Many heirloom tomatoes are susceptible to cracking, wilts, and other tomato diseases.
The Cherokee purple stands out for its resistance and prolific production of fruit.
Tomatoes have a slightly smoky, sweet flavor and are slightly less acidic than other varieties.
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If you live with curious pets, you’ll want to restrict access to the tomato patch.
While the fruits are harmless, leaves and stems are toxic to animals.
This plant is tolerant of mild drought with fruit resistant to cracking.
This makes it a popular choice forseed-saversand tomato connoisseurs alike.
Light
All tomato plants need lots of bright, direct sunlight.
Six to eight hours during the growing season is sufficient.
A good cover of leafy growth is important for shielding the fruits from sunscald as they ripen.
A slightly acidic, well-draining soil amended with compost is ideal.
A balanced pH level of 6.5 to 7.5 is recommended.
Installing drip hoses is ideal for watering tomatoes.
Always water at the soil line since overhead watering can lead to disease issues.
Tomato plants do not do well if allowed to sit in water so avoid overwatering, too.
At 85F or higher, flowers drop and fruits fail to develop.
A relative humidity of 65% to 85% is best.
Extended periods of hot, moist conditions can lead to insect infestations andfungal disease.
There are a few basic guidelines to follow regarding the best NPK ratios.
Tomato plants generally have low nutritional needs starting out that increase as fruit production begins.
Use fertilizer with a low NPK ratio at the time of planting such as a 5-10-5.
One recommendation is to feed mid-season with an NPK ratio of 6-24-24.
Early pruning is done by pinching out suckersleafy new growth at the junction of two existing vines.
Pruning late in the season is done with aheading back pruning cuton the vines.
Remove non-productive vines and damaged stems and leaves throughout the season provided you leave enough shade for the fruits.
Use clean tools and make sharp decisive cuts to avoid stripping and peeling the stems.
Tip
Avoid leaving tomato prunings in the garden.
Remove and dispose of them.
They can spread disease when left in the garden or composted.
How to Propagate Cherokee Purple Tomatoes
you might grow tomatoes from cuttings or suckers.
Place the cutting in fresh water or soil.
Roots will develop in about a week.
Plant seeds indoors or in a greenhouse 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost.
You may need to water your potted tomato daily.
4-inch pots are usually sufficient to support growth until transplanting into the garden.
This makes them vulnerable to every tomato disease and insect infestation.
The most damaging pests are aphids, blister beetles, tomato and tobacco hornworms, and fall armyworms.
Tiny aphids can often be knocked down with a strong spray from the hose or insecticidal soap.
The best way to get rid of the large caterpillars devouring your plants is to handpick.
All tomatoes are vulnerable to numerous viral and bacterial infections.
The best way to avoid problems is to grow a healthy plant in good soil.
Tomato diseases overwinter in soil so crop rotation is highly recommended.
Avoid planting tomatoes where other nightshade plantspeppers, eggplant, and potatoeswere grown the previous year.
Blossom End Rot
A black sunken spot develops on the bottom of ripening fruits.
This is resulting from insufficient calcium uptake and is amplified by inconsistent watering and hot, dry weather.
Tomato vines grow quickly and an otherwise healthy plant can usually recover without intervention.
It’s not uncommon to see blossom end rot on the first early fruits disappear on newer developing fruit.
Remove affected fruit so energy isn’t spent on ripening a damaged tomato.
Blossom Drop and Poor Fruit Set
This is when flowers form but fall off before developing fruit.
The culprit is likely the weather, inconsistent watering, or a combination of both.
Pale Green or Yellowing Leaves,
Tomato leaves should be a deep green color.
Pale leaves with prominent veins are likely due to a lack of nutrients or poor nutrient uptake.
Test your soil before planting to learn what might be missing.
Like many other plants, bottom leaves will yellow and fall off during the growth cycle.
Sunscald on Fruit
Sunscald manifests as brown, scaly spots on fruit.
This is triggered by insufficient leaf cover which exposes the fruit to bright, direct sunlight.
If problems still arise you may need to consider applying additional synthetic or organic remedies.
Green shoulders are a natural feature of Cherokee purple tomatoes.
Check for ripeness by gently pressing the fruit with your thumb.
Yes, dark fleshed tomatoes can be found in both slicing and plum types.
Most similar to Cherokee purple are ‘Black from Tula’, ‘Black Krim’, and ‘Brandywine Black’.
Plum tomatoes include ‘Purple Russian’ and ‘Black Plum’.
Wait until your plants are 6 to 8 inches tall and be sure toharden them offbefore transplanting.
Growing Home Garden Tomatoes.
University of Missouri Extension Office.
Tomato Insects and Pests.Clemson University Extension Office.
