Purple Tomatoes

	Cherokee Purple TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49106 Price:$2.50 Quantity in Basket: none
(lb) 85 days. (Indeterminate) Disease resistant, good for the South. [Pre-1890 Tennessee heirloom, reportedly of Cherokee Indian origin. Introduced 1993 by SESE Seed courtesy of Craig LeHoullier.] Large fruits (10 to 12 oz.) are smooth with slightly ridged shoulders. Ripens to a unique dark, dusky pink/purple. Sometimes called a 'black' tomato, the color carries through to the flesh, especially at the stem end. Good resistance to Septoria leaf spot. Pkt.
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	Cherokee Purple TOMATO 1.5g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49106A Price:$5.50 Quantity in Basket: none
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	Eva Purple Ball TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49112 Price:$2.50 Quantity in Basket: none
(ab, lb, ber, cr, cf) 78 days. (Indeterminate) [Late 1800's heirloom from the Black Forest region of Germany from Joe Bratka's grandfather. Seed courtesy of Carolyn Male and Craig LeHoullier. Introduced in 1994 by SESE] An outstanding performer in hot, humid areas with excellent resistance to foliar and fruit diseases. This is one of the most blemish free tomatoes we have grown. Unlike other crack-resistant varieties it has a soft tender texture. Produces smooth, round, attractive pink-purple fruits weighing 4 to 5 oz. Evenly ripening fruits are easy to harvest, some dropping from the vine at peak ripeness. 'Eva Purple Ball' is great in salads, sandwiches, and sauces (the skin peels easily). A wonderful all-purpose tomato with excellent flavor. Pkt. "Market gardeners take heed! I have sent this variety to farmers market many many a time and I have never ever had one come back home. Almost every single fruit is perfectly shaped and blemish free. The flavor is astounding and the color is striking." -Cricket Rakita
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	Eva Purple Ball TOMATO 1.5g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49112A Price:$5.50 Quantity in Basket: none
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	Paul Robeson TOMATO .16g seed Code: 49161 Price:$2.85 Quantity in Basket: none
74 days. (Indeterminate) [Russian heirloom. Original seed sent to SESE by Marina Danilenko, a Moscow seedswoman. The tomato was named after Paul Robeson, operatic vocal artist who was an advocate of equal rights for Blacks. His artistry was appreciated world-wide, especially in the Soviet Union, and hence this tomato bearing his name.] 'Paul Robeson' is a 'black' tomato. Like other 'black' tomatoes the fruit is more of a dusky dark red with dark green dusky shoulders. Fruits weigh an average of 6 oz., and measure 2 in. tall and 3-1/4" wide. Borne 2 to a cluster, flavor is excellent. Pkt.
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	Black Prince TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49180 Price:$2.25 Quantity in Basket: none
69 days. (Indeterminate) [A local garden jewel from Irkutsk, Siberia.] 'Black Prince' produces medium-sized fruits that are a deep reddish brown color, grading to dark brown or "black" on the shoulders. Interior fruit color varies from dark red to a translucent chestnut brown. Juicy, tender texture with appealing fruity flavor. Fruits average 2-1/2" in diameter and are slightly pear shaped. Pkt.
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	Black Plum TOMATO .16g seed, USDA Certified Organic Code: 49205 Price:$2.55 Quantity in Basket: none
70-80 days. (Indeterminate) Russian Heirloom Variety Prolific producer of 2 oz. elongated deep mahogany-brown fruit with a touch of green on the stem end. Black color develops best in hot day weather. The flavor is rich, complex, and full-bodied. Perfect for sauce, drying, or eating out of hand.
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CULTURE: Sow seeds 6 weeks before the last frost date for your area. Plant seed 1/4 inch deep in shallow flats and maintain soil temperature in the range of 75-85oF (24-29oC) for good germination. When the seedlings have produced several leaves, transplant to 3” pots to promote root growth. After transplanting, keep seedlings at a lower temperature at night, 50-60oF (10-13oC), to promote earlier flowering in some varieties. Day temperatures should rise to 75-85oF (24-29oC) to promote rapid growth. Expose plants to light and air currents to harden the plants and to encourage stockiness. Water sparingly, but do not allow the growth to become checked. Fertilize with complete, soluble fertilizer or fish emulsion if leaves become yellow and/or purple. Keep phosphorous levels high. Too much nitrogen will delay fruiting. For transplanting to the garden, average soil temperature should be 60-65oF (16-18oC). SPACING: Staked plants should be spaced about 18 to 24” apart. Caged plants should be spaced about 24 to 36” apart. DISEASES: Plant disease-resistant varieties for a sustained harvest. Leaf blight diseases such as early blight and alternaria begin to appear about mid-July, and plants are more susceptible once fruit production begins. To reduce disease problems, use resistant or tolerant varieties and rotate tomatoes to different parts of the garden each year, using a three-year rotation. Fusarium wilt (race 1), a disease caused by a soil fungus, is common in the Mid-Atlantic region during mid- to late-season. Fusarium races 1 and 2 are present in southern regions. Where fusarium wilt is present a six-year rotation or use of resistant varieties is recommended. Do not plant eggplants, peppers, or potatoes in wilt-infested soil during the rotation period. Avoid planting tomatoes near walnut trees to avoid “walnut wilt”. Early blight and anthracnose are common in the Mid-Atlantic region, and are favored by hot, humid conditions. Late blight is more common in inland regions at higher elevations, especially during the spring and fall. Blossom-end rot is prevented by ensuring an adequate level of soil calcium, and steady moisture. PESTS: Tomatoes planted in healthy soil will generally have few severe pest problems. FLAVOR: Type of fertilizer used has an effect on flavor. Highly flavored tomatoes are sometimes subject to “off flavors” under certain growing conditions. Avoid placing freshly harvested tomatoes in the refrigerator because refrigeration will destroy much of the delicate flavor. Tomatoes are best stored at a temperature above 50oF (10oC). SEED SAVERS: Isolate varieties of L. lycopersicon by a minimum of 35’ for home use and 75’ to 150’ for pure seed. Isolate varieties of L. pimpinellifolium species from all other tomato species by a minimum of 150’. MATURATION DATES: Days to maturity are the number of days after transplanting. PACKET: Seed size varies considerably, 0.08 to 0.16 g (about 40 to 83 seeds, depending on variety, average 64 seeds) sows 100’. SEEDS/OZ: 7000 to 15,000 seeds/oz. (average 11,500) sows 3/4 to 1-1/2 acre of transplants at 18” spacing in rows 4’ apart.

DETERMINATE AND INDETERMINATE VARIETIES: Determinate varieties are short-vined plants that seldom need staking. Blossoms and fruit develop about the same time. Indeterminate varieties are long-vined plants that bear fruit continuously. These varieties should be caged or staked. Some varieties are semi- determinate. MULCHING: Too much mulch on the soil in the spring may delay growth by preventing soil temperature from rising enough to support active root growth. Starting at the end of June, apply a deep mulch around plants to conserve moisture and increase yield. YIELD: Too much nitrogen after transplanting will delay flowering. High levels of phosphorus are necessary to produce good yields. Pruning and staking increases earliness to fruiting at the expense of yield. Indeterminate varieties may be pruned if necessary. Pruning of determinate varieties should be kept to a minimum. For largest yields, cages 2’ wide by 5’ tall are recommended for indeterminate varieties.