Will the real Lemon Drop please stand up?

[Labradors2]

I was just chatting with someone who worked for many years at a seed sanctuary, and ought to know his tomatoes.

I called him to see if he could throw some light on a tomato that I obtained from him, years ago, which I assumed was Yellow Pear, but it has Potato Leaves. Obviously it wasn't (Regular Leafed) YP, but it came true for five years until this year when it produced round yellow cherry tomatoes.

He didn't think I had the true YP and told me that the only thing similar which he grows is Lemon Drop which has yellow cherry tomatoes, potato leaves, is early and sweet. He said that it is rare and difficult to find seeds for Lemon Drop.

It sounded interesting, so I looked it up:


Tatianas doesn't show a lot of info for LD. They say it is indeterminate and show pictures of a very cute deep yellow coloured plum with a nipple.


Googling turns up info that LD was a sport of Snow White, has won awards, is translucent, cherry-sized and can be grown in a container. Other sites say it's a currant.


None of these describe my plant which grows like a yellow pear (with PL's), and looked like one until this summer.

However, I'd like to find a tasty and early yellow cherry!


Linda

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I was just chatting with someone who worked for many years at a seed sanctuary, and ought to know his tomatoes.

I called him to see if he could throw some light on a tomato that I obtained from him, years ago, which I assumed was Yellow Pear, but it has Potato Leaves. Obviously it wasn't (Regular Leafed) YP, but it came true for five years until this year when it produced round yellow cherry tomatoes.

He didn't think I had the true YP and told me that the only thing similar which he grows is Lemon Drop which has yellow cherry tomatoes, potato leaves, is early and sweet. He said that it is rare and difficult to find seeds for Lemon Drop.

It sounded interesting, so I looked it up:


Tatianas doesn't show a lot of info for LD. They say it is indeterminate and show pictures of a very cute deep yellow coloured plum with a nipple.


Googling turns up info that LD was a sport of Snow White, has won awards, is translucent, cherry-sized and can be grown in a container. Other sites say it's a currant.


None of these describe my plant which grows like a yellow pear (with PL's), and looked like one until this summer.

However, I'd like to find a tasty and early yellow cherry!


Linda

Linda, I also did some Googling and found much misinformation about Lemon Drop, but no matter since you don't have Lemon Drop IMO.

Since I already have on my C and P, what I'm sure you have is Yellow Submarine which looks like YP but is PL:

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Yellow_Submarine

I have two other links but no reason to put them here, one from SSE and one from GW, but both refer to Lemon Drop, so no reason to post them.

We've talked about the nun's Seed Sanctuary near you before, and I know I've said before that you really can't believe some of what comes from there, or indeed the seeds that they do sell. And I know the man of whom you speak and we've talked about him here before as well.

Yellow Submarine is the only YP looking variety that has PL foliage. So that's what you grew for 5 years, and why you now say the fruits are cherry shaped is anyones guess for I can only speak to the original Yellow Submarine, which is early and yellow fruited, as is YP

Another early one with yellow gold fruits and PL that I love is Galina's;

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Galina%27s_Yellow

As for other early ones, Tania has a great list of earlies as does Jeff Casey at Casey's Heirloomsof Airdrie. Tania's website you know and Jeff is also in Canada and his website is listed in the seed sources here. Just look for early yellow fruited ones and I'm sure you'll find many.

Hope that helps,

Carolyn, edited to add that from all the pictures I saw and also read descriptions there was no info that Lemon Drop was PL.

[Labradors2]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Since I already have on my C and P, what I'm sure you have is Yellow Submarine which looks like YP but is PL:

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Yellow_Submarine

Yellow Submarine is the only YP looking variety that has PL foliage. So that's what you grew for 5 years, and why you now say the fruits are cherry shaped is anyones guess for I can only speak to the original Yellow Submarine, which is early and yellow fruited, as is YP

Another early one with yellow gold fruits and PL that I love is Galina's;

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Galina%27s_Yellow

As for other early ones, Tania has a great list of earlies as does Jeff Casey at Casey's Heirloomsof Airdrie. Tania's website you know and Jeff is also in Canada and his website is listed in the seed sources here. Just look for early yellow fruited ones and I'm sure you'll find many.

Hope that helps,

Carolyn, edited to add that from all the pictures I saw and also read descriptions there was no info that Lemon Drop was PL.

Hi Carolyn,

Thank you so much for all the info.

I think you are right, and that I grew Yellow Submarine for at least 5 years. It now looks as if it has morphed into Galina's Yellow{LOL}. Whatever it is grows prolifically and early.

Thanks very much for the link to Casey's Heirlooms which looks like a great site. I will check his site and Tania's for some early yellows.

That's too funny that Lemon Drop isn't a Potato Leaf

Cheers,
Linda

[Cole_Robbie]

To repeat what was said above, I have Lemon Drop this year, and it is regular-leaved. The fruit are grape-tomato sized.

Speaking of small yellow tomatoes, I got Chang Li from tormato's seed swap. It is a Chinese heirloom yellow pear. My plants are prolific, high-yielding, and everyone has loved the flavor. I am definitely growing it again.

[linzelu100]

I too am growing lemon drop and I agree with what Cole Robbie states, regular leaf and grape sized....mine is extremely prolific. The most prolific tomato plant I have this year.

Chang Li sounds interesting....if you do the swap this year, you'll have to add that one!

[Labradors2]

I'd like to try Chang Li next year. I can't find much info about it though.

Is Lemon Drop tasty as well as prolific for you guys? Is it early?

Thanks,
Linda

[WhippoorwillG]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

Is Lemon Drop tasty as well as prolific for you guys? Is it early?

Thanks,
Linda

Lemon drop is our go-to for a (pale) yellow grape. It is somewhat prolific, delicious, and kinda early. It ripens later than Sungold and about the same time as Super Sweet 100.

For comparison, we grew Lollipop this year. At least for this season, Lemon Drop beat out Lollipop in almost every category: earliness, yield, hardiness, flavor.


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[linzelu100]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I'd like to try Chang Li next year. I can't find much info about it though.

Is Lemon Drop tasty as well as prolific for you guys? Is it early?

Thanks,
Linda

I hate the texture of Lemon Drop, but my sister and brother loveeeeee them. You know taste is subjective, but here's what I can tell you about them in my opinion. Sour and tart like sungold, but not as sweet. A lot of gel/juice in the interior. The kind of tomato that drips from your mouth, bursts when you bite it. That's what I don't like, but my siblings love. It was our first time growing them as a trial. I wouldn't grow them again, but my sister has already saved seed for next year. I am putting some of the lemon drop seed into Tormato's seed swap this year.

Most prolific tomato we have, we pick every other day, 20-30 or so. That's a lot for us. We don't have natural green thumbs. I usually get 4-5 sungolds every other day, if that helps for comparison. The earliest tomato in my family garden, the second earliest in my private garden (beat by sungold).

[Labradors2]

Hoping to get some Lemon Drop and maybe some Chang Li in the seed swap this fall!

Thanks for all the info.

Linda