I grew both sungold and sunsugar last year, allowing me to do a head to head comparison.

Tastewise, they were very similar. In fact, I did a blind tasting among friends, and most could not tell the difference. I think I had one or two people (out of twelve) who displayed a slight preference for sungold, but it was so close, probably within the margin of error.

Grow-wise, both were productive (over 500 tomatoes each), and yes, both were prone to splitting after heavy rains. That said, if you are conscious of the forecast, and pick those that are slightly under-ripe (and let them ripen on the counter), you can probably still collect 80-90% of them, blemish free.

Bottom line for me, I didnt see enough of a difference to prefer one over the other. This year, I will just grow one, probably the first healthy looking one I find at the nursery.

Both are F1 hybrids, both were introduced by Thompson and Morgan and both were bred in the far East, I'd have to check but I think I remember Sungold F1 was bred by Sakata and probably Sunsugar F1 as well.

I read at several message sites and all I can say is that some like one better than the other, and some like the other one better. LOL

I've grown Sungold F1 from time it was introduced, and a couple of OP versions of it as well, and I like it.

No two seasons are the same and no two folks grow their tomatoes the same, so to make a decision I think both should be grown in the same season, which eliminates all the many varaibles.

Carolyn

If I'm not mistaken, Sungold was developed by Tokita. Sakata developed Sweet Million.

Cheers,
Djole

Djole, could well be. I didn't take the time to double check and so many varieties were bred by both Tokita and Sakata.

Carolyn, who just Googled it and it is Tokita. (Smile)

I've grown both (together), and now only grow Sun Sugar. Both are delicious, but I had much less splitting with S.S. It was comical at times when growing Sun Gold -- I would gently take the fruit in my fingers to pick it, and it would immediately split. Or, split as it was put in the basket. Of course, these were dead ripe. Anyway, I don't have near the splitting with S.S.
wc2k8

I've learned to pick my Sunsugars early, and let them sit around for a week or more to turn a dark orange. No splitting worries there.

I decided to try Sunsugar last year because I had heard that they were nearly identical in all aspects to Sun Gold, other than they split less. And that's just what I found. For me, they do split less and might be a tad larger than the Sun Golds.

Well Dang, I wish this discussion had come up before I ordered my seeds! I would have ordered Sunsugar. Well, forewarned is fore armed or some such. I have ways of dealing with cracked cherry tomatoes.

To Woodcutter,
Forgot about that! You are right. I have also had Sun Gold split as I picked them. Had to eat a lot of them in the garden.

I had great luck growing Sun Sugar in the past, but I couldn't find seeds or plants locally last year, so I grew Sun Gold. That one plant branched off in ten different directions and grew like crazy - I had cherry tomatoes for the entire neighbourhood! I've grown SG in the past, but never as successful as last year. I had thought Sun Sugar was the more vigorous plant but now I'm not sure. Taste-wise they were similar and if I remember correctly, the SS cracked less.

I prefer Sunsugar. To me, Sun Gold has an odd off-taste or aftertaste by midseason and I don't like them anymore. I eat Sunsugar all season and don't get tired of them. Also, in my summer-dry climate, Sun Gold splits when it's picked, and Sunsugar doesn't.

Can anyone tell whether anyone of these cherry tomatoes can grow in hot climate, or any other cherry tomatoes that can be grown in hot climate.....Thanks

I grew Sun Gold for two years, but then switched to Sun Sugar. We often have periods of heavy rain in our climate and Sun Gold splits too much after rain. I almost don't have this problem with Sun Sugar (very minor splitting). Also, I like that Sun Sugar fruits are bigger and as sweet as Sun Gold.

I grew both last year. Both split. Both are productive. Both taste great. Both sell great. Not much difference in my 6A garden. Can't go wrong with either.

Shell

I can't disagree with any of the comments in this thread. I have grown both, disproportionatly, for many years. I'm still looking for the new variety that comes close to either in flavor, but with larger clusters that ripen together.

I somewhat detest the medicinal odor to the plant foliage of both. If you eat while picking you can even detect that component in the flavor of these that some find objectionable but I suspect it also makes them so irresistible.

Last summer I bough some Esterina (F1) from farmers market. I found them better than Sun Gold. I saved seeds and I will try F2 version to see how close it is too F1.

Not just they were sweet, they had better texture / flavor and I think less seeds too.

They are at the bottom of the bowl. Other ones are Limmony , Red Zebra, moskovich and Black Krim.

sey

Tried Esterina and just not the same Wow factor as the Suns. This year I'm adding Santorange ( orange grape), Apero (red grape) and Sweet Aperitif (red cherry, 13 brix) to the lineup. I doubt any of these will compare to flavor profile of SunSugar or SunGold. Even SunPeach, said to be a sister of SunGold, is just missing something in its flavor.

I am trying Yellow Mini this year.

I have not tried Sun Sugar, but I have given up on Sungold. They split so much you just wind up with a huge headache of split rotting tomatoes. At some points in the season they are basically an eat immediately after harvesting tomato, because they split from the most basic of handling and proceed to mold rapidly, yet they churn out so much, basically straight to the compost. I was just dropping them on the ground to compost in place last year.

I don't even think they taste that great -- there is a huge variability in their taste to me. You need to pick them at peak ripeness, after they turn color. It is very hard to judge out in the sun. They can be very tart and not sweet at all if not extra ripe, when they become a fruitish level of sweet.

I just potted up two Sun Gold. I might even try Jaune Flammee , in my second batch. along with Esterina F2.

Sun Gold splits even on the counter some time, if it is over ripe, The remedy , IMO, is to pick them early while there is hint of green on them and let it sit on the counter to get nice golden color. It is like some okra that you have to pick twice a day, otherwise they will get woody. In the case of SG they will split.

Sey

I totally agree with Seysonn on Esterina F1. Grew it last summer side by side with Sun Sugar - and find them even sweeter than Sun Sugar. Amazing yellow cherry.

I now grow Sun Sugar (seems to split less than Sungold) , but agree both are very good. Splits on either were never a problem as they they were devoured before going bad. ;-)

Jaune Flamme performs well in my garden. We grew it last year. Thinking about growing it again this year. It works/looks great in a colorful box mix. Our latest always under revision small fruit list includes: Jaune Flamme, Pink Ping Pong, Dark Galaxy, Kiss the Sky, Butter Apple and 4th of July. We're trying Napa Chardonnay and Brad's Atomic Grape this year too.

I totally agree with the Sun Gold assessments. It's a love/hate relationship. We've decided to give Sun Gold/Sun Sugar a break this year and will not be growing them.

Some of the small varieties we grew last year were Blush, Purple Bumble Bee, Green Zebra Cherry, Kazachka, Cosmic Eclipse, Jaune Flamme, Ron's Carbon Copy, Chocolate Sprinkles, Painted Pink, Black Cherry, Sun Sugar and Sun Gold. The clear winners were Kazachka, Painted Pink and Jaune Flamme.

We haven't tried Esterina nor Orange Paruche but would like too. The feedback seems good for both.

The seed swaps are done for now but the start list still seems to get modified daily. The countdown has started for us. 4 weeks until we start seeds.

Shell

Talking about grow list modification . I have already potted up 14 varieties. I have probably 20 more to go in my second germination. I am debating Jaune Flammee'. I have given Sun Gold a second chance this year. It seems tome that from all the reviews, there is no measurable difference between SG and SS. So why bother to try both.

Sey

I grow Sun Sugar and it seems to split less for me than Sun Sugar. Here in inland SoCal, most cherry or saladette size tomatoes fare better once the high heat sets in.

I use to grow Sun Gold then the nursery started only selling Sun Sugar because they said I will like them better and they were so right. I live in a very dry, low humidity area southwestern Idaho. In 100 degree weather I water daily but normally every other day flood around the bottom. My Sun Sugar never split and my plants are 7 feet tall and loaded with fruit, I pick a medium size mixing bowl everday off of 2 plants. They are so sweet it's like eating candy! My family and neighbors love to receive them from me! I also won a ribbon last year for the Sun Sugar at our State Fair

I love Sunsugar tomatoes! I find I eat them all in the garden (invoking grower's privilege) and only bring a few inside for my family. That'll change when they start all ripening at once, but for now it's 3 for me, 1 for the family.

Haven`t had much of a problem with Sungold splitting, but now want to try Jelly Bean Cherry tomato. Anyone tried it? I live in the hot dry desert.

I used to grow Jelly Bean, which is a grape. It tastes somewhat comparable to cherries sold in grocery stores. It is not super yummy like Sungold/sugar, Esterina, etc. When I discovered the Suns, I quit Jelly Bean and SuperSweet100. They just are not comparable.

The Jelly Bean plant is rather small. About the size of SS100. Much thinner and much less husky than the Suns.

By the way, to set the record straight, I thought Sunsugar was bred by Peto, not Tokita like Sungold. I checked Seminis' product list, and I was right. I have always wondered how such similar cultivars we're bred by such apparently unrelated companies. Do they share breeding cultivars? I would think the breeding cultivars would be trade secrets.

Also, I just learned how to spell the name. Sunsugar is properly spelled as one word.

Just a quick comment. I have grown both Sun Gold and Sun Sugar sometimes both in the same season. Last year I grew Sun Sugar and it was low in production compared to previous years and taste was so so. This year I am growing Sun Gold and it has gone rogue! I have not had a problem with splitting and considering the amount of rain we've had this summer, it is surprising. All to say, in any given year a variety can be fabulous or a bust.

The foliage does have a weird funky smell compared to other tomatoes that is for sure. I will continue to grow one or the other permanently in my garden. Jaune Flamme was good but I wasn't that thrilled with it.

Growing Sun Sugar for the first time this year. All of the Sun Golds that split open, provided they aren't visibly rotting, go straight into a boiling pot of broth, basil, & coconut milk, then a blender.