When is a Cherokee Purple ready to eat?

JaxRmrJmr · May 9, 2016

This is my first year growing any "blacks". How do I know when it's ripe? I have read that the shoulders will still have some green while the bottom will be the dark purple/rosey color. Is this a pretty good assessment and judge of when it is ready to eat?

kath · May 10, 2016

Your description is a good indicator of their ripeness but I also like to squeeze them lightly to make sure they've softened up a bit- not too much, though, because their shelf life doesn't seem to be as long as some.

**carolyn137** · May 10, 2016

Here are some pictures of Cherokee Purple to look at:

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Cherokee_Purple

Colors vary due to photography, but it's not a so called black since it has a clear epidermis.If it were a black it would have a yellow epidermis and be much darker.

Carolyn

weaselbean · May 10, 2016

Don't let them get purple all over or they'll be too ripe. Pick as soon as they have a little give when you squeeze em. The tops will still be somewhat green and ive found they don't have a very long shelf life. Eat um quick...

JaxRmrJmr · May 10, 2016

very good! Thanks for the help.

maxjohnson · May 10, 2016

Not me, I prefer to eat them when they are very ripe. I pick them when they still have green in the shoulder, but I let it ripen inside until the bottom is darker in color.

Fred Hempel · May 10, 2016

Once they start feeling soft to the touch, try them at various stages of ripeness. So you can find the stage that you like best.

Gardeneer · May 10, 2016

I'll go by feeling softness also.
To my experience dark tomatoes have a short shelf life. Picking them early is better than late.
Actually I pick them at colo break and let them sit on the counter for a fw days. This way I beat the birds, squirrels, rats ,...

Mike723 · May 13, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I'll go by feeling softness also.
To my experience dark tomatoes have a short shelf life. Picking them early is better than late.
Actually I pick them at colo break and let them sit on the counter for a fw days. This way I beat the birds, squirrels, rats ,...

Sorry to get off topic slightly, but I have the exact same scale, works great! haha

Gardeneer · May 30, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike723

Sorry to get off topic slightly, but I have the exact same scale, works great! haha

Mike, we have the same brand of scale but I have never grown a tomato that big.

I like my scale. You can measure in Grams too. That is more accurate than in lb/oz.

oakley · May 10, 2016

I pick all my tomatoes pink/blush and like them to ripen on my 'tomato shelf' in the kitchen where i can watch them. (out of direct sunlight).

I prefer them firm over semi-soft vine ripened. I get plenty in the vine-ripened category by missing a few or can't get to the garden for a few days because of work. A heavy thunderstorm causing splits, a pesky critter might take a bite...ripe fruit attracts the entire forest of thirsty beasts and they don't forget.

SunGold is about the only one so far that i don't mind juicy from the garden. Being so prolific i can't keep up with the harvesting.

In the link above, some of the pictures do not have the same characteristics as mine. All my seeds are from TGSupply, CPurple and CChocolate.

Anthony_Toronto · May 10, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by oakley

I pick all my tomatoes pink/blush and like them to ripen on my 'tomato shelf' in the kitchen where i can watch them. (out of direct sunlight).

I prefer them firm over semi-soft vine ripened. I get plenty in the vine-ripened category by missing a few or can't get to the garden for a few days because of work. A heavy thunderstorm causing splits, a pesky critter might take a bite...ripe fruit attracts the entire forest of thirsty beasts and they don't forget.

Same here...split, nibbled, water-infused and mealy, moldy, or sunburned are not good fates for my precious heirlooms!

As for the original question, I just go by feel and smell, and of course experience...some varieties are firmer when ripe, others less so.

JaxRmrJmr · May 11, 2016

Great info. Thanks all!

JaxRmrJmr · May 30, 2016

My wife has usually liked more acidic, tangy tomatoes, however, today we made BLT's from a very ripe CP and she loved it. Without me even saying anything she said, "Man, there is a big difference between the types of tomatoes." She said that she thinks she likes the CP better for BLT's, but the Brandywine for the caprese salad.

After eating a few, I think I like them more on the ripe side. They are not sweet or tangy. Pretty much right in the middle with a "just tomato" flavor.

May 9, 2016	#1
JaxRmrJmr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Jax, FL - 9A Posts: 172	When is a Cherokee Purple ready to eat? This is my first year growing any "blacks". How do I know when it's ripe? I have read that the shoulders will still have some green while the bottom will be the dark purple/rosey color. Is this a pretty good assessment and judge of when it is ready to eat?

May 10, 2016	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Here are some pictures of Cherokee Purple to look at: http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Cherokee_Purple Colors vary due to photography, but it's not a so called black since it has a clear epidermis.If it were a black it would have a yellow epidermis and be much darker. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

May 10, 2016	#2
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Your description is a good indicator of their ripeness but I also like to squeeze them lightly to make sure they've softened up a bit- not too much, though, because their shelf life doesn't seem to be as long as some.

May 10, 2016	#4
weaselbean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: nc Posts: 57	Don't let them get purple all over or they'll be too ripe. Pick as soon as they have a little give when you squeeze em. The tops will still be somewhat green and ive found they don't have a very long shelf life. Eat um quick...

May 10, 2016	#6
maxjohnson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: OH 6a Posts: 592	Not me, I prefer to eat them when they are very ripe. I pick them when they still have green in the shoulder, but I let it ripen inside until the bottom is darker in color.

May 10, 2016	#7
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Once they start feeling soft to the touch, try them at various stages of ripeness. So you can find the stage that you like best.

May 10, 2016	#11
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	I pick all my tomatoes pink/blush and like them to ripen on my 'tomato shelf' in the kitchen where i can watch them. (out of direct sunlight). I prefer them firm over semi-soft vine ripened. I get plenty in the vine-ripened category by missing a few or can't get to the garden for a few days because of work. A heavy thunderstorm causing splits, a pesky critter might take a bite...ripe fruit attracts the entire forest of thirsty beasts and they don't forget. SunGold is about the only one so far that i don't mind juicy from the garden. Being so prolific i can't keep up with the harvesting. In the link above, some of the pictures do not have the same characteristics as mine. All my seeds are from TGSupply, CPurple and CChocolate.

May 11, 2016	#13
JaxRmrJmr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Jax, FL - 9A Posts: 172	Great info. Thanks all!

May 30, 2016	#14
JaxRmrJmr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Jax, FL - 9A Posts: 172	My wife has usually liked more acidic, tangy tomatoes, however, today we made BLT's from a very ripe CP and she loved it. Without me even saying anything she said, "Man, there is a big difference between the types of tomatoes." She said that she thinks she likes the CP better for BLT's, but the Brandywine for the caprese salad. After eating a few, I think I like them more on the ripe side. They are not sweet or tangy. Pretty much right in the middle with a "just tomato" flavor.