SESEwas quote sayingthe tomato “ tasted mulct , but was kind of ugly – the great unwashed may not like it . ” But the plant adopt the gardening man by storm .

Its unambiguously brownish , green , Bourgogne , and rose tones have captivated gardeners for decades since , warranting wonderful seed - write efforts to maintain the heirloom flavor . It ’s extremely pop and , irrespective of its beginning , its feeling makes it worth develop yr after year !
In recent years , Craig LeHoullier has expressed rue for key the love apple after the tribe without confirming its origination . In 2022 , he and other seed growers discussed the semen naming process at the Organic Seed Alliance ’s annual come conference , as many cum hold tribal names whether or not they actually originated with those tribal groups .
Is ‘Cherokee Purple’ An Heirloom Tomato?
This plant is an heirloom , meaning its seminal fluid have been saved and passed down through multiplication . After many years of even open - pollination in cultivation , ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ germ stay true to type when grown . This means collecting seeds from the fruits and replant them next year will cede the same yummy fruits . The genetic science of this miscellanea have rest potent through hundreds of years of cultivation and sales event .
This rich , old - sentence tomato smack and middle - catching ribbed pattern dress it apart from other heirlooms . The extra - large - sized fruits arealmost as self-aggrandizing as a ‘ Beefsteak , ’ ranging from 3 - 5 in in diam .
What is ‘Cherokee Purple’ Tomato Best For?
make out for their rich , classic tomato spirit and dark colour , ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ tomatoes areideal for fresh feeding . The treasured , award - winning love apple has a balance of sweetness and thin smokiness .
The vine - ripen fruits have dusky rose - blushed skin with green , regal , or brown streaking on the inside . The seed cavities are small and do n’t have the weak grain of other heirlooms , making them perfect for a sandwich or burger without the risk of soggy bread . They are toothsome in salads , caprese , and unfermented salsas or slit with a sparge of salt on top .
Are ‘Cherokee Purple’ Tomatoes Hard to Grow?
‘ Cherokee Purple ’ is ideal for initiate tomato plant growers because the stout vines are easy to sustain and thrive without much fuss . If the plant has full sunlight and lot of lovesome weather ( over 60 ° F ) , these tomatoes will mature to their dark , red-hot colorin less than three months ! This old - fashioned heirloom is accommodate to intensely hot summers of the Southeast and tolerates humidness pretty well .
Propagation
you could produce this treasured tomato from seed or a pre - purchased seedling . The most critical factor in a tomato ’s early growth is lightheaded . head off leggy tomato startsby ensuring 6 - 8 hours of sunlight daily .
Seed
‘ Cherokee Purple ’ tomato seedsare widely available and easy to plant . It ’s unspoilt to pop out them indoors because spring weather is irregular in the garden .
About 5 - 6 weeks before transplanting , devise 6 - packs , cell tray , or 4 - column inch potentiometer . Fill them with a quality , well - drained ejaculate starter mix . obviate compacting the soil too firm .
Sow 1 - 2 seed ¼ ” deep in each cell and light cover . seminal fluid should only be inseminate at a depth twice their largest dimension . Since tomato seeds are relatively flat and round , they wind up very close to the ground surface . Do n’t bury them too deeply .

Thoroughly water supply in the seeds and keep them consistently moist but never soggy . Use a lover - hooter hosepipe or wide watering can to distribute the water across the surface without dislodging the seed .
apply a soil thermometer probe toensure the mixture delay 75 - 85 ° F . For the best germination , add aseed heating matbeneath the trays .
‘ Cherokee Purple ’ germinates within 5 - 10 days . Grow the seedlings at a continuous 60 - 75 ° F ambient temperature . When plants have their first solidification of dependable leaves , thin to one seedling per cell . Fertilize with a dilute fish photographic emulsion to promote rapid establishment .

If you do n’t have a Dixie - face window or greenhouse , you will probably need togrow lightsto control vigorous , level-headed plants . set aside your grow lights secretive to the tray initially , or lift the traysuntil they are 6 - 8 ” below the light .
As the tomatoes uprise , slowly make for the light source away from them . If they look spindly or like they are “ strain ” upwards ( long spaces of radical between new leaves ) , the light is too far away .
Be careful not to start your tomatoes too soon . Rootbound , leggy , or flowering transplantation have difficulty adjust in the garden . You may pretermit out on other production if the plants undergo ashock flow .

‘ Cherokee Purple ’ grows amazingly tight , and you do n’t want a bunch of overgrown seedlings hold back by the windowsill for the weather to warm up . If you plan to plant 1 - 2 weeks after your last frost date , inseminate the seminal fluid no sooner than three weeks before the last frost date . For most temperate gardeners , this window is around February or March in the Confederacy and April or May in the north .
Seedling Starts
If starting seeds indoors sounds like too much bother , you’re able to usually discover ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ plantsat most glasshouse or garden stock . Purchasing tomato take up saves you the trouble of sprouting and indoor growing , but you still must inure off the plants ( explained below ) to prevent transplant seismic disturbance .
When choosing a love apple startle , pay careful care to :
buy your seedlings as closemouthed to your last rime date as potential . in the main , late - time of year tomato plant seedlings are rootbound , leggy , and sickly from being in a commode for too long .

Planting
Once nighttime temperatures areconsistently above 45 ° F , you could safely set tomatoes in the garden . This is usually 1 - 3 week after your last spring frost escort .
If your region tends to have unpredictable springiness , it ’s near to cover love apple seedlings withrow fabricor a moth-eaten flesh to protect them during the initial few weeks of establishment .
Hardening Off
One of many gardeners ’ bad mistakes with tomatoes isforgetting to harden them off . This acclimatization period is crucial for help your tomato plant seedling adjust to the inclemency of the outdoors .
You would n’t just throw a babe bird from the nest to resist for itself ! The works must learn how to adjust to colder night , less water , harsher sunlight , and less uniform conditions .
Whether you grew tomatoes from seeds or purchased starts at a baby’s room , follow these stepsto insure the plant life are quick for the garden :

How to Transplant
Before transplanting , settle whattomato trellisyou’d care to employ . These heirloom can not fend up on their own , and you probably do n’t require dirty tomatoes growing on the ground .
The well-to-do trellis is a definitive tomato John Milton Cage Jr. , but the highest - yielding trellises promote the plant to grow from one or two “ loss leader vines , ” like a metric ton - post or A - frame treillage .
Next , be sure your temper - off seedling are good water . A gracious drench before planting see to it the soil in the root ball is nicely constellate together .

Prepare a locoweed - destitute seam with very well - drained loamy soil . Blend inany compost or all - purpose granular fertilizerin advance . Use a mini trowel or Hori Hori knife to dig a hole about two time as deep and wide as the seedling ’s root glob .
rub down the ancestor geographical zone as you comprehend the plant from its stand and pull it out of the container . Place the love apple in the hole so the low parts of the stem are totally buried . Like all tomatoes , this heirloom can root all along its stem . you could transfer lower leaves and plant deeply for leggier starts to encourage sturdy , bushy growth .
Gently backfill the hole and avoid pressing down too much on the dirt . Give the transplants a substantial drink . A diluted kelp answer can help alleviate transplant shock and promote faster root establishment .

Spacing
‘ Cherokee Purple ’ is an indeterminate tomato variety , meaning it grows rambling vine that acquire tomatoes until the first frost . as luck would have it , this heirloom grows short vines that do n’t require as much pruning as other indeterminates .
Still , decent spacing is vital for preventing disease and maximizing your payoff . Grow plants24 - 36 ” apart with 24 - 36 ” between rows .
If you are trellis with a cattle jury or T - post , you could try tighter spacing , like 18 - 20 ” . If using a tomato cage , I ’d urge the standard 24 ” space so there is deal of flow of air between plants .

How to Grow
As one of theeasiest - to - grow heirlooms , ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ is a resilient plant life that wo n’t fuss . As long as you supply a sturdy treillage , warm temperatures , and coherent H2O , you ’ll be enjoy by how abundantly these tomato yield .
Light
Tomatoes arenative to Central and South Americaand evolved under bright , red-hot fair weather . After all , the genus nameSolanumcontains the Latin rootsol , meaning “ sun . ”
They needat least 6 to 8 hours or moreof full sun daily . nullify planting in bed that receive partial shade from nearby tree or complex body part . A south - face up garden preference is good .
Water
While ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ has some drouth allowance , ordered moisture grow the best tomatoes . Infrequent or sporadic watering can cause blossom remainder guff , which is unsightly and gross .
The origin of these heirloom grow pretty deep , especially in loose , loamy soil . They can live on1 - 2 inches of water per hebdomad . Even wet is crucial once the plant begin flower and fruiting . Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are good because they deliver piddle instantly to the plant ’s stem zona .
Avoid overhead watering with sprinkler , run to blight , mildew , and other fungous topic . mulch your tomato layer with chopped straw or leaf mulch can aid retain wet and keep the soil cooler in ultra - spicy clime .

Soil
Like all tomato plant , these plant love rich , loamy , well - drained ground . The mellow the organic matter , the better . Heap on the compost , elderly manure , and mulch to produce the perfect environment for your heirloom .
They put up somewhat acidic soilwith a pH of around 6.0 to 6.8 . Peat moss or coco coir canimprove the pHand drainage in alkaline soil .
Before transplant , I care to broad - ramification my garden beds to loosen the lower layer of grease soundly . Then , I add 1 - 2 inches of compost and a few shovel - loads of vermicast to enrich the seam . Your heirloom tomato plant bed deserves the most stain preparation effort because flora yield importantly better with the loamiest soil potential .

Climate and Temperature
Tomatoes are cold - stamp plants that get below 55 ° degree Fahrenheit . They do n’t typically set fruit and mature until temperatures areconsistently 65 ° F . While they can handle temperatures below 35 ° atomic number 9 , they do not tolerate frost . Cold damage may appear as darken leaves and stem , wilting , yellowing , or flower cliff ( a real bummer for your love apple crop ) .
you may harvest ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ tomatoes in most climates throughout late saltation and vertex summer . In hot southern climates , put up lightheaded afternoon refinement or flora later in the fall when temperature are slenderly cooler . Triple - finger temperature can causeflower dropand poor fruit set . Mulching and shade fabric are helpful in extreme heat .
equate to other heirloom , this variety is particularly practiced at handle humidness . However , highly humid shape fuse with near spatial arrangement or poor airflow create a formula for blight disaster .

If your part gets a tidy sum of rain in the summer , widen your tomato plant spacing and seek to keep the foliage as dry as possible . Some growers put up mini greenhouses or cleared credit card covers to keep the rain off .
Fertilizing
Cranking out those gargantuan , blue fruits require a lot of energy . These tomatoes are average to gravid feeder and enjoy several round of fertilizer throughout the time of year . In the other stages of growth , agranular all - purpose plant food blend is excellentto commixture in the soil during planting .
Look for a balanced fertilizer likeEspoma Garden - Toneto ensure you do n’t overdo the atomic number 7 . Too much nitrogen can make excessive leaf increase at the disbursal of the sought after fruit .
When the plants lead off to flower , flip to a higher phosphorus plant food like seaweed or bone meal to prepare for fruiting . While it ’s very rare in residential soils , some garden soils may lack sufficient calcium , so a supplement of calcium carbonate in the form of fine-grained eggshells or garden unslaked lime can be helpful . However , most filth is not lacking in calcium , and most quality organic plant food let in the calcium needed for your plant .

If you do n’t want to over - complicate things , I suggest summate 1 - 2 inches of quality compost and the Garden - Tone plant food at planting . This should be plenty to fuel your purple heirloom throughout the time of year .
Maintenance
Pruning is not essential , but it is beneficial . Fortunately , these heirlooms do n’t send out out as many suckers ( side shoot ) as hybrid varieties . Still , the vine benefit from weekly pruning to signal them to channel their vigour into more yield product .
Suckersare aptly named because they “ suck ” the vitality aside from the painful sensation plant . In other words , they are the Lycopersicon esculentum ’s effort to produce more vine than yield .
Use penetrating , sanitized trimmer to remove suckers at the “ elbows ” where each root connects with the central vine . Depending on your treillage system , you may need to prune each plant so it only has one or two “ leader ” vines and slay the balance .

When the tips of vine are young , they are pliable enough to maneuver them where you want them to go well . apply twine or charge card tomato trellis clip to weave them upward .
If you trellis your plants a little bit every calendar week , they easily become “ trained ” to grow up the treillage . However , if you wait until the fore are strict and large , it can be challenge to trellis them without snap or bending the vine .
How Tell When ‘Cherokee Purple’ Tomatoes Are Ready to Pick
Heirloom tomatoes vary in color and size of it , so picking them require a particular heart for hue . The fruit is close to harvestwhen the wan pinkish skin start blush or turning more Bourgogne .
The moody purple or almost black fruits will stand out from their unripened neighbour . The leaves on the top of the Lycopersicon esculentum should still come along green . Always let your ‘ Cherokee Purples ’ ripen on the vine for the best flavor .
Companion Plants
Tomato companion plantscan dramatically reduce pestilence imperativeness , better yields , and maximize space in a small garden . associate planting is an ancient technique with realscience - backed benefitsthatmake your garden ecosystem more resilientand reduce your trust on pesticide or fertilizers .
Marigolds
As one of the most well - research associate plant , marigolds are known to prevent early blight and suppress root - Calidris canutus nematodes in the soil . Studies show thatintercropping with marigolds can increase yieldsby up to 50 % !
Marigolds are also the perfect companion for ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ becausetheir ontogeny habit is free . The Gallic marigold stay stout and close to the ground as the tomatoes vine upward .
They are leisurely to intersperse among tomato plant row or in the four street corner of a elevate bottom . The vibrant , fragrant flowers appeal beneficial predatory insects and rebuff fruit borers .

Basil
The upright pairs in the kitchen often make great pair in the garden . Basil has a stalwart , shaggy-coated soma that correspond utterly in the lower canopy of a tomato bed .
The fragrant herbal leavesrepel aphid and flea beetles , and the blossom attract bees to aid in pollination . Be sure that your basil plants are adequately spaced ( at least 8 - 10 ” ) from the base of the tomato .
Lettuce
Take advantage of the shadows cast by a tomato canopy by interplanting with wampum . Summer lettuce can be tricky because the hot , sunny days can trigger bolt . However , bolt - resistant varieties can produce delicious burger - worthy toppings all season long if you allow mottled shade .
organ transplant scratch seedlings at the same metre as tomatoes . Provideat least 8 - 12 ” from the stem of the plantsand prune away lower love apple depart so they do n’t rub up against the gelt . you’re able to normally get away with two scratch successions throughout the lifespan of a tomato harvest .
Beans
tomato plant are heavy feeders , and beans are leguminous crop that fix N in the land . Bush beans are idealistic for familiar planting becausethey wo n’t compete for trellis quad . They also make use of that unoccupied dry land beneath love apple vines .
Like the other comrade flora species , you ’ll require to be sure you ’ve cut back by the low tomato will so they do n’t overburden the bean plant plants . allow for at least 12 - 18 ” of space between plants .
Pests and Diseases
‘ Cherokee Purple ’ is asuper resilient heirloom , but is not unvanquishable . It can still fall dupe to all thecommon pestsand pathogens unless you take steps to prevent and manage them .
Tomato Hornworms
The mostvoracious love apple pestis the hornworm . This caterpillar is the larval point of the hawk moth . If you ’re not checking your plants on a regular basis , these fat caterpillarscan defoliate an entire flora in one day .
They are super camouflaged , so if you acknowledge stripped leaf , you may postulate to shake the plant to find where the hornworm is shroud . They usually “ hiss ” to give themselves away .
script - pick is the most common removal method acting . you could also habituate neem oil colour , Bt , or diatomaceous earth . Interplanting with marigolds , white alyssum , or nearby yarrow may attract parasitical wasps that parasitize the esurient caterpillar .

Aphids
These sap - sucking pests are unlikely to seriously harm your ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ plants , but they are still a pain that cut maturation . Unfortunately , aphids are also a vector for many disease , include mosaic computer virus .
fellow traveller planting is the best way to foreclose them . If an plague occurs , use a heavy sprayer of water to blast themfrom the undersides of the parting . Then , apply dilute neem oil color or horticultural oil colour to keep the aphids away . An insecticidal soap is also in force against most aphid species .
Flea Beetles
Thesetiny leaping beetlesdon’t only attack brassicas ! They can result behind K of little shotgun hollow in your tomato leaves , cause them to be more vulnerable to early blight disease .
Thebest bar is row coverin the other time of year while plant life are still small . If they are still around after that , you could disperse your plant in diatomaceous earth or talcum powder powder to deter and dehydrate them .
Rodents
We are n’t the only unity who love delicious heirloom fruits . If you notice chunks of tomatoes missing , you believably have a hungry cony , vole , rat , or mouse trying to share in the feast .
The promiscuous prevention is trim to ensure the fruit is set higher on the vines . If the leave of absence are attacked , you canuse a critter cagewhile the plants are youthful . Coyote urine or a garden cat can assist repel rodent to prevent succeeding military issue . You should also clean up any fallen fruits that may attract undesirable visitors .
Early Blight
This common tomato disease is triggered by an fast-growing fungus that overwinters in tomato plant debris . other blightis best forbid by sanitisation . Never pass on trimmings or older plant life in the garden . Remove them to the rubbish , burn pile , or compost pile ( if not infect ) .
The yellow and brown bullseye marks of this disease make it very noticeable . It can also spread from potatoes , peppers , and eggplant bush . Unfortunately , you’ll demand to dispatch septic works to prevent further spread . do by stay plants with an app of fungicide as a contraceptive .
Late Blight
Another dismal incurable tomato disease , this blight attacks even more rapidly than early blight . It happen afterward in the seasonwhen the weather is dampish and warm .
chocolate-brown lesion and fuzzed underwood on the leaves are the central symptoms . If you see them , bump off the plant life now and queer your fingers it wo n’t circulate to the residual of your heirloom .
Blossom End Rot
heirloom with rotten “ butts ” are a major bummer . You worked so hard to grow those tomatoes ; now they seem to rot on the vine ! as luck would have it , this issue is not a disease but a physiological ill . In this context , the plants can not uptake the calcium in their soil ; this can be do by infrequent watering , soil nutritious imbalances , and in very rarified circumstances , a calcium deficiency in the grunge .
guarantee that your tomato plant have regular moisture rather than long period of time of drouth follow by heavy watering . Moderation is key!Avoiding feast - or - dearth lachrymation often “ cures ” blossom end rot ; your plants need systematically damp soil to imbibe all the soil ’s food .
An annual soil test will also identify if your soil nutrients are off - kelter . Applying more calcium is only necessary if you know your soil is miserable in calcium ; it shoot so long for calcium to become plant - available that powdered eggshell or garden lime may not repair the issue during your flora ’s lifespan .

Tobacco Mosaic Virus
This viral diseasecauses sickly , curled leaf with green mosaic patterns . The distortion on the plants is usually pretty obtrusive .
It is often spread by pestis , particularly sucking pests like aphid that thrust leafage . There is no curative , so you must transfer infect plant ASAP to prevent the computer virus ’ paste .
Mosaic virusesare a spacious family ; other forms , like tomato mosaic virus , may be identical from baccy mosaic in how they color plants . The unspoiled practice here is to keep plants cuss - free as much as potential to reduce their risk of infection from worm - carried viral disease .

Plant Uses
Enjoy ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ tomatoes in any recipe . They particularly shine when slice densely on sandwiches and Warren Earl Burger . Their rich , dense texture is n’t too washy or soft .
At the same time , their uniquely sweet , savory , slightly acidic , and subtly smoky flavorcomplements almost any meal . For the full flavor experience , slice up up a substantial yield and dust salt on top .
Final Thoughts
develop a ‘ Cherokee Purple ’ plant is similar to other tomato plant variety and often even more square . As long as they get great deal of sunshine , full-bodied soil , and regular pee , these vinesyield dozens of pound sterling of yield per time of year . Always get your fruit ripen on the vine and harvest them when they appear dark burgundy or red .












