Cherokee Purple
Solanum lycopersicum
Annual
Indeterminate
Full Sun
78 Days to Harvest 
8-12 oz fruits (about the size of a fist)
Plants 2’-3’ apart unstaked, 1’-2’ staked


 
A variety cultivated by the Cherokee tribe back when they still lived in Tennessee.  These have a magnificently rich full flavor that balances high acidity with abundant sugar.  One of the varieties that brought heirloom tomatoes back to prominence. This plant is a robust grower that has the advantages of being resistant to disease and drought.
 
Tomatoes grow best in rich fertile soil with regular water. Too much nitrogen will cause plants to put on lots of leaves but delay fruiting. Staking or caging allows closer spacing, helps keep fruit off the ground and away from a number of pests, and improves air flow, helping to keep disease pressure down. Pruning will also aid in air flow and help fruit ripen earlier.