Substitute for Cherokee Purple

[CLa]

So for the potato leaf, the flavor is... the same?

[Tomstrees]

CLa -

Its amazing - right up there with the RL - I "have" to plant both !!!

~ Tom

[natural]

Tom,

That $5 bill represents the price that you would pay for that tomato in a Whole Foods Grocery.

Bill

[Tomstrees]

Bill -

You aren't kidding!

We picked up an "heirloom mix" from Whole Foods a while back -
we were "jonesing" for a "real" tomato and couldn't wait -
def. pricey, but def. tastey compared to the other
"cardboard beefsteaks" at Pathmark.

One of the ones that stood out was green zebra.

~ Tom

[carolyn137]

Actually, as Tom knows, there are two Cherokee Purple Potato Leaf varieties and both seem to have appeared at roughly the same time.

One is the Spudakee Tom is referring to and I don't know the origin of Bill Malin's Spudakee and the other one which is more well known is one that is called Cherokee Purple Potato Leaf and was found by Jere Gettle of BNaker Creek in gardens there.

Folks who have grown Gettles PL version as well as the normal RL version seem to be divided on whether the two taste the same.

A change in leaf form can occur by mutation but that mutation may affect more than just the one gene involved and so possibly change other traits as well.

Both Spudakee and Gettle's version should be grown the same year in the same place with the same techniques and compared with RL CP grown at the same time to see if there really are any differences.

Taste is an individual perception and also has a genetic association with an individual so not all persons taste the same tastes.

Tom, I'm glad you did compare Spudakee with the RL version and in your case they were the same except for leaf form.

Now that Bill Jeffers has listed Spudakee in the SSE YEarbook perhaps more SSE members will be able to try it and see what they think of it. And he does credit you for sending him the seed.

The other one, Cherokee Purple Potato Leaf, has been listed in the SSE YEarbooks for quite a few years as available to SSE members. Off hand, without searching, I don't know if it's available commercially.

[cdntomato]

That's the one I have. I'll trade you, Tom, if you want. Am growing 9 plants each of the RL Cherokee Purple and Cherokee Purple PL in each of 3 plots. Will provide feedback on results from my end.

Jennifer

[Tomstrees]

I would be 100% interested if your seed source wasn't Bill Malins line!
I'd like to compare "Spudakee" to the "other line".

Quick question: who did you get your seeds from?


Regardless of the source, I'd like to compare pics with you later in the season.

~ Tom

ps. can you tell which of these CP tomatoes are the RL & PL ?
(pay no mind to the monster in the middle it was a faux Box Car Willie). I honestly don't remember which is which, but just wanted to show everyone the resemblance.

[cdntomato]

Tom, my source not Bill and not from Bill to them. Will keep you posted on results.

Jennifer, not willing to guess, just willing to sample taste.....

Oh, Ray from Oz is coming to visit this year so will get him along with another Canuck or 2 to do a taste test comparison.

[CLa]

Sounds great Tom, your welcome to send me seed by the way, just when you have some available.

[CLa]

Cherokee RL just doesn't seem to work for me here. Maybe I have not had a good seed. My C-Tex is looking good though!

[Tomstrees]

CLa -

Maybe a PL would do betta for you ???

Lemme know, Tom

[violet0996]

Originally Posted by duajones

I would like to hear from those in the South which black/purple variety is the most productive. Conditions here are different from many especially once you get south of San Antonio. A productive good tasting variety would be something I would grow every year. CP hasnt been that productive for me but this year may be different. I got around 20 fruit from my lone plant last year and since it tastes so good, I could live with that. Same taste quality and more productive would be fantastic.

Here in Austin my CP is usually one of the most productive plants I grow. Of the other black/purples I've tried - Black from Tula, Black Krim, Black Prince, Paul Robeson, and Purple Calabash - Black from Tula has always been the next most productive and Paul Robeson was the least productive although that might have been my fault for planting it in the shallow end of the garden. Purple Calabash was the nastiest tasting tomato I've grown and I don't plan on giving it another try.

Dawn

[tomatoaddict]

I haven't tried EVERY black/purple yet, but to date, my favorite isn't CP, it's Carbon. It's a great mater!!!!

[dice]

I don't know about adaptation to the Gulf Coast, but this
one sounds interesting:

http://t-garden.homeip.net/mwiki/index.php/Black_Early

(Probably SSE only, unless it turns up on someone's trade
list here.)

I came across it while looking up Cuban Black in Tania's
Tomatobase, wondering if cultivars with a Cuban heritage
might do well in your summer heat (although perhaps they
grow them as a fall/winter crop down there, or somewhere
up in the mountains).

Indian Stripe would be another possibility (said to have more
fruit per truss than CP, basically same flavor). It comes from
a climate that gets pretty hot (S. Central Arizona).

Vorlon would be one to try (did well for Grub
this year, too):

http://t-garden.homeip.net/mwiki/index.php/Vorlon

[feldon30]

Funny you mention Black Early, as I am growing one plant of it. It's not loading up nearly as fast as my 3 Paul Robeson and 3 JD's Special C-Tex plants are, but it's not doing too bad. The growth habit of the plant is rather odd. It's kind of going every direction but up. I may have to get some twine and start tying branches in an upward direction.

If Black Early does well and the flavor is good, I'll certainly save seeds and do a seed offer. Same thing for JD's Special C-Tex, and what is turning out to be the most productive pink beefsteak I've seen so far -- Gregori's Altai.