Cherokee Purple TomatoBefore 1890, it is believed that the Native Americans were growing the brick red colored Cherokee Purple tomato in Tennessee, which is named after the local tribe. The delicious fruits are ready for harvest in around 82 days and have a smoky, sweet taste. Heirloom tomatoes like the Cherokee Purple tomato are available in many tasty varieties. The fruit is a dark purplish pink color and frequently has green shoulders. Soil Pick a location for the indeterminate plants that will receive full sun or full morning sunlight and less than 3 hours of afternoon shade. The soil should be moderately fertile clay or sandy loam with good drainage and a pH of 6.0-6.8. Space staked tomatoes: 1 ½ -2 feet apart. Spacing for unstaked, uncaged tomatoes is 3-4 feet apart. Caged plants should be spaced 2 feet in diameter with cages separated by 4 feet. Tomatoes grow best in temperatures between 75 and 90 degrees. Fertilizer Work in plenty of compost into the soil before planting to add organic matter. Tomato plants need a moderate portion of phosphorous and nitrogen. Mid-range to high levels of calcium and potassium are required for growing the tastiest tomatoes.
Watering Keep soil moist but not soggy. Do not allow it to dry out. When watering, avoid wetting leaves to aid in the prevention of plant diseases. Planting Even though they do not usually produce more tomatoes than modern plants, heirloom vines can grow quite large. Keep their size in mind if your gardening space is limited. In warm climates: plant 2 plants per household member. In cool climates: 4 plants per person. Depending on your location, tomatoes can be planted in early spring as soon as the ground can be worked and all threat of frost has passed. Tomatoes do well in raised beds with drip irrigation and mulch. Black plastic is good mulch in cool regions because it warms the soil as well as conserves moisture and suppresses weeds. Organic mulches aid the plants by keeping the soil temperature cooler in hot locations. Harvest The Cherokee Purple tomato does not store well due to its thin skin and soft texture. It is generally 75-80 days to harvest from transplant. The plants are very reliable and typically produce large sized fruits. Pests One of the garden pests that plague Cherokee Purple tomato crops are russet mites. Adults are nearly invisible, pale yellow or tan, with 2 pairs of legs at the head end. Mites burrow from underside leaves into leaf tissue of tomatoes. Infested plants have a rusty appearance. To control: Spray foliage with sulfur fungicide. Plant Diseases Admittedly, the Cherokee Purple tomato and other heirlooms can have some problems with plant diseases. Many of these old types lack the disease resistance that has been developed in newer kinds. Plant diseases such as fusarium wilt can attack and kill the vines. To help prevent outbreaks, plant your crops in a different location each year. Weather extremes and nutrient imbalances can cause disease-like damage such as blossom end rot on tomatoes. Cherokee Purple Tomato When planning your vegetable garden, look for old-fashioned colors such as rosy pink, orange, yellow, and brownish purple. You can cultivate striped tomatoes, fig-shaped ones, midget sized fruits, or beefy monsters. There are tomatoes with ribbed or smooth skins, those that need two hands to harvest, and tiny sizes to pop right into your mouth. Old-timey varieties like the Cherokee Purple tomato bring lots of flavor as well as color to the dinner table. Go to Tomato-gardening-tips from Cherokee Purple Tomato |
