Tomato - Cherokee Purple

[Tucson Grower]

So, last night I sowed some seed of this variety. It's my first time with this tomato.

[amyinowasso]

It will knock your socks off. Give it a lot of room.

[Tucson Grower]

Thanks amy, will do.

[chrysanthemum]

This one I’ve heard of many times but have never grown. I hope it does well for you.

[hmoosek]

It’s one of my favorites. Very dependable.

[amyinowasso]

Cherokee Purple is grown by a lot of people in Oklahoma. I have grown it. It tastes fantastic and if I had the room, I would grow it every year. But, it's not as productive as I would like. It makes big tomatoes, a plus for some people, not so much for me. The "marriage" hybrid of Cherokee purple and Carbon is currently my favorite tomato. The vigor of a hybrid and the taste of 2 great purple tomatoes. Indian Stripe is a much like it, but the tomatoes are slightly smaller and it grows on a more compact plant. It is on my "every year list". Vorlon is another good "dark" tomato, that Baker Creek" no longer offers (?!). Gary 'O Sena is another purple that often makes big tomatoes. J.D.'s Special C-Tex is another. They are all more productive than Cherokee Purple and, from my memory require less space. They all grow well in Oklahoma (heat). I had a friend who always grew brandywine sudduth in her garden on the Texas/Oklahoma border, on the chance that it would give her one or two tomatoes. She grew it for the taste, but it hates our climate. I grow the ones she said did well here. (All of the above!)

[macmex]

Amy, are you referring to Okiedawn? (Sure miss her)

I'm one of those rare people who don't much care for the taste of Cherokee Purple. This is why it's so great that there are so many varieties out there.

[FrostyTurnip]

Tucs, you may already know this.  Indeed, you’re more diligent in plant genetics than I.  

I remember Dawn writing that the Gary O Sena are earlier.  And it was either her or my further reading where I learned some of these crosses are from purple tomatoes whose origins are from some place cold, like Russia or U crane. These genetics are what causes them to be early (or late producers).   It might mean they are  not as heat tolerant, but I can think of some others that are not heat tolerant and they’re not Russian born or originating from other short season varieties developed in cool climates.  


As you may already surmise, the popularity of Cherokee Purple indicates its suitability for a wide variety of climates with proper culture during the growth stage.  Your clime might put all this to task.  Curious stuff. 


I have grown it with success.  I graduated to darker tomatoes.  


Have you grown purple tomatoes in your environment before?  

[woodeye]

Feb 11, 2023 10:51:38 GMT -6 amyinowasso said:

Cherokee Purple is grown by a lot of people in Oklahoma. I have grown it. It tastes fantastic and if I had the room, I would grow it every year. But, it's not as productive as I would like. It makes big tomatoes, a plus for some people, not so much for me. The "marriage" hybrid of Cherokee purple and Carbon is currently my favorite tomato. The vigor of a hybrid and the taste of 2 great purple tomatoes. Indian Stripe is a much like it, but the tomatoes are slightly smaller and it grows on a more compact plant. It is on my "every year list". Vorlon is another good "dark" tomato, that Baker Creek" no longer offers (?!). Gary 'O Sena is another purple that often makes big tomatoes. J.D.'s Special C-Tex is another. They are all more productive than Cherokee Purple and, from my memory require less space. They all grow well in Oklahoma (heat). I had a friend who always grew brandywine sudduth in her garden on the Texas/Oklahoma border, on the chance that it would give her one or two tomatoes. She grew it for the taste, but it hates our climate. I grow the ones she said did well here. (All of the above!)

Agreed. I do like the taste of Cherokee Purple, but the lack of production is the problem. I've grown Indian Stripe, Black Krim, and a few others that look sort of similar, but none of them beats Cherokee Carbon in my garden. I've grown Cherokee Carbon several times, good production and it tastes wonderful. I'd pay $5 for one Cherokee Carbon tomato right now, and I'm not even hungry..

[hmoosek]

I’ve never grown Cherokee Carbon. I’ll have to research it!

JD Special C Tex didn’t do well for me, but I only grew it a time or 2 and the women folk told me I’d better grow CP next time. Last year, I didn’t grow it and I’m not growing it this year. Women folk may get upset since all I’ve started is Porter.

Long years ago, I was given Purple Haze as an F3. I’ve grown it so many times I forget what F it’s at. I don’t even remember what they were selecting for. In my garden, I just keep the best looking one’s whether they be big or small.

[amyinowasso]

Yes, Dawn recommended all those purple tomatoes. Are you a red tomato purist George? The only trouble with Cherokee Carbon is that it's sold as an F1. Have you saved seeds from it? Wonder what F2 would be like? I might just save seeds this year.

[heavyhitterokra]

One of the things I miss most about losing my sense of taste and smell is not being able to taste a tomato. No matter what I eat, it tastes like chalkdust. I can't even smell or taste garlic. On a brighter note, I also can't smell skunks, or dead animals, or hog pens, or feed lots, or dog poop, so it's not all bad. But I sure do miss tomatoes.

[woodeye]

amyinowasso, no I haven't saved any of the Cherokee Carbon seeds, but it would make an interesting project to do that and see what happens. I forgot to mention that I have grown Carbon tomatoes too, but the year I grew them they didn't produce much really. 

heavyhitterokra, that is very true, I would definitely miss being able to taste a tomato. This morning I was driving back from Chandler and saw a dead critter in the road ahead, actually thought it was a red squirrel that had been flattened. When I got a bit closer though, I found out that my nose knows better, it was a skunk, not a squirrel... 

[hmoosek]

Feb 12, 2023 19:10:42 GMT -6 woodeye said:

This morning I was driving back from Chandler and saw a dead critter in the road ahead, actually thought it was a red squirrel that had been flattened. When I got a bit closer though, I found out that my nose knows better, it was a skunk, not a squirrel... 

It’s a good thing you didn’t stop and play Sail critter? You ever play sail critter? You know when the road kill has been hit so many times they become flat and dry. Then you can pick them up and sail them like a frisbee. Hahahaaa 

[woodeye]

Sounds like fun, but I agree that a prudent selection of the flat critter would be of utmost importance.