5 Delicious and Eye-Catching Purple Tomatoes For Your Garden

I’m sure you’ve heard of red, orange, yellow, and even green tomatoes. But, have you come across the sensation that is purple tomatoes?!

This small but mighty variety of tomatoes packs a punch with its delicious flavor. Though not as sweet as some more common tomato varieties, purple tomatoes offer a distinctive strong flavor. They have the perfect mix of sweetness with a hint of acidity and smoky flavor.

Adding purple tomatoes to your garden will not only be eye-catching but make an ideal choice for a quick-growing crop that yields a large harvest. Not to mention they taste incredible mixed with sweeter tomatoes in fresh dishes such as salads, pasta sauces, and on top of pizza.

Keep reading to find which of these 5 purple tomatoes will be an ideal addition to your garden crops this year.

5 Purple Tomatoes

Cherokee Purple

What better purple tomato to begin our list with than the ever-so-popular Cherokee purple tomato.

This larger-sized tomato is a beefsteak variety that ranges in colors from deep purple to dark red with hints of green and purple.

Cherokee purple tomatoes can take a little longer to grow than other varieties so patience is needed. They are best started from seeds indoors in January. After the last frost, they can be transferred into larger pots or directly into the ground outdoors.

Ensure that you select an area that receives full sunlight and with nutrient-rich, well-draining soil. They will require up to 30 inches of space between them and watering regularly.

As the tomato seedlings are vulnerable at this early stage, add some mulch to the soil around your seedlings to protect them from nutrients leaching and increase the soil temperatures.

Cherokee purple tomatoes are a vining variety. As the seedlings grow longer, you will need to support them to help them grow upwards securely with a sturdy item such as a bamboo stick.

After around 80-90 days from planting your seedlings outdoors, your tomatoes will be ready to harvest. This large tomato is ideal for adding to the top of pizzas, chopped up in salads, or even for making soups.

Dwarf Purple Reign

Another beefsteak tomato variety, dwarf purple reigns are known for its bold color and globe shape. They have smooth skin and a sweet flavor making them an excellent addition to sandwiches.

They are best grown indoors from seeds up to 10 weeks before the last frost. Once the seedlings have germinated and the last frost has finished, they can be planted outside. When transferring, provide your tomatoes with at least 24 inches of space between each plant and in an area of your garden that receives 10 hours of sunlight a day.

Similar to Cherokee purple tomatoes, dwarf purple reign requires support to grow along. They can grow up to 3 feet tall with each tomato weighing up to 12 ounces, hence requiring ample growing space and sturdy support.

After approximately 75 days from transferring your seedlings outdoors, you can expect your dwarf purple reign tomatoes to be ready for harvesting.

Purple Calabash

Another large purple tomato, Purple Calabash tomatoes are an heirloom variety with a strong, sharp flavor and maroon-purple color.

Purple calabash tomatoes are best sown in early spring indoors whilst the temperatures increase outside. After 14 days, the seeds will have germinated and will need to be transferred into a larger container.

After a few weeks, once the tomato plants have reached 8 inches, they can begin to be climatized outdoors. They will need to be planted at least 18 inches apart in a sunny area with good drainage.

As they produce large fruits and can grow up to 84 inches tall, purple calabash also require strong support like the previous purple tomatoes in this post.

After approximately 85-80 days from planting, they will be ready to harvest. As they have a sharp, wine-like flavor, purple calabash makes excellent sauce bases.

Midnight Roma

Unlike the other purple tomato varieties mentioned, midnight Roma is a semi-determinate tomato that only grows 3-4inches long. They offer a unique coloration of deep purple on top fading into a rich red.

Midnight Roma tomatoes require sowing indoors from seeds up to 6 weeks before the last frost. Once the seedlings have developed, transfer each plant into a larger container.

When the last frost has finished and soil temperatures have reached a consistent 55 F, your tomatoes can be climatized outdoors and planted in the ground of a larger container.

Remember to select an area of your garden that receives full sunlight and has well-drained soil. As midnight Roma’s grow upwards, they do require additional support such as a trellis or tomato cage.

After 80 days from planting outdoors, your purple tomatoes will have matured and be ready to harvest. Midnight Roma tomatoes have a good mix of sweetness with acidity and are good for use in sauces.

Blueberries Tomato

These smaller tomatoes resemble cherry tomatoes growing on a vine in color from deep red to dark purple.

The seeds for blueberries tomatoes require planting 6 weeks before the last frost. The seedlings will then need thinning and transplanting into larger pots. They can finally be planted outside directly into well-drained soil in the ground or in larger containers.

Like all tomatoes, blueberries tomatoes need access to full sunlight and regular water. As a vining fruit, they require support to grow upright and off the ground.

In 85 days from transferring outdoors, your blueberries tomatoes will be ready to harvest. They are sweet and juicy making them ideal to eat fresh in salads.

Planting a selection of purple tomatoes from these five suggestions will offer you a range of colors, tastes, and uses from your garden directly into your kitchen.

Each variety is ready to harvest within 90 days from transferring your seedlings outdoors and offers a bountiful harvest that can be eaten fresh or cooked and frozen in sauces and soups.

When planted near other tomato varieties, they will provide an eye-catching display once the fruits begin to show. They are relatively easy to grow and maintain, offering an excellent choice of crop for all gardeners no matter their level of experience.

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