When to Pick Sungold

[AlittleSalt]

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]

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]

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]

Ah okay. Finally something will look good in UT orange

[Worth1]

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

[AlittleSalt]

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:

[Worth1]

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

[jmsieglaff]

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

[wormgirl]

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]

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

[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.

[KarenO]

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

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by KarenO

you need Cherokee chocolate then
KO

And Cherokee Lemon, and Cherokee Lime Stripes! Stay Tuned to Carolyn's seed offers.

[carolyn137]

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.

Cherokee Chocolate is the same as Cherokee Purple, but did have a mutation that appeared in Craig's garden, CP has a clear epidermis and CC mutated to a yellow epidermis which gave it that darker color.

No, Cherokee Green and Cherokee Lime are very different varieties with different origins,

I see that Tania has not listed Cherokee Lime yet, but Googling will answer that question.

Then there's Cherokee Lime Stripes andothe Cherokeeones as well.

Just noting that my tax preparer has been here for the last two hours, I had papers to sign, and we ended up talking about food, so it anyone has answered the question before I hit the submit button, I apologize,

Carolyn

[wormgirl]

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.