Anyone tried growing purple tomatoes?

General
1

Hey everyone! I’m new here and excited to join. :blush:

I’m planning my patio garden for the season and came across these GMO purple tomatoes from Norfolk Healthy Produce. They look so cool (not my pic, got it online), and some folks claim they’re healthier than regular tomatoes. I’m curious if they’re worth a try this year.

For background, I usually grow super sweets, sungolds, tomatillos, beefsteaks, and early girls—pretty standard stuff. I’ve also dabbled with heirloom seeds from Burpee in the past. I’m in Maryland (zone 7), so it gets super hot and humid here in the summer, but my tomatoes usually do fine.

Before I buy seeds, I’d love to know if anyone here has grown them. Are they easy to grow? How do they taste? Are they worth the hype, or just a pretty novelty? Some of these trendy fruits and veggies can be underwhelming, so I’d love to hear your honest experiences.

Thanks so much for any tips or reviews!
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@Taron
Cherokees are a favorite of mine! Also, if you’re into heirlooms, pineapple tomatoes are a must-try.

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@Taron
I like Johnny’s and Harris for variety, but Seed Savers has the most interesting options. You can get free catalogs, and even if you don’t order, they’re great for inspiration!

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@Taron
You’re welcome! Happy gardening!

5

Keelan said:
Cherokee Purples are amazing heirlooms! They’re not really purple, though—more of a reddish-brown and quite large.

Thanks for the info on Cherokee Purples! I’ll look into them. I’m not anti-GMO but also love a good heirloom.

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A lot of people grew them last year. The general consensus is they’re beautiful but not super flavorful. If you’re used to something like Sungolds, these might taste disappointing. Great for color but not a standout for taste. Plus, eating purple spaghetti sauce can feel weird for some people.

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@Kai
Thanks for the heads-up! Sungolds are one of my faves, so this is good to know. Still might try them since my kids are picky eaters and might actually eat a purple tomato. Worth a shot?

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Kingsley said:
@Kai
Thanks for the heads-up! Sungolds are one of my faves, so this is good to know. Still might try them since my kids are picky eaters and might actually eat a purple tomato. Worth a shot?

If you’ve got space, I’d say go for it at least once!

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Surprised no one’s mentioned the Baker Creek drama. Apparently, they sold seeds from a supposed heirloom purple tomato that turned out to be GMO from a French lab experiment in the ’90s. So yeah, true purple tomatoes are 100% GMO.

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@Clarke
I’m not scared of GMOs. Bring them on!

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Here are some links to posts where people grew them:

Link 1

Link 2

I’d try them myself, but they’re not available in my country.

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@Amari
Thanks for sharing the links! Bummer they’re not available for you.

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Kingsley said:
@Amari
Thanks for sharing the links! Bummer they’re not available for you.

Yeah, Canada takes its time approving GMO crops. Maybe one day!

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@Zander
Thanks for sharing! The sauce color sounds wild. Might still give them a try just for the novelty.

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Kingsley said:
@Zander
Thanks for sharing! The sauce color sounds wild. Might still give them a try just for the novelty.

That’s exactly why I grew them—novelty! But I don’t think I’ll do it again.

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I grew them in Maryland last year. They had a 100% germination rate, grew well, and tasted decent. If you’re curious, I’d say go for it. That’s part of the fun of gardening!