Sun Gold Ripe?

[amideutch]

My Sun Golds are now turning yellow. What are the indicators when ripe and how long can you leave them on the vine. Ami

[Suze]

Dead ripe for Sungold is deep orange, but it is one of those varieties that in my opinion, has two stages of ripeness. I tend to prefer it when it's a more of an orange juice colored orange, and even lighter at stem end. At that stage, I find it to have the sweetness Sungold is known for, and also some pleasant tartness. It's so productive, you'll have plenty in various stages of ripeness to taste test to figure out your preference.

How long you would leave them on the vine on depends on your preferences and also how susceptible to splitting it is in your garden. Sungold rarely splits for me as it seems to do for so many others (maybe because of always growing it in well draining soil/raised beds or containers), and I'm not one to usually leave tomatoes on the vine until dead ripe anyway. Once you get a fair amount of color blushing about halfway up the fruits, it's fine to pick and ripen on indoors.

Not the sharpest picture, but many of the ones in the basket (with Mexico Midget and Black Cherry) are about how I personally prefer them. Some are a little riper/darker.

[PeteD]

I find them to lose appeal and get an off flavor when dead ripe. Don't be afraid to pick at different stages and adjust to your taste. When just ripe, I find them to be great tasting with good texture.

Pete

[amideutch]

Suze, thank you for you very detailed answer, as always.
PeteD, will give it a go. Thanks
Here is a couple pictures I took showing SG in different phases of ripening. Ami

[bully]

Here is a shot to compare it to another yellow cherry

I had my first Sungold of the year yesterday..Mmmm

[amideutch]

Bully, what's that big red thing behind bully jr.? Ami

[tjg911]

ami,

personal preference, but i like them dead ripe. if yellow/yellowish in color then they have a bit of a tangy taste and i like that too but deep orange is the best to me.

i never have cracking problems with sun gold tho many people do. i pick them before they get too far past yellow maybe just approaching orange and let them fully ripen in the house.

tom

[where_with_all]

The sweetest taste happens when Sun Golds are dark orange.

It is a tradeoff. Leave on the vine too long and they get black dots and start to get mushy. Or worse- the birds eat them. pick them too soon and then they taste like any other cherry tomato-acidic with sugarry overtones.

I know lots of people have problems with cracking. I have clay soil and have grown both sun gold and sun sugar ( the strain of sun gold that is less prone to cracking). I don't seem to have that problem. sun gold is sweeter and better tasteing then sun sugar. I think you just have to control how much you water them.

I had my first bunch of sungold last week. I love them. They never make it back to the house.

Where with all

[bully]

Hmm..that pic is a year old but I want to say German Johnson..I doubt that's right..I just like to say "German Johnson"

[Bryan24]

Ami,
As always, it's a matter of personal choice. I happen to think (personally) that in the second pic, the one dead center and just to the left of that look just about perfect. But, I tend to prefer tomatoes a little more on the tart side. I like them when more golden orange than deep apricot. It just happens that Sungold is one of the few tomatoes I've eaten from the garden this year. lots of huge plants, doggie eating the greenies, so not many ripe toms, yet.

laurel-tx