Cherokee Purple Tempermental

[Godlike]

Hi, My one Cherokee purple plant is now three months old and it has one tomato down low. The plants has had numerous flowers over this three month period, but all have just dried up and fell off. I have fertalized the plant with E B Stone Tomato and vegetable food, E B Stone lime, and E B Stone Green Sand. The plant still has flowers but no tomatoes. It has been a cool spring and summer so far.
Any advice is appreaciated.

I may pull it out and plant a hybrid instead.

[Mojave]

I think it's our weather. Give it a little more time and see if things get better.

[Godlike]

Originally Posted by Mojave

I think it's our weather. Give it a little more time and see if things get better.

Hi, I am in San Rafael , thanks.

My other tomato plants are doing well. I did pull two early girls because of some kind of leaf blight. One had 50 tomatoes on it, but I freaked and did not want to infect the other plants.

I am spraying Seronade once a week.

[Dang Me]

I grew a Cherokee Purple two years ago that produced not one single tomato. Grew it in the same spot and it produced fairly well the next year. I believe CP is fairly slow to produce so you might want to give it some time. It also was perfectly green when all the other tomatoes had been done in by the heat which impressed my parents so they requested it again this year. So maybe it needs a little heat.

[ScottinAtlanta]

I wonder if it likes more humidity? I always have multiple fruit on mine here in Atlanta.

[Tracydr]

My Spudakee, which is very close to Cherokee Purple, are all loaded with large,green fruits. It looks like it will be my earliest of the larger varieties and also earlier than some of the smaller ones. I think it's very weather dependent.
I've used bone meal and weekly feedings of kelp/fish emulsion.

[b54red]

I grew both Spudakee and Cherokee Purple for years but finally threw in the hat with CP. CP is just to inconsistent while Spudakee is a very reliable tomato and there is no difference in the finished product so why not go with the more reliable one. Since I have cut down dramatically on the varieties I grow Spudakee is still a must grow while many others have been dropped.

Bill

[bughunter99]

CP is known for its taste, not its productivity.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by b54red

I grew both Spudakee and Cherokee Purple for years but finally threw in the hat with CP. CP is just to inconsistent while Spudakee is a very reliable tomato and there is no difference in the finished product so why not go with the more reliable one. Since I have cut down dramatically on the varieties I grow Spudakee is still a must grow while many others have been dropped.

Bill

Bill, CP and Spudakee have different origins as does Cherokee Purple Potato Leaf, and I've posted here before that the only way to make direct comparisons is to grow all in the same season. I know a few folks who have done that and their results don't aways agree, but then it makes a huge difference as to where grown, how grown, amendments used,the weather in any given season and other variables.

I do think that for some a reasonable alternative might be Indian Stripe, whch is a version, if you will, of CP.

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com/wiki...b=General_Info

Tania hasn't had time to update for 2015 for most varieties except where she herself is offering the variety for 2015 but you can see how many places listed it for 2014 which speaks to its popularity.

And no, I'm not suggsting it b'c I was the one who first got the seeds for it and spread it around. I'm suggsting it b'c many have moved from growing CP to IS.There's more I could say than Tania said in her description, but maybe not necessary here and now.

Carolyn

[b54red]

Carolyn, I always grow several Indian Stripes both regular and potato leaf and find it one of the most dependable and delicious varieties for our climate down here. It blows most other black tomatoes out of the water as far as production and dependability are concerned as well as being one of the best tasting. If I had to chose just one black tomato to grow it would be Indian Stripe.

Bill

[garden381]

Im in jacksonville florida,our weather in my location is very to extremly windy 6 day a week,in the 80's+ daytime,part to mostly sunny and rain is very heavy when it does rain.

I have my CP in a 5 gallon pot on my pool deck which is elevated 4 feet off the ground. CP just sticks out on my deck in the harsh weather.
It has a main stem about 5 inches long then it has 6 vines equally spaced,with of course the main stem which stops at 2 feet. all of the other vines or branches spread out 37 inches upward and outward.

I had a tomato ring setup but it outgrew that so i devised a bamboo 'rack' which i can expand upon by adding new cross supports to.
the plant at first had a tomato near the base but i removed that and was rewarded with another foot of growth and about 7 NICE tomatos, 1 of which i cut the other day and it was PERFECT.
Definately worthy of 'whole foods' produce.\i will post photos in my following link

[garden381]

Super easy link to resize photos for uploads (may 2015)http://www.resizemypicture.com/

[seaeagle]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

I wonder if it likes more humidity? I always have multiple fruit on mine here in Atlanta.

Scott, I think you are right.Cherokee Purple is a heavy producer on the very humid coast of Virginia.Cherokee Purple came from humid areas so it makes sense that it would be well adapted to humidity.

[bigpinks]

I have been growing CP for several yrs in southern Ohio and its easy to grow for me here. Bottom clusters often set 5 tomatoes. Some are a full pound but most are 8-12oz. I have had good luck with IS also. My CP are in a separate in ground garden that only gets about 6 hrs a day of sunlight. I have amended extremely poor soil in this little place with top soil and bagged manure from Wal-Mart and fertilize with granular 6-12-12 and occasional MG. I have 15 plants there this yr in a place approx. 15x7...3 rows of 5. They are about 16" and have some blooms and look pretty good. Maybe some pics later if I ever break down and get a camera and learn how to p;ost them. I have 52 plants on the other side of the house that are Estlers ML, Bear Claw, Hillbilly, Big Beef, Choc Cherry and Italian Ice. Plus cukes, squash, kohlrabi, half runner beans, sweet corn, peppers and egg plants. Big garden is close to 40' square and mostly clay soil. Tomatoes are staked with 5-6ft oak stakes from seed and feed store. I have built 3 20gal totes for suckers to start mid July and need 3 more to have 2 big pinks, 2 yellow/red and 2 CP. They are quasi 5-1-1 mix but I use some MG potting mix too. WE NEED SOME RAIN!

[seaeagle]

Originally Posted by Godlike

Hi, My one Cherokee purple plant is now three months old and it has one tomato down low. The plants has had numerous flowers over this three month period, but all have just dried up and fell off. I have fertalized the plant with E B Stone Tomato and vegetable food, E B Stone lime, and E B Stone Green Sand. The plant still has flowers but no tomatoes. It has been a cool spring and summer so far.
Any advice is appreaciated.

I may pull it out and plant a hybrid instead.

Godlike, could this be the problem?Found this on Farmer Fred's blog:

Flower drop and tomato fruit set failure can happen in May and June for a number of reasons, including night temperatures below 55; daytime temperatures above 90; excess nitrogen fertilizer, too much shade, too much smog, plants set out too early in spring, or planting the wrong variety for your area (Beefsteaks and San Francisco is not a match made in heaven).

San Rafael is near San Francisco I think.Do you grow any other beefsteaks?

http://farmerfredrant.blogspot.com/