Sun Orange and Sun Green

[Barb_FL]

I used SunGolds as the separator of the red ones.

ZipCode - Thanks for the info. Last season my Sakura's were not nearly as sweet as SunPeach but in the end, they kept their taste better. (Albeit the SunPeach's were 10 months old then and I had untreated Russet Mites).

Will update again when the others are ripe.

[Fred Hempel]

Amazing report! Thanks!!

[Greatgardens]

Wow! Lots of cherry toms! Thanks for the update. Can you update us on the full-sized tomatoes you are growing -- any ripe yet?


BTW -- I look out my window at the cold gray sky and brown grass, and your garden makes me so wishful that I had some green to look at (besides house plants). You have a gorgeous tomato garden!



-GG

Thank you; they look great, and no splitting!

[Barb_FL]

So this year I stayed home during the month of September and what a difference it made with the tomato fruit set regardless of temperature. It's been mostly really HOT and warm nights. But having a bunch of orchid bees visiting the garden from daybreak to sunset compensated for the hot temperatures. Fruit set on most tomatoes (large ones included) has been outstanding.

So on the SunSeries (and other cherry tomatoes). I'm growing 2 of each unless noted.
All are in Earthboxes and most have outgrown the cage extensions. All grown at least 2 years, some more.

Sun Orange - I've been eating them since October 23 on a daily basis.

Sun Cherry - The 2nd Sun Series to ripen

Sun Chocola - I also have ripe tomatoes too.

Sun Peach - Nothing ripe yet, but sharing the EB with a SunCherry; they outgrew the extensions over a week ago. Only 1, but I have some root cuttings.

Sun Lemon - I thought this was the weakest seedling of the Sun bunch, but not as a plant in an Earthbox. It has outstanding fruit set without a ton of foliage. I'm so glad I chose Sun Lemon over Esterina (which I decided is better in the spring than winter).

Sun Green - fruits are still small; much smaller than all the others

Sun Grape - Last year I grew in a 5 gallon root pouch and the area was crowded by a wall of cherry tomatoes. I still got a ton, but nothing like this season. Now it shares an Earthbox and what a huge difference. (only growing one)

Tomato Berry - (only growing one). Much further behind in fruit set this year vs last but it is sharing an earthbox and on the northwest side (lessor sun). Earthbox's mate is Edox (by Johnnyseeds - see comments below).

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Other cherry tomatoes:

Nector - nothing ripe yet - only 1, haven't been able to get a good clone. I love it last year but didn't have the longevity as the Tokita or Johnny's

Edox - WOW - might be the most productive plant ever - ripe tomatoes; I was waiting for them to turn brown from looking at the picture on Johnny's site, but it is a red tomato. A really bushy tomato plant. First time growing it.

Cherry Bomb - It's good that it is such a strong producer because sharing the EB with Edox who is a beast. Back from last year.

5 star grape - Only one; lots of fruit, nothing near ripe. Back from last year.

Braveheart - first time growing - up front on the pool deck, nothing near ripe.

Sweet Aperitif - first time growing, in a large Root Pouch; it is almost like a multiflora with all the flowers setting fruit. Nothing near ripe

Sun Sugar - Plant gets no morning sun, but lots of afternoon sun. First time growing it.

Honey Delight - Ping Pong ball size - excellent last year - nothing near ready. One plant gets no morning sun (shares EB) with Sun Sugar.

KARMA Pink - Also Ping Pong ball size - nothing near ready, in a Root Pouch.

[natural]

Thanks for the great post. I am considering growing some of the Sun Series. I grew Sunpeach last year and it was outstanding.

Bill

[RJGlew]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

So this year I stayed home during the month of September and what a difference it made

Hi Barb, thanks for taking the time to write this report. It sounds like you are off to a great start. I'm glad to learn you are giving SunGrape a good chance this year. I had a lot of volume from it last year, and good taste. Interesting to hear you are doing SunLemon over Esterina. I grew one SL from those very old Tokita seeds and gave it to a friend who grew it in a greenhouse and really liked it. I'll have to try it myself too.

I did Sweet Aperitif here for couple of years but it was only a `meh' for me. It will be interesting to hear how it does in FL.

Did you not like Tokita's Golden Cherry? I have grown it now for 2 years and am impressed by its sweetness when I follow Wayne's 7th ripe rule.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW079zJnglw

rg

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by RJGlew

Hi Barb, thanks for taking the time to write this report. It sounds like you are off to a great start. I'm glad to learn you are giving SunGrape a good chance this year. I had a lot of volume from it last year, and good taste. Interesting to hear you are doing SunLemon over Esterina. I grew one SL from those very old Tokita seeds and gave it to a friend who grew it in a greenhouse and really liked it. I'll have to try it myself too.

I did Sweet Aperitif here for couple of years but it was only a `meh' for me. It will be interesting to hear how it does in FL.

Did you not like Tokita's Golden Cherry? I have grown it now for 2 years and am impressed by its sweetness when I follow Wayne's 7th ripe rule.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW079zJnglw

rg

I totally forgot about Golden Cherry. I loved it and last Christmas it was my SIL favorite. Everyone could tell a slight difference in taste. I'm going to sow a couple of seeds now.

---
If Sweet Aperitif is just OK, I will pull the plant and use the space / (sun) for something else. It is in a Root Pouch so pulling it would not cause a problem like it would in an EB.

---
I didn't grow Sakura this year even though it meets my criteria but on the description at Johnny's it says it is a compact plant and the 3 times I grew it, it is a beast.

Thanks for the video clip; I watched it before but just noticed it was about Nectar.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by natural

Thanks for the great post. I am considering growing some of the Sun Series. I grew Sunpeach last year and it was outstanding.

Bill

After SunGold, I also started with Sun Peach because the seeds were easy to buy without spending a fortune to get a good seed price.

Then came the combo of Sun Peach, Sun Orange / Sun Gold and Sun Chocola. That was a great group.

I love them all.

[Barb_FL]

I got the 2020 Osborne Seed Catalogue yesterday - whew-it is beautiful with heavy glossy paper - very high quality catalogue.

Tokita has a new variety that they will be carrying called SunCitron.

There are 2 others in the line - SunGarnet and SunDoice but haven't found where they are available to purchase seeds.

I googled Tokita and found this information about the 3 of them:

Sundolce: Oval-shaped tomato with unique mix of taste and texture; sweet, juicy, and crisp all at the same time.
Suncitron: Pale yellow color of lemon. Refreshingly tart.
Sungarnet: Purple red. Large fruit. Very juicy.

----
Undecided about SunCitron b/c of the 'tart'.

----
So 2019-2020 season so far is going great. A very cold windy day today and wind in general has been bad for a long time.

SunGrape had earlier ripe fruits than Johnny's 5 Star grape

SunLemon is amazing.

SunCherry, SunOrange, and SunChocola have had a lot of ripe fruits.

[RJGlew]

Originally Posted by natural

Thanks for the great post. I am considering growing some of the Sun Series. I grew Sunpeach last year and it was outstanding.

Bill

That is excellent to hear - I like Sun Peach too. A few years ago a TV SP grower noted that although SP may not have the most spectacular flavour, he found it was always the plant he gravitated to when he wanted to eat some fresh from the vine. I grow 7 Sun series plants right next to my patio so they are immediately munchable, and the order I tend to look to eat them from the vine is a) Sun Cherry, b) Sun Peach, c) Golden Cherry, d) Sun Orange, e) Sun Gold, f) Sun Chocola, g) Sun Green. Initially I was really excited about Sun Green, but so far it has not been that great for me. Tokita have a new improved Sun Green which may be better, but for me now I would suggest that Burpee's Green Envy is a bit better.

[natural]

Barb,

Territorial has Sungarnet. I haven't tried it yet.

Bill

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by RJGlew

That is excellent to hear - I like Sun Peach too. A few years ago a TV SP grower noted that although SP may not have the most spectacular flavour, he found it was always the plant he gravitated to when he wanted to eat some fresh from the vine. I grow 7 Sun series plants right next to my patio so they are immediately munchable, and the order I tend to look to eat them from the vine is a) Sun Cherry, b) Sun Peach, c) Golden Cherry, d) Sun Orange, e) Sun Gold, f) Sun Chocola, g) Sun Green. Initially I was really excited about Sun Green, but so far it has not been that great for me. Tokita have a new improved Sun Green which may be better, but for me now I would suggest that Burpee's Green Envy is a bit better.

You forgot you are growing SunGrape.

My SunGreens are so far behind all the others and it was a robust seedling and large plant. I have 2 - one shares an EB with SunOrange and the other with Braveheart which BTW are no larger than Nectar.

I'm growing the same - Golden Cherry started way later, with the addition of SunLemon and TomatoBerry. TomatoBerry (only 1 plant) shares an EB with Edox (Johnny's creation) and is on the SouthWest side with Edox hogging all the Sun. Last year TomatoBerry was major productive and this year not so much.

Also BTW - Sweet Aperitif was pretty good. I did a taste test with SA, Braveheart and Edox and they were all similar. Sweet Aperitif is larger than I expected so that is good.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by natural

Barb,

Territorial has Sungarnet. I haven't tried it yet.

Bill

Thanks - I will check that out. I've never ordered from Terrotial b/c their shipping charges always turned me off.

Osborne btw has great shipping rates; they don't ever give extra seeds but all germinate and nice packaging.

[natural]

yeah. I've ordered from Osborne. Pretty happy so far. Shipping charges are too high at Territorial. That is why I did not order.