Depending on the nature of your starts, recommendation on spacing vary slightly: 12 to 24 inches apart for determinate varieties, 14 to 20 inches apart for staked indeterminate varieties, 24 to 36 inches apart for unstaked indeterminate varieties. If they are kept healthy, these heirlooms will resist nearly every disease and most pests as well. Cherokee Purples are generally resistant to Fusarium Wilt and Septoria, the most common of tomato diseases. Remove covers whenever temperatures exceed 85 F. SPACING & COMPANION PLANTING CONSIDERATIONS. Fertile clays and loams produce the highest yields, but lighter soils that drain and warm quickly can produce earlier harvests. Fruit size: 10-12 oz Before you harvest, consider which varieties you might want to save seeds from so that your harvesting practice includes plants chosen for seed saving. During my master gardener training, the instructor stated Purple Cherokee was by far the best tasting tomato. So no good. Cherokee Purple is a regular leaf beefsteak tomato plant that produces a bruise-color fruit with green shoulders. Dating back to before sometime before 1890, Cherokee Purple is one of the earliest recognized types of the ‘black’ coloured tomatoes. CHEROKEE PURPLE TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum) is a North Carolina heirloom that quickly gained my attention and affection when I moved here! Fungicide treatments Rhizosphaera needle cast is the most common disease on spruce trees that is received in the Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic. Be sure they’re watered regularly and that a side dressing of light fertilizer or compost is added every 30-45 days. When a Cherokee Purple Tomato is ripe it will yield to … Fruits do not always form inside the bag. I made a rookie mistake this year (ok I suppose since I am a rookie gardener) and used store bought tomato cages which all my plants quickly outgrew. Cherokee Purple Heirloom Tomato An heirloom form the 1800’s originally grown by the Cherokee Nation. Growing vegetables is easy and fun! Probably not enought sun (Only about 6 hours per day). The fruit, described by one grower as the color of a “deep leg bruise,” are often ill-shaped with three to five large lobes around the circumference. It has a rich and full flavor that is often compared to popular Brandywine Red. Tomatoes have a complex and unique flavor. Plant Tomato Cherokee Purple in a sunny position in the garden as this will assist with fruit productivity and flavour. I purchased seeds and grew two plants. Be sure to check out our newest seed packs, available now from Heirloom Organics. Positive: On Jan 6, 2004, Bungarian from Cotton Valley, LA … Bark Striking, Light Green, Pink or Red Brown, Exfoliating or Smooth. Again, any crossing in the current season affects the seeds within the fruit, not the fruit flavor or structure. Tomato is a heavy feeder and should be fertilized with an organic blend rich in phosphorus and potassium, and containing moderate nitrogen. It’s that simple. Cherokee Purple Tomato Seeds 2390 Heirloom Vegetable. Tomato varieties will produce fruit consistent with the varieties planted. For best results, sow seeds ½" deep in a well-drained, soilless starting mix. Their primary enemy in the United States is the mosaic virus, which cannot be cured once it sets in. The Three Sisters Garden was the first example of companion planting in Native American culture. The tomatoes are delicious with a pleasantly sweet, rich flavor. There are no hard and fast rules to follow with regard to isolation. If not, take heart in the fact you’re certainly not the only one. Hi Don't rush to transplant until weather has stabilized and soil is warm. Samuel, check baker creek heirlooms and they should be able to help you out. Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes produce well for an heirloom with very decent fruit set. Do a search for Garden Myths Blossom End Rot (I’m in no way affiliated with the web site) for the complete discussion.