Harvest pics (was Fruitset!)

[feldon30]

I grew them last fall. The multiple stages of ripening require a keen eye.

Here's a picture of some from last year:



I would say none of the ones in that picture are ripe enough for me. But also people have different tastes regarding Sungold. Some like it a bit underripe so it has more "bite" and less "fruit" flavor to it.

[duajones]

I agree totally about the fruitworms, my spraying of bt seemed to knock out the hornworms as I havent seen one since, but the fruit worms hide well and have taken out 5 or 6 of my Black Krim that had only around 12-15 fruit to begin with. Looking at those sungold pics and others, mine seem to be on the small side

[duajones]

Originally Posted by sirtanon

Would you say your Bush Celebrity really stays short? My info suggests it will stop growing upward at between 15 and 20 inches.

I would say mine is in the 36 in range or better

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by duajones

I agree totally about the fruitworms, my spraying of bt seemed to knock out the hornworms as I havent seen one since, but the fruit worms hide well and have taken out 5 or 6 of my Black Krim that had only around 12-15 fruit to begin with. Looking at those sungold pics and others, mine seem to be on the small side

I didn't see a single fruitworm last year, so I was really surprised by their presence this year.

The picture with all the Sungolds may be deceiving. That's one of those "huge Silvery Fir Trees". The Sungolds are about 3/4 inch to 1 inch each.

[MargeH]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Feldon I don’t know if you have ever grown sungold or tasted it before but I have found that even after you think they are ripe you still need to let them get to a very deep orange before you eat them.
In this way you can truly enjoy the full flavor of them.

Worth

You are so right about this. The taste when they have turned that deep orange is sooo good. This is my first time growing them and I have been getting ripe ones for about 3 weeks now. I think I have begun to know when is just the right time to pick them. The only problem is knowing when to pick them at this stage and not just a little later when they will split before you can get them in the house and into a salad. I have had that happen a couple of times, now.

Marjorie

[feldon30]

I think once it's showing some orange, you can pick it. Then you just have to keep the 2 legged pests away from them indoors until they have reached the degree of ripeness you prefer.

[FlipTX]

Last year, I kept getting splits or pest problems if I left the tomatoes on the vine to fully ripen. So now I pick them when they're about 1/4 to 1/2 the way colored up and let them finish inside.

I've been enjoying my Sugary harvest. Despite its name, it's not just sweet, but pretty flavorful, too.

[duajones]

Originally Posted by sirtanon

Would you say your Bush Celebrity really stays short? My info suggests it will stop growing upward at between 15 and 20 inches.

Make that 46 inches tall, little bigger than I first thought

[duajones]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Feldon I don’t know if you have ever grown sungold or tasted it before but I have found that even after you think they are ripe you still need to let them get to a very deep orange before you eat them.
In this way you can truly enjoy the full flavor of them.

Worth

This must be true in other cherries as well because I have been eating a few red robins a day and they werent all that great. I had some last night that had further ripened and it was a different tomato, much better. Looking forward to a full ripened sungold now

[duajones]

Here is my first CP of the year, picked a day or two early to keep the mockingbirds from eating them.

[feldon30]

Lucky duck!

I am hoping some of my Jet Stars and Cherokee Purples will start to color up since they haven't really changed size in the last month or so.

I haven't tried the Kimberly I picked yet. I'm getting 2-3 Sungolds a day already.

[missionrandy]

Should have some flowers open on a Stupice Tomato Plant within a few days now. The rest are just in growth in the main garden...

A few pepper plants have early blossoms in the cold frame, which is strange!

[duajones]

I planned on having it with dinner tonight but couldnt wait. I am reminded why so many rave about this tomato. Absolutely delicious! I had once said that NBD may be the best tomato I have ever tasted, Im just not sure that a tomato could taste any better than CP. And I have more on this plant than my previous 2. I will grow more than one plant next year, no doubt about it

[feldon30]

Cherokee Purple is quite simply my favorite tomato, but I have not tasted some of the others that are similarly tagged such as Prue. I wonder if that one is maybe a day short of fully ripe? Patience is difficult in the face of a tomato like Cherokee Purple.

[duajones]

I picked it 2 days ago and while I may have waited another day. It was absolutely fantastic, great texture and taste. And if I remember right, on my last two plants the second and third tomato was even better than the first off the plant. I cant imagine that being the case again but we will see. Black Krim is very close, looking forward to that one as well