Heirloom. Cherokee Purple seeds, originating from Tennessee, are thought to have been passed down from Native Americans of the Cherokee tribe. This heirloom tomato variety consistently ranks very high in taste tests. Slice Cherokee Purple tomato for rich, dark color and unmatched sweet, rich taste on sandwiches or in salads. The tomato is a beautiful dusky pink with a deep, rich-red interior. Cherokee Purple grows well in most regions of the U.S. Let the fruit ripen on the vine for the best flavor. This one is a consistent taste test winner at tomato fests around the country. For an heirloom, it is a good producer. In our garden, where conditions are ideal and the season is long, we harvest and average of 20 or more fruits from each plant. Vigorous vines benefit from strong staking or caging.
Tomato: Cherokee Purple
- Planting: Since tomatoes need at least 6 to 8 hours of sun to bring out their best flavors, plant seedlings in bright, direct sun, in nutrient rich soil, as tomatoes are heavy feeders. Providing a tomato cage for determinate varieties and a stake or trellis system for indeterminate varieties is highly recommended, place them at planting before root systems have developed to prevent harming the plant.
Spacing: for determinate varieties, space plants 12" to 24" apart; for indeterminate varieties that are staked, space plants 14" to 20 " apart; for indeterminate varieties that are not staked, space plants 24" to 36" apart.
Watering: Water plants regularly, and keep soil evenly moist to prevent issues on fruit like blossom end rot or cracking.Harvesting: harvest tomatoes when they have changed colors but are still firm when gently squeezed. Let the tomatoes ripen on the vine for the best flavor, but they can also be harvested when fruits have begun to change color and still have a little bit of green, and can be ripened on the kitchen counter. Store tomatoes on the kitchen counter for best flavor, but for longer storage times, place in the refrigerator.