Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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July 23, 2018 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Kathleen, GA
Posts: 14
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When are sungold tomatoes ripe
This is my first time growing orange tomatoes (sungold variety). How do I tell when they are ripe? Are they ready as soon as the turn orange or ? Thanks guys!
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July 23, 2018 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,890
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I don't think so, but then I am a picky tomato eater . IMHO, one should wait until a perfectly-ripe, deep orange Sungold falls off the vine into your hand. THEN it is ready to eat and the flavour is fabulous .
Linda Last edited by Labradors2; July 23, 2018 at 03:18 PM. |
July 23, 2018 | #3 |
Tomatopalooza™ Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NC-Zone 7
Posts: 2,188
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You can tell they are ripe when the birds start eating them.
A medium to dark orange is a good indicator. You can pick them at first blush and let them further ripen inside... (this works to protect against the birds.) Lee
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Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. Cuostralee - The best thing on sliced bread. |
July 23, 2018 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 205
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Deep orange.
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July 23, 2018 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Southern WI
Posts: 2,742
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Try them at all stages of ripeness (well aside from green)--they change and everyone has a different opinion of peak flavor. When left inside and allowed to get very very orange, I feel they become too sweet and lose that tang I so much enjoy. My favorite stage is probably when the fruit first becomes completely orange.
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July 23, 2018 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Chapin, SC
Posts: 143
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Sungold produces so many, try my foolproof method. Go out and pick the ripest one and see how it tastes. If not ripe to your taste, wait until a deeper color. If too ripe, try one more yellow. We all have our preferences.
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July 23, 2018 | #7 | |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
Posts: 21,169
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Quote:
And I'm assuming that we are discussing Sungold F1 hybrid, not one of the OP's that Reinhard in Germany worked with, and some of his are darn good as well. Carolyn
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Carolyn |
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July 23, 2018 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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July 23, 2018 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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July 23, 2018 | #10 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Quote:
Worth |
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July 23, 2018 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 205
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I caught a brown thrasher hopping away with a ripe Sungold this morning! Nine out ten thieving birds prefer ripe tomatoes. I know because they drop the unripe ones a few feet away...
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July 23, 2018 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NewYork 5a
Posts: 2,303
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I agree to try them at all stages. Mine are part of the driveway 10 and 15 gallon pot
toms. Commuter toms. Pull up at dusk/dark and a driveway flood light comes on. We both pick and eat a few 'snackers' and I pick a dozen for the tomato bowl I let ripen inside in AC kitchen. Hot, humid, and thunderstorms all week...best to pick blush toms in this weather. We like them firm ripe. If I keep up with harvesting with so much rain, I don't find many spliters unless I miss a few over-ripe. Vine-ripe, I call over-ripe, I have a freezer zip-lock I keep adding to. By late September I'll have 4-5 gallon zip bags for Fall pizzas and what-not frittatas, salsa, etc. |
July 23, 2018 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Posts: 78
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I like them best after the last hint of green just disappears. They have good sweetness but still have that nice brightness, without being tart. Dark orange is so sweet i will eat a greenish one after a few to balance things out!
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July 24, 2018 | #14 | ||
BANNED FOR LIFE
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 13,333
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Quote:
Quote:
Something I have noticed in my 3 years of growing them is that the fully ripe Sungold tomatoes tend to split more after a rain shower. |
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July 24, 2018 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Williamsburg VA Zone 7b
Posts: 1,110
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Definitely agree with the splitting after rain. I don't have a bird problem but I definitely pull more off the vine before a big rain. (I was almost expecting to see Stage 3 being the 'splitting stage'"
Stage 3 is the only tomato our golden retriever will eat. Had the wife laughing the other day - he will catch and eat Stage 3 Sungold but not even catch Texas Wild Cherry or Austin's Black. Jeff |
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