If you think the first tomato was good wait until you try the later ones!
I'm growing CP for the first time this year and I'm finding out the tomatoes that ripen after the first couple are much better in taste although I'm not sure why...

I am growing CP for the first time also. The plant is doing excellent, probably my healthiest, lush and dark green and LOADED with green fruits. I have never had so many green fruit on one non-cherry plant. They are sure taking their sweet time to ripen though.

I'd love to see photos. My first tomatoes are ripening now -- Paul Robeson and Rostova. Last year the Rostova produced several ripe tomatoes in June. The high heat and, at the beginning of the season, record breaking rain, have been very hard on my tomatoes this year. I'm also growing several heirlooms in containers of 511. I love the mix, but it's hard to compare this year to last year when I got big early yields in containers of Promix and compost in southwest Ohio.

I've still yet to get the Cherokee Purple that others have managed to get. Last year, I got a few fairly bland tasting tomatoes from the two I planted. This year I tried Cherokee Chocolate and it was killed by grey mold before it even ripened one tomato - Other plants are pumping out great tasting tomatoes and are over 6 ft. tall.

I'll try growing them again next year, but I'm beginning to feel that for whatever reason, black / purple tomatoes just don't flavor up or grow well in my area. I have consistently good success rates with the large pink beefsteaks (sudduths, marianna's peace, etc.), red plum-types, red and pink hearts, and last year I did well with yellow and green-when-ripes, but for whatever reason the black / purples just tend to stagnate.

So far I've grown, black cherry (near flavorless), Black from Tula (on the bland side - wasn't impressed), Cherokee Purple (better than Black Cherry and BFT, but still very mild), Indian Stripe (same as CP), and this year Cherokee Chocolate (died before fruiting). The only thing I can guess is that they like it on the dry side - most of our springs and summers are wet and or very humid for the past few years.

Last year, the first Cherokee Purple ripened late but it was DH's favorite tomato of the year. This year, the first tomatoes were Black Krims and they were good so far but not spectacular. You are probably right in that their flavor improves with dryness.

I finally just picked my first (nearly) ripe Cherokee Purple this weekend. I spent all day at work thinking about getting home so I could enjoy my first heirloom of the summer, but alas, it wasn't quite ready. It will definitely be on the menu tomorrow night, though!

Ohiofem, I know what you mean- I am in Cincinnati, and though my plants are huge (over 6ft now), it was a rough start this Spring!

I want to try every one of the Cherokee Purple's relatives!

CPs are DEFINITELY my favorite tomato! They don't do well in my garden and I tend to only get about six per plant over the entire season, but I still have to plant a couple every year just so I can get those few. Blossom drop is rampant with the CPs in my garden. In fact, I have six-foot plants and no tomatoes yet. I have very limited garden space and can only grow about six to eight plants per year so two that barely produce are a huge deal for me. Yet CPs are so very good that it's worth the risk.

First year growing CPs in MD. I've had four so far and they were the best!

Here is a link that might be useful:

i have grown cherokee purple for years - it's one of the best tasting tomatoes i know of... that being said the plant's disease resistance is poor and overall yield is fairly low. i have had carbon recommended to me by a fellow market grower as a good sub for CP and i'm probably going to go with that next year, as well as adding more black krims...

I've had several so far and they are deeelish! I love Black Krim but mine was a volunteer and isn't ripe yet. Sigh.

:)