Tag: cherry tomatoes

Orange yellow red cherry tomatoes

Cherry Tomato Taste Test

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On October 19, 2020

In Gardening

Do you enjoy trying new tomato varieties? I know I do! Each year I plant some new varieties as well as some old favorites. I only have room comfortably in my garden for two cherry tomato plants, but I bought some extra tomato plants this year and squeezed them in 🙂  Now they are producing more tomatoes than we can eat!  Read on to learn my thoughts on this year’s crop.

Sugar Rush

Sugar Rush red cherry tomatoes held in hand
Sugar Rush tomato
My Rating5/5 stars
TypeIndeterminate
ColorRed
ShapeGrape
Days to Maturity50-55 days

Sugar Rush is a red grape tomato.  I planted it last year and had to plant it again this year because I liked it so much!  At only 50-55 days until maturity, Sugar Rush produces continually over a long season.  The flavor is bright and sweet and the tomatoes have a firm texture that “pops” in your mouth.

My thoughts – Sugar Rush is a winner!  I love how early these plants mature and the high yields they produce.  I also appreciate the firmness of the tomatoes and how they pop in your mouth.  This has been a dependable variety and I will  probably plant it again next year!

Sun Sugar

Sunsugar orange cherry tomatoes held in hand
Sunsugar tomato
My Rating4/5 stars
TypeIndeterminate
ColorOrange
ShapeCherry
Days to Maturity62 days

Sunsugar is a pretty delicious tomato!  The tomatoes have a good tartness that becomes super sweet as the fruit matures.  The tomatoes are slightly softer than Sugar Rush and seem to have better crack resistance that Sungold, which is another popular orange cherry tomato. Like Sugar Rush, Sunsugar is ready early and produces high yields over a long season.

My thoughts – I love planting both orange and red tomatoes because they look so beautiful together.  I really liked the bright flavor of Sunsugar but prefer slightly firmer tomatoes.  I will probably try something else next year.

Bumblebee Sunrise

Bumblebee Sunrise small red and yellow striped tomatoes held in hand
Bumblebee Sunrise tomato
My Rating4/5 stars
TypeIndeterminate
ColorYellow with red stripes
ShapeLarge cherry
Days to Maturity68-70 days

Bumblebee Sunrise may be the most beautiful cherry tomato I’ve ever grown!  The tomatoes are a deep golden color with striking red stripes.  Bumblebee is slightly larger than the other cherry tomatoes and has an excellent tangy and sweet flavor.  However, Bumblebee takes around 70 days to mature and the plant does not seem quite as productive as other varieties I planted this year.  

My thoughts – I appreciate Bumblebee’s excellent flavor but productivity is important to me since I have limited space in my garden.  It was good to try but I will probably plant a different variety next year.  If you have plenty of space though this is definitely one to add to your list!

Blush

Blush yellow cherry tomatoes held in hand
Blush tomato
My Rating5/5 stars
TypeIndeterminate
ColorYellow with red stripes
ShapeElongated cherry
Days to Maturity75 days

Blush is one beautiful tomato!  It features a pink blush over a golden yellow skin.  The long oval shape of these tomatoes is rather unique and they are slightly larger than your typical cherry tomato.  Blush tomatoes have a rather thick skin, and they remain firm and do not crack.  Their flavor is sweet with a good tang.  Blush is productive but took the longest to mature of the varieties I planted this year.

My thoughts – Despite the long maturity, Blush is the one that I would find myself snacking on more than any other tomato we planted this year.  The flavor is outstanding and I appreciate their “two bite” size.  I will definitely try to plant this one again next year!

Final Thoughts

All of these tomato varieties are delicious and would be an excellent addition to your garden. That being said, the best tomato variety for you depends what you are looking for. For me I prioritize yields as well as taste. Next year I will probably try the Blush tomato again because it surprised me how much I enjoyed it. However, since Blush takes some time to mature, I will probably plant Sugar Rush as well because it is early and dependable with great flavor.

Hope you get to try some of these varieties in your garden next year. Happy Gardening!

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Extending the Harvest: How to Ripen Green Tomatoes Indoors

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On September 20, 2020

In Gardening

Today was a sad day. This afternoon I took out the cherry tomato plants from our garden. For the next nine months we will have to get our tomatoes at the grocery store, which are a sorry comparison to the beautiful homegrown vine-ripened tomatoes we have been enjoying for the past few months.

Related: Cherry Tomato Taste Test

But there is a silver lining. I was able to save some of the green tomatoes to ripen inside over the next few weeks. Read on to learn how easy it is to ripen green tomatoes inside.

It is finally time to take out our cherry tomatoes. They grew huge this year and produced loads of tomatoes!

When to Pull Tomato Plants From Your Garden

It can be difficult to know when to finally remove tomato plants from your garden. Tomatoes like warm weather and they start ripening much more slowly in cooler weather. The bees are not as active to pollenate the flowers and production slows. While some people keep their tomatoes in the ground until frost, this may damage any tomatoes still on the plant. It is now taking several days to produce a single pint of ripe cherry tomatoes, so I decided it was finally time. Before I removed my tomato plants I picked off all of the immature fruit to ripen inside.

How to Ripen Green Tomatoes

Step 1: Pick the Tomatoes

When I pick cherry tomatoes I usually keep them on the vine and pick the whole cluster of tomatoes. I do this because it will take the tomatoes some time to ripen, and by leaving the stems on they are less likely to crack. Damaged and diseased fruit will rot which may spread to other tomatoes.

Green cherry tomatoes and red cherry tomatoes
Before removing tomato plants pick clusters of green tomatoes to ripen indoors.

Tomatoes that are off of the vine will not grow any larger, and ones that are too green will never really ripen properly. So look for tomatoes that have reached full size and may be showing a slight bit of color. These should ripen well inside.

  • Green cherry tomatoes held in hand
  • Green cherry tomatoes held in hand
The tomatoes on the left are small and light green. They will probably never ripen properly. The tomatoes on the right are larger and showing a little color so they should ripen well indoors.

Step 2: Wash the Tomatoes and Let them Dry

Carefully rinse your tomatoes under running water. This removes dirt that cause spoilage. Spread the tomatoes out on a clean kitchen towel to dry completely before storing.

Green cherry tomatoes drying on a towel
Rinse the tomatoes and spread them out on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

Step 3: Store the Tomatoes

Select a container to store your tomatoes while they ripe. A box or basket lined with a few paper towels works well. Spread the tomatoes out so they get good air circulation. Store them inside your house (they like warmer temperatures) and they should ripen in a week or two. If you want them to ripen more slowly you can store them in your garage or another cool place. Make sure the temperature does not drop below 50 degrees for extended periods or so because this will halt ripening altogether.

Green cherry tomatoes in a basket
Store your tomatoes in a box or basket lined with paper towels. Spread them out so air can circulate.

Check on your tomatoes often and use them as they ripen. Remove any that start to go bad so rot does not spread to other tomatoes.

Final Thoughts

At least ripening tomatoes inside will prolong the season a little bit. Only nine months to go until fresh tomatoes again next year! I am already thinking of what varieties I want to plant 🙂

Hope you get to save some of your tomatoes to extend the season a bit. Happy Gardening!

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Freezing Cherry Tomatoes: An Easy Way to Preserve the Harvest

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On August 31, 2020

In Gardening

Do you have more cherry tomatoes than you can eat? Are you wondering what you can do with them? Try freezing them to use later in the season! It is a real treat to make homemade soup in the wintertime with tomatoes from your summer garden!

I prefer freezing my cherry tomatoes over other preservation methods because it is so incredibly easy. There is no chopping, peeling, or canning involved! Now we will go through how simple this process is.

Too many cherry tomatoes? Try freezing them!

Prep the Tomatoes

First off, you need to sort through your tomatoes and discard any that are cracked or blemished because they will not keep as well. Prep the tomatoes by taking off the stems and washing them thoroughly.

Taking the stems off cherry tomatoes and placing them in a colander.
Take the stems off of the tomatoes and wash them thoroughly.

After they are washed get as much water off as you can. You can drain them well in a colander or spread them out on a clean kitchen towel. This is important because they may stick to your pan or stick together if too much water is present.

Orange and red cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan.
Spread the dry tomatoes out on a large sheet pan. Try to leave some space between them if possible.

When they are dry spread the tomatoes out onto a large sheet pan. We want to freeze them before putting them into bags for long term storage. The advantage of this method is that the tomatoes are less likely to get squished or stick together in a giant tomato ice block. Try to leave some space between them on the pan and do not crowd them if possible. This way they will freeze faster and are less likely to get stuck together.

Freeze the Tomatoes

Place the sheet pan in the freezer for at least 1-2 hours, or until the tomatoes have firmed up.

Once frozen, the tomatoes are ready to be placed into freezer bags. Be sure to label the bags with the date.

After the tomatoes are frozen, you should be able to easily gather them up and place them in freezer bags. Freezer bags are preferable to regular zip top bags because they are thicker and will help protect the food better. Labeling the bags before you fill them will make it easier to write on them. Make sure that you also write the date on the bag.

Two bags of orange and red cherry tomatoes.
Cherry tomatoes will last for up to a year in the freezer.

Store the tomatoes in the freezer for 6 months or up to a year or so. After that time they will still be safe to eat but the quality may begin to decline.

How to Use Frozen Cherry Tomatoes

Realize that frozen cherry tomatoes will have a different texture than fresh tomatoes. They will be softer and are best used in cooked dishes such as soups, sauces, or casseroles. These tomatoes will also have their skins on which may affect the texture of some dishes. For most recipes however this is not an issue.

My favorite way to use these frozen cherry tomatoes is in homemade vegetable soup. I use them straight out of the bag and pour however many I need into the boiling soup as it cooks. Yum!

Hope you are able to freeze some of your tomatoes to enjoy in the winter months. Happy Gardening!

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Orange yellow red cherry tomatoes

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