Sungold tomatoes

[Pompeylottie]

Last week I sowed a few Sungold seeds I collected in 2011 - they have come up in a few days in the propogator. I have a niggle in the back if my mind that F1 seeds wont be fertile - is this right? will I get any tomatoes off the plants I am raising?
Thank you

[Potstubsdustbins]

As this is the first year your chances are better than 50/50 but I doubt it will be worth saving them again.

Potty

[zazen999]

Last week I sowed a few Sungold seeds I collected in 2011 - they have come up in a few days in the propogator. I have a niggle in the back if my mind that F1 seeds wont be fertile - is this right? will I get any tomatoes off the plants I am raising?
Thank you

It's not to do with fertility. It's to do with not being likely to be the same as their parents as they were F1 hybrids. So you are more likely to get either one of the parents of the Sungold, rather than a sungold itself.

[rustylady]

Last week I sowed a few Sungold seeds I collected in 2011 - they have come up in a few days in the propogator. I have a niggle in the back if my mind that F1 seeds wont be fertile - is this right? will I get any tomatoes off the plants I am raising?
Thank you

No reason why you shouldn't get tomatoes. I grew plants from home-saved Sungold last year and the tomatoes were lovely.

The thing about F1 plants is that they are produced by crossing two particular plants. They produce seeds, as you have found out. Those seeds will grow into plants that will produce tomatoes, but because you haven't performed the cross between the two specific varieties to produce the seeds that you saved the plants will not be Sungold although they may be just as good.

Bit long winded, but I hope you see what I mean.

[Ananke]

Slightly off topic, I've heard so much about these sungold tomatoes but I've never tasted them. Are they worth spending the extra cash on?

I'd definately be saving the seeds, I love not knowing what I'll get.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Like all toms it depends on your taste buds. I like sweet toms to eat straight from the plant and Sungold are pretty much perfect for me on a sweetness scale they would rate at least a 9.

Having said that I also grow Black Cherry and Green Zebra which are more acidic and therefore have more bite.

One of the pleasure's of growing toms is that the only way to find out if you like them is to grow some and taste.

Colin

[Dotty Sarah]

Slightly off topic, I've heard so much about these sungold tomatoes but I've never tasted them. Are they worth spending the extra cash on?

Not necessarily more expensive, I picked up some sungold seeds from the pound shop last year!

[Barking Postlethwaite]

One of the reasons we grow Sungold is that it has proved so very reliable over many seasons - we've had some pretty duff years when other varieties haven't produced but we always get a good crop off them.

[Potstubsdustbins]

So right BP, even last year I was able to take them to 5 trusses with plus of 20 toms per truss. Thats a lot of tom for your pennies.

Potty

[zazen999]

Not necessarily more expensive, I picked up some sungold seeds from the pound shop last year!

You can usually get them in the garden centre 50p sale around November.

[Ananke]

I must go get some seeds then.

[Moopmoop]

I have never grown Sungold before but I was planning to this year, I'm getting a bit worried about how sweet they are going to be though. As said above there's only 1 way to find out if I like them and that's by growing them.

[Two_Sheds]

I grow "son of" Sungold and "son of" Golden Gem ... I can't tell the difference

[Mr Bones]

I have never grown Sungold before but I was planning to this year, I'm getting a bit worried about how sweet they are going to be though.

I find them sweet tasting but not in the same way as the Supersweet varieties. Sungold (to me) have more of a spice flavour. They also grow well as a vine; had one plant last year with a number of branches, one of which was almost eight feet long growing round the eaves of the greenhouse. Each truss was weighed down with a cascade of fruit.

[WilliamD]

.. a number of branches, one of which was almost eight feet long growing round the eaves of the greenhouse. Each truss was weighed down with a cascade of fruit.

Wow! Glad I've got some on the go now. Looking forward to that kind of harvest.