Yep, Cherokee Purple is a favorite of mine, that is for sure! You get decent yield, great flavor, good disease resistance (in my garden anyhow) and they are Open Pollinated, which is great if you save your own seeds. When I give CPs out to my friends, they are always impressed with the color and flavor.....another bonus ;)

I intend on continuing to grow them every year!

If you like CP but would like greater production try Cherokee Chocolate. I've grown both side by side and I like them both but would give the CC a higher rating.

well done sprtsguy! well done! Have just 1 little quest..
Do my eyes decieve me or is that a multi-stack cage set up thar? Looks like it will hold a vertical Pumkin set-up...anyhoo..Good Gardenen to Ya!

Sweet! Does me good to see lush, healthy plants shows it can be done and you're doing it nicely. Beautiful neatly kept garden too :)

JWR6404: That is a great tip. I have read other threads where CP-Chocolate is highly recommended. I will probably try that next season.

Thanks.....

If you like CP but would like greater production try Cherokee Chocolate

*****

Hmmmmm, LOL

What that means is that my best long time tomato buddy is Craig LeHoullier who received the seeds for Cherokee Purple from John Green of TN and it was Craig who named it CP.

So I've grown CP since the get go.

The epidermis mutation that led to the skin going from clear to yellow is what caused Cherokee Chocolate to arrive with its darker mahogany color.

Again, I've grown that one from the get go as well/

All to say that I've nver seen any difference with respect to yield between CP and CC and have grown both many times.
Just my own personal experience.

There's another variety called Indian Stripe which is basically a CP find from Arkansas and for me that does have a higher yield than either CP or CC. Fruits are somewhat smaller and lighter in color than CP but essentially it's an excellent example of a variety developing over time in an isolated situation.

Carolyn

hey sprtsguy? what about those cages?

The cages are your normal large tomato cage with some rolled 3 foot meduim gauge fencing tucked and tied down inside at the top of the cage, nothin special. :)

Thanks! it looks awsome!
You know what youre doing and Good Gardenen to Ya!

Sprtsguy,

Good set-up. It looks like you have your plants well protected from ET with that reflective foil! ;) ;)

Carolyn
I defer to your experience reference the CP vs CC. My only experience came from last year. My 2 plants(1 ea) were planted next to each other in identical pots,soil and using the same fertilizer. The only difference was where the plants originated, the Chocolate came from Laurels and the Purple came from a local nursery. The difference in productivity was significant. The Chocolate produced much earlier and much more fruit as well. I realize one season isn't a validation test and will try both again next year. Do to circumstances I only planted two large tomatoes in May,Brandywine and Rose, and two Cherries which are Sungold and Sun Sugar. This month I received a Neves Azorean Red which is doing OK though I don't expect much do to our short and much cooler than usual season.

Anyone willing to share any of the Cherokee type seeds? I would love to try growing these! They look and sound beautiful! I want to try most all heirloom varieties next year and these are on my list!

Kelley

Can I ask why the aluminum foil on the containers? Just trying to figure out if they would be beneficial for my toms.

The more I read about CP the better they sound so I've included them on next years list after seeing your beautiful plants wish I had them this year.

gobig_or_gohome_toms, I've sometimes read that aluminum foil is used for a pest deterrent but the way sprtsguy76 has it wrapped around the pots I think maybe it's to reflect heat away from the pots to prevent the roots of his plants from baking in the sun especially in Calif where he is located.

Hmmm I wonder if that would work on my deck that gets close to 100 during the summer and I have never had very good luck with tomatoes. Always get great looking plants but the tomatoes always get BER.

Well here is what has happened since my last post to my CP's. This will be a staple in my garden from now on. I cant believe how alive and healthy these CP's are and how many fruit I'm getting. I counted 21 fruit on one vine!

Looks FANTASTIC!
This is my first year trying CP and can't wait ... drives ya crazy eh?
I do have one turning but it is a small one ... still watching like a hawk though ;)

I don't have any ripe yet this year but the two in the foreground on each side in and one at the back that looks like it has a crooked smile are Cherokee Purples. They are really pretty inside and have become my Wife's favorite along with my elderly neighbor Tom's favorite. As old, and hard headed as he is, I was surprised to hear that from him. It has a bit of a sweet after taste that they like better than I do, so it has not become my favorite.

I think that they are very good, and that you are in for a treat if you have not grown them before.
Bill P.

Bill,

I'm growing CP for the first time this year and I notice many of my fruits have a similar crooked smile. I'd like to guess that they're from the interesting double-blooms. Have you noticed any taste difference between these and the fruits without growing on the same plant?

Thanks,
P

Bill,

Actually I have not had a taste yet, but hopefully soon. Started a little late.

At the beginning of the season I had a CP start I bought from Lowes (I know bad). The foilage was a dark green that looked almost purple. Anyway I was attempting to transplant it when the stem broke clean off at the soil line. The darn thing was so leggy and top heavy that the weight of it snapped the stem. I though ok I'll just exchange it for a new one. Wrong. When I get to Lowes all of the CP were gone except for a few almost dead ones. So I settled on a Roma and Early Girl. So, like Kelleyville asked earlier anyone with CP or CC seeds willing to share with a new gardener would be appreciated.

earthworm I see no email link on your page. Let me know if you still want seeds. BTW, next time you have a tomato break like that, strip off the lower leaves and stick it in dirt. Keep it watered, and chances are it will root just fine.

catmad thanks for the seeds and advice and here is my email lwinslow73@comcast.net

How are things down in South Kakalaka? I sure do miss those warm southern nights.

Well here is one of those bad boys sliced up. I really enjoyed it!

Great lookin mater, man. Since I started growing them in my garden, the C.P. has become my Wife's favorite and also the favorite of my cantankerous 84 year old gardening buddy over the back fence. Some say pick them slightly green while they are still firm.

are a couple of .

I also bought plants form Darrel of Selected Plants for three Cherokee Purple X Brandywine crosses. Two of them have the C.P. coloration like this and and one named Liz Birt. Another one named Dora takes after it's Brandywine parent as far as coloration goes and is Pink.
Bill P.