This information is really for my brother - as most other people that visit here already know that typically the first blooms to develop on a Cherokee Purple tomato plant are called megablooms, and rarely ever establish fruitset. Anyway, here's one of mine right now, just so you know what to expect.
And if you want more weird info about megablooms, most tomatoes will self pollinate. But megablooms can cross. So even if they set, don't save their seed. I've had megablooms set and you get some really large and multilobed fruit. The are as huge as their blossoms though and like weirdly fused tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteI didn't plant Cherokee Purple this year, but I had several volunteers so I potted up a couple of them. I'll try to find space for the largest one in hopes it gets big enough to bear fruit. I don't remember seeing megablooms on mine, but my Brandywines always got them.
ReplyDeleteDaphne - you're always a wealth of information. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGranny - no CP this year? Are you insane?????? Lol.
I had so many new varieties to try, there just wasn't room! I'll stick it in a bucket if I can't find a spot in the garden, and add it to my "Tomato Alley" or grow it next to the patio. There aren't a lot of places that get enough sun and don't get hit with the lawn sprinklers. I think my tomatoes all suffer in flavor from not getting enough sun. The Brandywines in the main garden were always so good, but they were diseased last year so I'm not planting any there now.
DeleteYes Granny is insane. Really. I can even eat them and I'm going to plant a CP. I'm sure someone will appreciate them.
DeleteAh, I see......it's hard to beat those brandywine
ReplyDeleteWhen I get a mega bloom, do I need to pinch it off or something? I've never grown any Cherokee Purple, so I have no idea of what to expect or do when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteno need to pinch them off, they'll form very large tomato that tends to be a bit lopsided :)
ReplyDeleteI just pinch mine off, but that's just me. I like pretty tomatoes.:)
ReplyDelete