Whitwam Organics
Tomato- Cherokee Purple (Indeterminate)(Heirloom)
Tomato- Cherokee Purple (Indeterminate)(Heirloom)
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Pre-orders for Spring Tomato Plants (available Nov–May).
You must select a Ship Date when ordering. After choosing Plants/Seeds and Size, choose your Ship Date from the dropdown.
“Ships ASAP” means we have plants ready now and they will ship immediately.
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Tomato- Cherokee Purple Heirloom
Solanum lycopersicum
Allegedly, the seeds came from Cherokee gardeners who grew this big dark purple heirloom tomato for 100 plus years. It's been compared to Brandywine, with its full, rich taste often described as a balance of sweet, acid, and savory. Most will agree that Cherokee Purple is the clear winner when it comes to flavor. When these 8-16oz "ugly" fruit are diced or sliced, the flesh colors range from purplish, to greens and browns, with some dark pink. Wide, long vines grow quickly, so this indeterminate tomato needs lots of staking on a large trellis. Cherokee Purple tomatoes, like a lot of older heirlooms, produce more flowers on their secondary and tertiary branches, so keep the trimming of the "suckers" to a minimum. If you need to thin out leaves, not branches. More branching means more tomatoes, however, if your leaves become a clustered mess, it can lead to disease. Therefore give them the space and trellis they need. This tomato will continue to fruit with night time lows in the lower 70's.
|
Days to germination |
3-10 days |
|
Days to maturity |
80-90 days |
|
Life cycle |
Annual |
|
Plant time |
Mid-July to the end of August AND Jan to mid-Feb |
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Spacing |
36 inches |
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Sun |
Full sun ( direct sunlight) |
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Soil temperature |
45-75 F |
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Optimum soil P.H |
6.2 -6.8 |
|
Height |
4-6 feet |
|
Harvest |
October to Frost and March to Mothers Day/Fathers Day-ish |
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Over 800 5-Star Google Reviews
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★★★★★
“All items arrived quickly and well packaged. I usually expect to have one or two live items out of a batch, but they are all thriving. I couldn’t be happier!”
David L.August 2026 -
★★★★★
“My live plants were packed like they belonged in Ft Knox. 😂 They really were packed beautifully. Only one plant, a bee balm, is questionable but signs that it will recover are happening. All in all I am thrilled with my plants and seeds. Some of my coreopsis have already sprouted!”
Jacquie R.September 2026 -
★★★★★
“Plants were ready quick at a good price with great packaging. Very happy with my purchase.”
Will B.May 2026 -
★★★★★
“I’ve ordered seeds from Whitwam Organics 3 or 4 times now. I love the simple packaging, clear planting guidelines, and variety they offer. Great germination rates!! The bare root plants I’ve ordered have come healthy, so healthy that the wild rabbits always approve of my menu upgrades! 😂🐰”
Chanda B.August 2026