Suggested heirlooms to grow with Cherokee Purple?

northraleighboy · April 14, 2011

I'm growing heirlooms in containers again this year and will hopefully have better luck than last year. (I remember pulling out the German Johnson and Brandywine plants out of their containers last fall and the entire root ball and soil plug came out looking and feeling like one big compacted mass - I will be using pine bark fines and Perlite this year needless to say.)

Anyway, I was hoping for a couple of suggestions this summer for 3 or 4 heirloom varieties I could try. I've already gotten a Cherokee Purple seedling. I'd like to get one or two more indeterminate beefsteak tomatoes (Is Kellogg's Breakfast good?) to compliment or contrast specifically with the Cherokee Purple. Also, can someone recommend a bright-tasting cherry tomato? Maybe gold/yellow for color?

Fortunately I live in Raleigh and will go to the farmer's market this weekend so hopefully I will be able to choose from nctomatoman's available seedling selections!

Thanks.

OneoftheEarls · April 14, 2011

KBX over Kellogg's Breakfast.

Ashleigh, German Johnson, Red Barn

Cherry-yellow
Galina's, Yellow Submarine, Yellow Perfection, Sweet Beverley.

tam91 · April 14, 2011

Pineapple is good too, but very different tasting (almost fruity).

Sungold is a wonderful cherry, it's more orange than yellow though. Black Cherry is another favorite of mine.

For a red heirloom, I found Red Brandywine (regular leaf) very good. You could also consider one of the pink beefsteaks.

b54red · April 14, 2011

You might want to consider Eva Purple Ball or Druzba since the plants don't get huge and they are both very good tasting tomatoes. I would also recommend Indian Stripe but since you already have CP you might want something that is more contrasting.
I love KBX but it makes a really huge plant. I grew Orange Heirloom in a container in the fall and winter and it tasted very good and the plant was more manageable. Sungold is just amazing and the sweetest tomato I have ever tasted and very prolific. I'm growing a Grubs Mystery Green again in a container this year because I can't seem to get one to live through the fusarium in my garden but it is an amazing tasting GWR and the plant size is compact.

northraleighboy · April 16, 2011

Thanks for the ideas! I went to the farmer's market this morning in Raleigh and snagged a few plants from Craig. I got KBX, Aker's West Virginia, and Sungold. If I can grow all these correctly (and the Cherokee Purple) I should have some good color and flavors coming in the summer...

April 14, 2011	#1
northraleighboy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 12	Suggested heirlooms to grow with Cherokee Purple? I'm growing heirlooms in containers again this year and will hopefully have better luck than last year. (I remember pulling out the German Johnson and Brandywine plants out of their containers last fall and the entire root ball and soil plug came out looking and feeling like one big compacted mass - I will be using pine bark fines and Perlite this year needless to say.) Anyway, I was hoping for a couple of suggestions this summer for 3 or 4 heirloom varieties I could try. I've already gotten a Cherokee Purple seedling. I'd like to get one or two more indeterminate beefsteak tomatoes (Is Kellogg's Breakfast good?) to compliment or contrast specifically with the Cherokee Purple. Also, can someone recommend a bright-tasting cherry tomato? Maybe gold/yellow for color? Fortunately I live in Raleigh and will go to the farmer's market this weekend so hopefully I will be able to choose from nctomatoman's available seedling selections! Thanks.

April 14, 2011	#2
OneoftheEarls Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 660	KBX over Kellogg's Breakfast. Ashleigh, German Johnson, Red Barn Cherry-yellow Galina's, Yellow Submarine, Yellow Perfection, Sweet Beverley.

April 14, 2011	#3
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Pineapple is good too, but very different tasting (almost fruity). Sungold is a wonderful cherry, it's more orange than yellow though. Black Cherry is another favorite of mine. For a red heirloom, I found Red Brandywine (regular leaf) very good. You could also consider one of the pink beefsteaks.

April 14, 2011	#4
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	You might want to consider Eva Purple Ball or Druzba since the plants don't get huge and they are both very good tasting tomatoes. I would also recommend Indian Stripe but since you already have CP you might want something that is more contrasting. I love KBX but it makes a really huge plant. I grew Orange Heirloom in a container in the fall and winter and it tasted very good and the plant was more manageable. Sungold is just amazing and the sweetest tomato I have ever tasted and very prolific. I'm growing a Grubs Mystery Green again in a container this year because I can't seem to get one to live through the fusarium in my garden but it is an amazing tasting GWR and the plant size is compact.

April 16, 2011	#5
northraleighboy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 12	Thanks for the ideas! I went to the farmer's market this morning in Raleigh and snagged a few plants from Craig. I got KBX, Aker's West Virginia, and Sungold. If I can grow all these correctly (and the Cherokee Purple) I should have some good color and flavors coming in the summer...