Earliest ripe tomato - the Sungold

ScottinAtlanta · May 30, 2019

Folks, I have never had a tomato ripen in May, so when I found a truss of Sungold cherries ripe yesterday, I was amazed. Off and running!

b54red · May 30, 2019

My first this year was a Dester followed closely by a Marianna's Peace. I noticed a Brandywine Cowlick's almost ready to blush this morning. This is later than usual for my first ones but then I was later than usual getting them into the garden because of late cool spells. It is so dry now that as soon as a tomato starts blushing well a bird will peck it so I am picking at first blush for now. I'm a bit surprised it is taking them so long to ripen with the near record heat every day for the past two weeks.

Bill

xellos99 · May 30, 2019

I am not surprised, I pollinated a Sungold flower on May 4th and im 52 N and your 33 N.
But I do cheat with a glasshouse.

Not sure how long till a ripe one though.

Dewayne mater · May 30, 2019

Sungold first at my place too. Followed by Cherokee Purple, Big Beef and Pink Berkley Tie Die.

Labradors2 · May 30, 2019

Good for you Scott!

I'm still waiting to plant out because the weather here has been so darned cold and wet. I have some compacts in pots with greenies on them at least and Maglia Rosa might be the first to bear ripe fruit, but the rest are going to take a while.

Linda

xellos99 · May 30, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by Labradors2

Good for you Scott!

I'm still waiting to plant out because the weather here has been so darned cold and wet. I have some compacts in pots with greenies on them at least and Maglia Rosa might be the first to bear ripe fruit, but it will take a while for the rest are going to take a while.

Linda

Just a quick heads up since you seem to be in a cold location.
Sungold seem to hate the cold.

Im growing Gardeners Delight next to it and I have been watching them for months.

My conclusion is the Sungold is far less cold hardy and suffered a lot more when it was cold nights.

gssgarden · May 30, 2019

Dang Scott! I’m in Charlotte and I’m still waiting. Hoping First Prize comes in the next week or so.

The warm spring let me plant out almost 2 weeks early.

Probably not May but first week of June ain’t bad either!

Greg

brownrexx · May 30, 2019

Sunsugar is always first for me but it's too soon yet. It was the first of my plants to flower though.

slugworth · May 30, 2019

4th of july hybrid or bloody butcher this year
the race is on.

peebee · May 30, 2019

Me too Scott! Been eating them all week.

Labradors2 · June 17, 2019

My earliest tomato is Galen's Yellow!

Linda

**nctomatoman** · June 17, 2019

Three way tie for me - June 14 - Sun Gold, Teensy Chocolate (dwarf tomato project candidate), volunteer red cherry from my local friend Sue. Days from transplant to ripe for each - 49, 30 and 30 days. Plants are in black 5 gallon grow bags (the latter 2), straw bale for the Sun Gold

clkeiper · June 17, 2019

Homeslice for me this year... but I started them in Feb and planted them in 3 gal pots then placed the pots in the hightunnel. I did plant a few in the high tunnel too and those are just starting to ripen this week. nice sized slicers.

PhilaGardener · June 18, 2019

Sungold is leading the race in my garden but too much rain has gotten all the varieties bogged down this spring.

Melissa S · June 20, 2019

The race is on here. It's probably between sun sugar and black cherry, as they are the only ones with set fruit near to mature size. Sun gold would have been in the running, but the cats took out the main stem with some tomato patch wrestling plant is recovering fine, but lost those first fruits.

My best guess is it will be a few more weeks yet. Black krim is likely to blow all our other larger tomatoes out of the water, it's been setting fruit well and has one especially large green tomato on it. Can't wait to see the first blush!

May 30, 2019	#1
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Earliest ripe tomato - the Sungold Folks, I have never had a tomato ripen in May, so when I found a truss of Sungold cherries ripe yesterday, I was amazed. Off and running!

May 30, 2019	#5
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,896	Good for you Scott! I'm still waiting to plant out because the weather here has been so darned cold and wet. I have some compacts in pots with greenies on them at least and Maglia Rosa might be the first to bear ripe fruit, but the rest are going to take a while. Linda Last edited by Labradors2; May 30, 2019 at 04:58 PM.

June 17, 2019	#12
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Three way tie for me - June 14 - Sun Gold, Teensy Chocolate (dwarf tomato project candidate), volunteer red cherry from my local friend Sue. Days from transplant to ripe for each - 49, 30 and 30 days. Plants are in black 5 gallon grow bags (the latter 2), straw bale for the Sun Gold __________________ Craig

June 17, 2019	#13
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	Homeslice for me this year... but I started them in Feb and planted them in 3 gal pots then placed the pots in the hightunnel. I did plant a few in the high tunnel too and those are just starting to ripen this week. nice sized slicers. __________________ carolyn k

May 30, 2019	#2
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	My first this year was a Dester followed closely by a Marianna's Peace. I noticed a Brandywine Cowlick's almost ready to blush this morning. This is later than usual for my first ones but then I was later than usual getting them into the garden because of late cool spells. It is so dry now that as soon as a tomato starts blushing well a bird will peck it so I am picking at first blush for now. I'm a bit surprised it is taking them so long to ripen with the near record heat every day for the past two weeks. Bill

May 30, 2019	#3
xellos99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: wales uk Posts: 236	I am not surprised, I pollinated a Sungold flower on May 4th and im 52 N and your 33 N. But I do cheat with a glasshouse. Not sure how long till a ripe one though.

May 30, 2019	#4
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Sungold first at my place too. Followed by Cherokee Purple, Big Beef and Pink Berkley Tie Die.

May 30, 2019	#7
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,827	Dang Scott! I’m in Charlotte and I’m still waiting. Hoping First Prize comes in the next week or so. The warm spring let me plant out almost 2 weeks early. Probably not May but first week of June ain’t bad either! Greg

May 30, 2019	#8
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	Sunsugar is always first for me but it's too soon yet. It was the first of my plants to flower though.

May 30, 2019	#9
slugworth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: connecticut,usa Posts: 1,152	4th of july hybrid or bloody butcher this year the race is on.

May 30, 2019	#10
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	Me too Scott! Been eating them all week.

June 18, 2019	#14
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	Sungold is leading the race in my garden but too much rain has gotten all the varieties bogged down this spring.

June 20, 2019	#15
Melissa S Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 17	The race is on here. It's probably between sun sugar and black cherry, as they are the only ones with set fruit near to mature size. Sun gold would have been in the running, but the cats took out the main stem with some tomato patch wrestling plant is recovering fine, but lost those first fruits. My best guess is it will be a few more weeks yet. Black krim is likely to blow all our other larger tomatoes out of the water, it's been setting fruit well and has one especially large green tomato on it. Can't wait to see the first blush!