With their dusky pink skins and multicolor interior, ‘Cherokee Purple’ tomatoes are dazzling on the vine and in the kitchen. This unique heirloom variety has a full-bodied flavor and dense, luscious texture, perfect for slicing. This is reason enough to plant and grow ‘Cherokee Purple’ tomatoes! The large globe-shaped fruits are almost as meaty as a ‘Beefsteak’ and have similarly small seed cavities, making for an exceptionally rich culinary experience. Plus, the stout vines grow rapidly! Heirloom tomatoes come from seeds that have been passed down for centuries. While ‘Cherokee Purple’ plants enjoy similar conditions to your favorite garden hybrids, they have a few unique requirements you’ll want to meet to maximize your yields. Let’s dig into everything you need to know about growing this flavorful tomato! History and Cultivation While the ‘Cherokee Purple’ tomato carries the name of the Cherokee tribal people and stories claim that they originated with that tribe, there has never been conclusive proof of their tribal origins – only a story passed along to the man who spearheaded their popularity. Heirloom tomato specialist Craig LeHoullier received a packet of seeds of this almost-black tomato in the mail. The sender stated the seeds had originally come from a tribal member. While the tribal origin was never proven, LeHoullier chose to keep the name to honor the statement made by its originator. The rich flavor revealed in test trials proved that this tomato was worthy of further development. In 1993, the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange was the first seed company to offer it as a limited edition seed packet. Ironically, the owner of SESE was quoted saying the tomato “tasted fine, but was kind of ugly – people may not like it.” But the plant took the gardening world by storm. Its uniquely brown, green, burgundy, and rose tones have captivated gardeners for decades since, warranting tremendous seed-saving efforts to maintain the heirloom flavor. It’s extremely popular and, regardless of its origins, its flavor makes it worth growing year after year! In recent years, Craig LeHoullier has expressed regret for naming the tomato after the tribe without confirming its origination. In 2022, he and other seed growers discussed the seed naming process at the Organic Seed Alliance’s annual seed conference, as many seeds carry tribal names whether or not they actually originated with those tribal groups. Is ‘Cherokee Purple’ An Heirloom Tomato? This plant is an heirloom, meaning its seeds have been saved and passed down through generations. After many years of regular open-pollination in cultivation, ‘Cherokee Purple’ seeds stay true to type when grown. This means collecting seeds from the fruits and replanting them next year will yield the same delicious fruits. The genetics of this variety have remained strong through hundreds of years of cultivation and sale. This rich, old-time tomato flavor and eye-catching ribbed shape set it apart from other heirlooms. The extra-large-sized fruits are almost as big as a ‘Beefsteak,’ ranging from 3-5 inches in diameter. What is ‘Cherokee Purple’ Tomato Best For? Known for their rich, classic tomato flavor and dark color, ‘Cherokee Purple’ tomatoes are ideal for fresh eating. The treasured, award-winning tomato has a balance of sweetness and slight smokiness. The vine-ripened fruits have dusky rose-blushed skin with green, purple, or brown streaking on the interior. The seed cavities are small and don’t have the watery texture of other heirlooms, making them perfect for a sandwich or burger without the risk of soggy bread. They are delicious in salads, caprese, and fresh salsas or sliced with a sprinkling of salt on top. Are ‘Cherokee Purple’ Tomatoes Hard to Grow? ‘Cherokee Purple’ is ideal for beginner tomato growers because the stout vines are easy to maintain and thrive without much fuss. If the plant has full sunlight and plenty of warm weather (over 60°F), these tomatoes will ripen to their dark, luscious color in less than three months! This old-fashioned heirloom is adapted to intensely hot summers of the Southeast and tolerates humidity fairly well. Propagation You can grow this treasured tomato from seed or a pre-purchased seedling. The most critical factor in a tomato’s early growth is light. Avoid leggy tomato starts by ensuring 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. Seed ‘Cherokee Purple’ tomato seeds are widely available and easy to plant. It’s best to start them indoors because spring weather is unpredictable in the garden. About 5-6 weeks before transplanting, prepare 6-packs, cell trays, or 4-inch pots. Fill them with a quality, well-drained seed starter mix. Avoid compacting the soil too firmly. Sow 1-2 seeds ¼” deep in each cell and lightly cover. Seeds should only be sown at a depth twice their largest dimension. Since tomato seeds are relatively flat and round, they wind up very close to the soil surface. Don’t bury them too deeply. Thoroughly water in the seeds and keep them consistently moist but never soggy. Use a fan-nozzle hose or wide watering can to distribute the water across the surface without dislodging the seeds. Use a soil thermometer probe to ensure the mix stays 75-85°F. For the best germination, add a seed heating mat beneath the trays. ‘Cherokee Purple’ germinates within 5-10 days. Grow the seedlings at a continuous 60-75°F ambient temperature. When plants have their first set of true leaves, thin to one seedling per cell. Fertilize with a diluted fish emulsion to encourage rapid establishment. Supplemental Lighting If you don’t have a south-facing window or greenhouse, you will probably need to grow lights to ensure vigorous, healthy plants. Suspend your grow lights close to the trays initially, or lift the trays until they are 6-8” below the light. As the tomatoes grow, slowly bring the light away from them. If they look spindly or like they are “reaching” upwards (long spaces of stem between new leaves), the light is too far away. Don’t Start Too Soon! Be careful not to start your tomatoes too soon. Rootbound, leggy, or flowering transplants have difficulty adjusting in the garden. You may miss out on early production if the plants undergo a shock period. ‘Cherokee Purple’ grows surprisingly fast, and you don’t want a bunch of overgrown seedlings waiting by the windowsill for the weather to warm. If you plan to plant 1-2 weeks after your last frost date, sow the seeds no sooner than three weeks before the last frost date. For most temperate gardeners, this window is around February or March in the south and April or May in the north. Seedling Starts If starting seeds indoors sounds like too much trouble, you can usually find ‘Cherokee Purple’ plants at most nurseries or garden stores. Purchasing tomato starts saves you the trouble of germination and indoor growing, but you still must harden off the plants (explained below) to prevent transplant shock. When choosing a tomato start, pay careful attention to: Leaf Color: The foliage should be vibrant green and free of yellowing or brown spots. Signs of Disease: If the plant has any halo spots, wilting, or shriveled dead leaves, leave it at the garden store! Root Binding: Remove the seedling from its pot and check to ensure the roots are not tangled or spiraling around the container. Height: A happy tomato seedling should have a height proportionate to its container. Leggy, spindly stems indicate that the young plant didn’t have enough light. Flowers or Fruit: Contrary to popular belief, you want to avoid buying a tomato seedling that is already flowering or fruiting. This is a sign of stress and may stunt early growth after transplanting. Pests: Check the undersides of leaves to be sure there are no aphids or hornworms that might get imported into your garden. Purchase your seedlings as close to your last frost date as possible. Generally, late-season tomato seedlings are rootbound, leggy, and sickly from being in a pot for too long. Planting Once nighttime temperatures are consistently above 45°F, you can safely plant tomatoes in the garden. This is usually 1-3 weeks after your last spring frost date. If your region tends to have unpredictable springs, it’s best to cover tomato seedlings with row fabric or a cold frame to protect them during the initial few weeks of establishment. How to Grow As one of the easiest-to-grow heirlooms, ‘Cherokee Purple’ is a resilient plant that won’t fuss. As long as you provide a sturdy trellis, warm temperatures, and consistent water, you’ll be delighted by how abundantly these tomatoes yield. Maintenance Pruning is not essential, but it is beneficial. Fortunately, these heirlooms don’t send out as many suckers (side shoots) as hybrid varieties. Still, the vines benefit from weekly pruning to signal them to channel their energy into more fruit production. Suckers are aptly named because they “suck” the energy away from the pain plant. In other words, they are the tomato’s attempt to produce more vines than fruit. Use sharp, sanitized pruners to remove suckers at the “elbows” where each stem connects with the central vine. Depending on your trellis system, you may want to prune each plant so it only has one or two “leader” vines and remove the rest. When the tips of vines are young, they are pliable enough to maneuver them where you want them to go easily. Use twine or plastic tomato trellis clips to weave them upward. If you trellis your plants a little bit every week, they easily become “trained” to grow up the trellis. However, if you wait until the stems are rigid and big, it can be challenging to trellis them without snapping or bending the vines.

Summer is the season of tomatoes! If you like cherry varieties, ‘Cherry Falls’ is the type for you. It’s quick-growing and fast to fruit, sprouting delicious, bite-sized fruit two months after planting. Give it the care it needs, and it’ll reward you with baskets full of cherry tomatoes. I used to think determinate tomato varieties were less ideal than indeterminate ones. Boy, was I wrong! Determinate tomatoes, though they develop all at once, are great for gardeners with short growing seasons. They also work well for home cooks who like to can or preserve their tomatoes. Unlike indeterminate pole tomatoes, bushy determinate ones flower and fruit all at once instead of throughout the growing season. There are hybrid varieties that produce fruit earlier than most other types. ‘Cherry Falls’ is one such variety. It grows a wealth of cherry-sized tomatoes before pole types sprout flowers! Whether you’re growing this kind for the first time or brushing up on how to care for it best, this guide has all the information you need to keep your crop happy, healthy, and productive. What Is It? ‘Cherry Falls’ is a hybrid tomato variety that grows clusters of grape-sized fruit. Though it’s determinate, you can prolong its growing season by harvesting consistently. Routine picking can encourage new growth that sprouts fruit after the first harvest. Native Area All of our current tomatoes originated from wild ancestors in South America. The ancient Inca Empire had farmers, gardeners, and growers who cultivated new varieties from wild specimens near Peru. These new types spread throughout the world through trade, after which breeders in other countries bred new tomato types. This is why, nowadays, different countries have their favorite tomatoes. Quick-growing, determinate varieties are popular in cold areas like Canada and Russia, while indeterminate types are widespread in gardens with warm, frost-free climates. Characteristics ‘Cherry Falls’ grows short vines that max out around 18 inches long. Off the vines sprout multiple new shoots with flower clusters and, eventually, fruit! The short vines may grow longer than 18 inches if they hang down from raised beds, planters, or hanging baskets. The tomatoes themselves have a sweet, semi-tart flavor that sweetens the longer they sit on the vine. They’ll give when you squeeze them, indicating they’re ripe and ready to eat. The small, round fruits are perfect for fresh eating, salads, and sauces. The foliage isn’t as dense and bushy as other types. It’s incredibly ornamental! You’ll appreciate the spear-shaped leaves and compact stems. This variety’s size is perfect for container growing. Planting Whether you purchase seedlings at the store or grow them from seeds, they’re easy to care for and transplant into the garden. They appreciate warm temperatures, consistent moisture, and bright light. How to Grow ‘Cherry Falls’ thrives in a wide range of gardens. Give it the care it needs, and it’ll provide you with bushels of fruit throughout the summer. Plant many in a large pot, or give each one its own home and space. No matter how big or small your yard is, this tomato will easily tuck into every empty nook and cranny. Maintenance Tomatoes are high-maintenance because they typically need caging, fertilizing, and plenty of water. ‘Cherry Falls’ is significantly easier to care for than most other types. You may give it support if you’d like it to grow upright, or let it drape over the edges of containers and baskets.

Champagne grapes have intensely sweet berries perfect for fresh eating and cooking. These miniature grapes pack more flavor than their size suggests. Gardening expert Madison Moulton explains how to grow these delightful table grapes successfully. When most people think of growing grapes, they picture large vines or pergolas draped with foliage. But there is a more adorable way to grow grapes, and eat them too. Champagne grapes have tiny clusters of intensely sweet berries that are perfect for snacking, garnishing, and cooking. Don’t let the name fool you though, as these aren’t used for making actual champagne. More on that later. The challenge with champagne grapes is that their small size makes them more delicate than standard grape varieties. They need careful handling and specific growing conditions to produce those perfect miniature clusters. Here’s everything you need to know about growing these specialty grapes in your own garden. What Is It? Champagne grapes aren’t actually a single variety but rather a term for several types of tiny grapes. These produce berries that are roughly the size of small peas, clustered tightly together in small, elegant bunches. The berries are typically dark purple to black when ripe, with an incredibly sweet, concentrated flavor that’s much more intense than larger grapes. Each berry contains tiny seeds that are barely noticeable when eating, making them perfect for fresh consumption. What makes these grapes special is their incredible sweetness and unique texture. The small size means the skin-to-flesh ratio is higher than regular grapes, giving them a more concentrated flavor that’s prized by chefs and food enthusiasts. Characteristics The most obvious characteristic you’ll notice is size. These grapes are tiny compared to standard varieties. Individual berries rarely exceed 1/4 inch in diameter, clustering together in small, tight bunches that are usually only a few inches long. The vines themselves are vigorous growers that can reach 10 feet long or more if left unpruned. They produce heart-shaped leaves typical of grape vines, with good fall color in many climates. The growth habit is similar to wine grapes, with strong woody canes that need support. Champagne grapes are typically seedless or nearly seedless, though some varieties may have very small, soft seeds. The berries have thin skins that are easy to bite through, and the flesh is incredibly sweet with a pleasant, slightly tart finish. Harvest timing is crucial because these grapes can go from perfectly ripe to overripe very quickly due to their small size and thin skins. Native Area Most champagne grape varieties originate from the Mediterranean region, particularly Greece and surrounding areas. The Black Corinth variety that’s commonly sold as champagne grapes has been cultivated in Greece for over 2,000 years. These grapes evolved in a climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The Mediterranean climate provides the long, warm growing season these grapes need to develop their characteristic sweetness, along with the dry conditions that help prevent fungal diseases. The original growing regions have rocky, well-draining soils and plenty of sunshine, which influences how these grapes perform in cultivation. Understanding this background helps explain their specific growing requirements. Planting Spring planting works best for champagne grapes in most climates. You want to get them established during the growing season so they can develop strong root systems before winter arrives. In mild climates, fall planting can work, but spring gives you the best chance of success. They need full sun (at least 6-8 hours daily) and excellent air circulation to prevent disease problems. Choose a spot with well-draining soil where water doesn’t collect after rain. Plant bare-root vines in early spring while they’re still dormant. Dig holes wide enough to spread the roots comfortably, but don’t plant too deeply. Container plants can go in the ground once soil temperatures warm up. Space plants about 6 feet apart if you’re growing multiple vines. They’ll need sturdy support structures, so install trellises or posts before planting to avoid disturbing the roots later.