Comments for Cherokee Purple

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by Earl

Earl — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:02:50 +0000

It’s interesting that we each have our location’s advantages and disadvantages. You struggle for water and soil nutrients but make up for it with a gain in hours of sunlight and warm temperatures. Happy gardening!

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by Spencer Thompson

Spencer Thompson — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:17:29 +0000

I live year round in Oaxaca mexico. I saved seed from a Cherokee Purple dried on a paper towel in March. Planted some of them and some from a U S seed company. The ground soil here is so poor I started them in purchased batonico soil,in small pots and transplanted to large Urns. Only five plants in all but they have done very well. The weight of the fruit has damaged some plants while I was away. I am now supporting them better and may have to put some chicken wire around one a chipmonk like critter or a bird is eating. The flavor is just as I had hoped. It is hard to raise a large crop in urns. I do water daily as even in the rainy season the urn does not get enough water. It never rains from Oct to May and becomes desert like. I am eager to see what happens when my season is repeated Oct on. It never freezes here and seldom gets below fifty any night of the year. So far no need to sparys of any kind.

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by susan

susan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 05:08:29 +0000

the skin on the purples looks tough. i always peel tomatoes because of that. as i have never eaten a purple can anyone tell me if the skins are ones i would peel? i’m just a little different i suppose as i don’t know anyone else who peels their tomatoes. thanks and i like reading and seeing the pictures. susan

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by Earl

Earl — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:52:01 +0000

@Fabian W Those buckwheat plants are beautiful. They almost look ornamental. I love the idea that their blossoms attract pollinators. Those critters are handy to have to help other plants, like tomatoes, produce fruit. Thanks for the update!

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by Fabian W

Fabian W — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:17:30 +0000

@Earl Earl, This is the first time I,ve grown the buckwheat and I considered saving seeds, but was more concerned with getting the new tomato digs in order. Buckwheat is a fast grower it started flowering in about 4-5 weeks after hand broadcasting and a quick light rototilling. In the morning, 9-10am, my 500sq ft of buckwheat would have a polinator every 6". My intent was just to smother out thistles and bindweed. I tried tilling in the buckwheat with my fairly decent rear tine tiller, but the 20" buckwheat stalks started winding up on the tine shaft. I switched to the mower and then tilled as there were still some thistles and bindweed. This worked better. I let the flowers go as long as I could to keep the bees around and well feed, but I read that my winter cover crop, the hairy vetch needs time to estabish before frost, 6 weeks from memory. In with the vetch I planted winter rye which is supposed to be very frost tolerant and gives the vetch something to climb up. The vetch is supposed to fix a lot of nitrogen. This late in the year all I could find was expired inoculant for it the guy at the seed store took pitty on me and gave it to me for free, so oh well I just put it on heavy and we'll se what happens. I planted 2'x5' area with buckwheat in my old pea bed, to attract bees to the my main garden area after I saw how well it works. I recommend buckwheat for this purpose. Websites have warned about letting it go to seed because it can become a weed, but it seems like a fragile plant, ie easy to hand control, my wife's cousin who is an organic farmer, in MN, said the same and that it doesn't self sow very well anyway.

Edit by Earl: The following images were emailed to me by Fabian... thanks!

...here are some shots of the buckwheat. The hairy vetch / winter rye was just planted last week.

I'll keep you posted on how the experiment works. Fabian Zone 5 Boulder, CO

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by Earl

Earl — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:27:51 +0000

I’m glad to see some of you are still enjoying this summer fruit. I believe my tomato plants are done for the year. My garden here in Arkansas is mostly pumping out okra and butternut squash instead. Seeing Mike’s pictures makes me wish I still had some tomatoes!

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by Mike

Mike — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:59:14 +0000

Hi bro. I live in San Diego and love growing Cherokees as well. I had a great crop last year and this year is looking good too. I grew them from seedlings and now it's a pretty nice sized plant. Regards, Mike

Edit by Earl: The following images of beautiful tomatoes were emailed to me by Mike. These tomatoes have character!

I am a big time Cherokee Purple guy. I love the flavor and enjoy growing them from seeds. They love the California sun out here in San Diego.

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by Kevin H

Kevin H — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 08:59:16 +0000

for years I have touted the pink series of tomatos as the best tomatos in the world. I fell in love with the Husky pink about ten years ago, then in the last few years, it has been the Pink Girl. Well, I for the last couple years have heard about a tomato called “Cherokee Purple” a few years ago, only a handfull of growers were growing this variety. Well,. this year the place in KC where I get my plants were out of the pink and I saw the Purple’s. So I bought three plants.

Well, they must be good, as every critter that might eat or try to eat a tomato plant has had a try at it. I picked off twenty green Tomato horn worms in just three days sitting and looking. The plants are very healthy and growing vigerously especially for here in eastern kansas. We have had the most mild July ever I believe, but August is making up for it. I hope the heat helps rippen some more, we are just dieing to eat some more. OH to the one guy crying for them to get red and ripen, you better take a look at them, when they look blackish, they are ready, Red does not play a big part in the indication of ripeness.

I finally did have two ripen the other day, and let me just say here and now, THis Is the absolutely the most fabulous, full flavored, delicious, eating tomato This world has ever seen. And so here and now I appologize to all the guys the last ten years I have argued about the pinks being the best, I was wrong. So if you start to think tomato plants next year, Do yourself a favor and find some plants of seeds and give this Cherokee Purple try, you will not be disappointed.

Kevin

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by Earl

Earl — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:54:35 +0000

@Steve Hall Steve, glad to see that you are growing this awesome tomato in large quantities. Sorry, I do not know of a grower's guide specifically for this tomato.

Comment on 2009 Growing Notes by Steve Hall

Steve Hall — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 01:10:53 +0000

I am a small commercial vegetabel grower in Central Fla. I raised 30 plants this spring. They did very well until the heat and humidty came. Everyone I gave these to just raved about them. I want to plant a 1/2 acre this fall and wondered if you had a growers guide for them?