When to Pick Sungold

AlittleSalt · May 12, 2015

In the picture below, on the upper right side, is this Sungold tomato ripe - or should we wait to pick it? It feels just like the Porter tomatoes when I pick them. Firm with a little give when lightly pressed between a finger and thumb.

Oh, the white stuff on the stem is hail damage.

Labradors2 · May 12, 2015

I like to wait until they are really ripe. In fact, I wasn't impressed with the taste until I ate one that fell off the vine and into my hand! For me, they have to be vine-ripened!

Linda

Worth1 · May 12, 2015

Salt at the rate of rain we are getting they might/will split before they get ripe on the vine.
I just went out and I had three that were split and another one with a slimy slug on it.

So I picked anything that was like the one you have in the upper right.
UT orange is the normal state they should be picked at.

Worth

AlittleSalt · May 12, 2015

Ah okay. Finally something will look good in UT orange

Worth1 · May 12, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Ah okay. Finally something will look good in UT orange

And this doesn't?

I used to own one just like this.
Ran the devil out of it.

All I have left is a 600 Hp 340 motor I built myself to go in something.

Worth

jmsieglaff · May 12, 2015

I like my sungolds best not quite fully ripe. Try them at different stages to find where you like them best.

wormgirl · May 12, 2015

I like the way Craig thinks of it... in "Epic Tomatoes," he suggests there are three stages of ripeness in which they can be eaten! Do remember they tend to split, so that may make you want to pick them earlier.

If it were me it'd already be eaten heh

AlittleSalt · May 12, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

And this doesn't?

I used to own one just like this.
Ran the devil out of it.

All I have left is a 600 Hp 340 motor I built myself to go in something.

Worth

VERY nice car Worth!

The muscle car I had was a 70-1/2 Camaro with a 307 in it. It looked like this https://www.google.com/search?q=1970...2F%3B400%3B266 but with a black top and black/blue stripes on the hood.

I need to find a good tasting tomato the color of the jacket I wear in winter too:

AlittleSalt · May 12, 2015

Guys, I have been looking for cracks every day, so far - so good. The plant that's in the picture in post #1 was very heavily damaged by hail about 2.5 weeks ago. If it had not been one of our three Sungolds, I might have thought of pulling it. I have propped it up, added a cage, and babied it ever day since then. It looks a lot better than it did right after the hailstorm.

I had heard of the three different stages to eat Sungold. I'm hoping to let this tomato fully ripen. After that, if all grows right - we'll be trying them in the other stages.

Thank you everyone for your replies

Worth1 · May 12, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

VERY nice car Worth!

The muscle car I had was a 70-1/2 Camaro with a 307 in it. It looked like this https://www.google.com/search?q=1970...2F%3B400%3B266 but with a black top and black/blue stripes on the hood.

I need to find a good tasting tomato the color of the jacket I wear in winter too:

Cherokee purple.

I have an orange muscle truck now.

Worth

AlittleSalt · May 12, 2015

Cool Worth, nice truck.

I'm collecting Cherokee tomato seeds through trades here. So far, I have Cherokee Chocolate, Lime, and Purple. I know there is one called Cherokee Green, but I'm unsure if Green and Lime are the same thing or not?

I wonder if there are Cherokee YWR, OWR, WWR and all the other When Ripe varieties? Could you imagine a huge blue when ripe tomato.

wormgirl · May 13, 2015

Not to sound like a broken record but Craig also explains this in Epic Tomatos. It's pretty interesting to hear him tell it, but basically the Chocolate and Green are spontaneous mutations that he discovered. I *think* the Lime and the Green are the same (but don't quote me on that). Perhaps if we are lucky Craig or another tomato lover will discover some more mutations? It really made me want to try them all.

KarenO · May 13, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Cool Worth, nice truck.

I'm collecting Cherokee tomato seeds through trades here. So far, I have Cherokee Chocolate, Lime, and Purple. I know there is one called Cherokee Green, but I'm unsure if Green and Lime are the same thing or not?

I wonder if there are Cherokee YWR, OWR, WWR and all the other When Ripe varieties? Could you imagine a huge blue when ripe tomato.

you need Cherokee chocolate then

KO

AlittleSalt · May 13, 2015

Wormgirl, I had Craig's book in my hands at a book store (Barnes and Noble I think?) It was only $19.95, but at the time, I didn't have 19 cents. We stopped at the book store because I was having an anxiety attack, besides my wife wanted the latest released "People of the..." series of books from Kathleen and Michael Gear.

That was the best gift I ever gave her. It was many years ago. I think it was a book called "People of the River" She has read that series of books so many times. All the jewelry, clothing, and you name it that I gave her as gifts does not compare to a good book.

I know that Craig's book is a good one.

wormgirl · May 13, 2015

Are we talking about the same book? The one I read came out just this year. I bought the Kindle version (I read it with the app on my iPad) for less than $2.24... it might have been on sale, because now it's $9.99. But I see there are also 5 copies in my local library system. Anyway, it's great.

Hopefully I have a ripe Sungold by June! I am downright jealous of yours!!

May 13, 2015	#15
wormgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Tacoma, WA Posts: 245	Are we talking about the same book? The one I read came out just this year. I bought the Kindle version (I read it with the app on my iPad) for less than $2.24... it might have been on sale, because now it's $9.99. But I see there are also 5 copies in my local library system. Anyway, it's great. Hopefully I have a ripe Sungold by June! I am downright jealous of yours!! Last edited by wormgirl; May 13, 2015 at 04:27 PM.

May 12, 2015	#2
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,889	I like to wait until they are really ripe. In fact, I wasn't impressed with the taste until I ate one that fell off the vine and into my hand! For me, they have to be vine-ripened! Linda

May 12, 2015	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Salt at the rate of rain we are getting they might/will split before they get ripe on the vine. I just went out and I had three that were split and another one with a slimy slug on it. So I picked anything that was like the one you have in the upper right. UT orange is the normal state they should be picked at. Worth

May 12, 2015	#4
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Ah okay. Finally something will look good in UT orange

May 12, 2015	#6
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	I like my sungolds best not quite fully ripe. Try them at different stages to find where you like them best.