Various Cherry Tomatoes, taste and ease - Page 3

NarnianGarden · July 10, 2013

I will check out Koralik - it supposedly is more disease and weather resistant than Maskotka. Having both on my list.

TomatoFest is one of my fave sites for learning, but they have a minimum order limit, and I don't like to place a big order, in case our customs authorities see the packet as suspicious and decide to confiscate it. Ebay is great for making small purchases from different vendors, and usually very cheap, just 2-3 $. That way, if one seed envelope gets lost, it is not so frustrating.

zipcode · July 10, 2013

You probably should say what type of taste you expect, and what diseases you have problems with since pretty much all cherries are fast to ripen, except a few, like Black Cherry.
I have found that most of the recommendations you find on american forums tend towards sweet when defining good taste, which is not what I was looking for a few years ago.
I can recommend Galina as a great cherry, balanced, that doesn't get sweet even in containers. Doesn't split, keeps well. It is disease prone however.
Koralik and Matt's wild cherry have some late blight resistance, and are pretty good. Strong taste and not too sweet if picked slightly earlier.
Black cherry is rather late but much more productive than most cherries, can be pruned, very good taste, with acid tasting gel and very sweet walls. Splits easily.

NarnianGarden · July 10, 2013

I guess I like all flavors that are not too bland- aromatic is what I'm hoping for. The cherry tomatoes available in supermarkets here can be either very good or tasteless, even from the same grower. You never know, so it's quite a gamble. I love them in salads, so I keep on buying them... but I assume any homegrown will probably taste better than the supermarket varieties.

Salty and tangy would be lovely too, but at least some sweetness is needed for a good tasting tomato, imho.
Black Cherry seems an overall winner - will give it a serious thought, also Red Robin and the smaller currant variety pimpi...

AKmark · July 10, 2013

Blk Cherry, Sun Gold, Ildi, Sweet Isis Candy, Sweetie, Tiny Tim, and Tumblers.
Sun Gold is the best taste, Blk Cherry second, Ildi good too.
Ildi is a freak when growing, compact with hudreds of fruit, simply amazing. Pic of Ildi

NarnianGarden · July 10, 2013

Yeah, looks great! Ildi seeds are widely available in Finland in any larger supermarket, I have seen them. Will try next year, hope it will do well in a pot.

AKmark · July 10, 2013

All of mine are in 20 gallon smart pots, no problem

Qweniden · July 10, 2013

You said you don't like hybrids but Sun Gold is an amazingly flavorful tomato. One of the few hybrids I grow and totally worth it.

NarnianGarden · July 10, 2013

Instead of SunGold, I would opt for Cheesmanii - it looks so pretty and is said to be sweet as sugar

But it might not do well here in this climate zone, as it is a native to the much warmer Galapagos Islands.

July 10, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

Instead of SunGold, I would opt for Cheesmanii - it looks so pretty and is said to be sweet as sugar

But it might not do well here in this climate zone, as it is a native to the much warmer Galapagos Islands.

The Galapagos Islands are amazing for their genetic diversity or possibly lack of diversity, but I didn't know any tomato was native to them. I thought all tomato genetics were native to South America ranging from the coast into the Andes. I guess a sea bird could have carried some seed from Argentina to the Galapagos. I love this forum. I learn something new every time I log on.

Ted

NarnianGarden · July 10, 2013

That's why the internet is so handy

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/conte...cheesmanii.htm

Several sources call it 'Galapagos Islands Tomato', so it might well be true, although it sounds surprising.
Probably there was a land connection between the Galapagos Islands and South American continent a long time ago... or indeed it was a bird who carried the seed with them

AKmark · July 10, 2013

Hmmmm, not sure I can agree with an "instead of SunGold" statement, they are that good. I would say "another good one is."

July 10, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKmark

Hmmmm, not sure I can agree with an "instead of SunGold" statement, they are that good. I would say "another good one is."

I'm curious how much climate effects Sungold F1. I've grown it for three seasons and decided last summer that I really don't like it. The tomatoes are too small for me. The sweet taste is more like some kind of berry type fruit than a tomato. The skins split easily while still hanging on the vine or as they are transported from the garden to the kitchen. When mid summer high heat arrives, my vines always die. I'm wondering if the cooler climates from the northern United States to Alaska is more conducive to growing Sungold F1.

Ted

livinonfaith · July 10, 2013

Honestly, I haven't eaten a (home grown) cherry yet that I didn't like. The ones in the garden this year are Black Cherry and White Rabbit, but I've had Sweet Million before and enjoyed those, too.

Only one cherry plant I've ever grown didn't do very well. (And, trust me, I am NOT a great gardener and my area has a ton of disease issues!) Year after year, they tend to be the most productive, tasty, and trouble free tomatoes in my garden.

So, if you have the space, why not try two or three that have gotten good reviews! With cherries you rarely have anything to lose.

discoprincess · July 10, 2013

I have heard good things about Gold Nugget. It's a hybrid that is sweet like a SunGold, and has a short DTM, but it is also determinate.

**carolyn137** · July 10, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

Instead of SunGold, I would opt for Cheesmanii - it looks so pretty and is said to be sweet as sugar

But it might not do well here in this climate zone, as it is a native to the much warmer Galapagos Islands.

There are many accessions from the Galapgos, some named, some not.The annual SSE Yearbook lists many of them.

My favorite one is Sara's Galapagos:

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/w...%27s_Galapagos

i've also grown S. Cheesmanii, best known for salt tolerance and also used in breeding efforts. And it sure wasn't sweet as sugar for me or for others that I know who have grown it.

http://www.google.com/#output=search...w=1474&bih=525

Carolyn

July 10, 2013	#32
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	You probably should say what type of taste you expect, and what diseases you have problems with since pretty much all cherries are fast to ripen, except a few, like Black Cherry. I have found that most of the recommendations you find on american forums tend towards sweet when defining good taste, which is not what I was looking for a few years ago. I can recommend Galina as a great cherry, balanced, that doesn't get sweet even in containers. Doesn't split, keeps well. It is disease prone however. Koralik and Matt's wild cherry have some late blight resistance, and are pretty good. Strong taste and not too sweet if picked slightly earlier. Black cherry is rather late but much more productive than most cherries, can be pruned, very good taste, with acid tasting gel and very sweet walls. Splits easily. Last edited by zipcode; July 10, 2013 at 12:28 PM.

July 10, 2013	#36
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Smart pots All of mine are in 20 gallon smart pots, no problem

July 10, 2013	#41
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Instead of Sun Gold? Hmmmm, not sure I can agree with an "instead of SunGold" statement, they are that good. I would say "another good one is."

July 10, 2013	#31
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	I will check out Koralik - it supposedly is more disease and weather resistant than Maskotka. Having both on my list. TomatoFest is one of my fave sites for learning, but they have a minimum order limit, and I don't like to place a big order, in case our customs authorities see the packet as suspicious and decide to confiscate it. Ebay is great for making small purchases from different vendors, and usually very cheap, just 2-3 $. That way, if one seed envelope gets lost, it is not so frustrating.

July 10, 2013	#37
Qweniden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 267	You said you don't like hybrids but Sun Gold is an amazingly flavorful tomato. One of the few hybrids I grow and totally worth it.

July 10, 2013	#40
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	That's why the internet is so handy http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/conte...cheesmanii.htm Several sources call it 'Galapagos Islands Tomato', so it might well be true, although it sounds surprising. Probably there was a land connection between the Galapagos Islands and South American continent a long time ago... or indeed it was a bird who carried the seed with them

July 10, 2013	#43
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	Honestly, I haven't eaten a (home grown) cherry yet that I didn't like. The ones in the garden this year are Black Cherry and White Rabbit, but I've had Sweet Million before and enjoyed those, too. Only one cherry plant I've ever grown didn't do very well. (And, trust me, I am NOT a great gardener and my area has a ton of disease issues!) Year after year, they tend to be the most productive, tasty, and trouble free tomatoes in my garden. So, if you have the space, why not try two or three that have gotten good reviews! With cherries you rarely have anything to lose.

July 10, 2013	#44
discoprincess Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57	I have heard good things about Gold Nugget. It's a hybrid that is sweet like a SunGold, and has a short DTM, but it is also determinate.