Sunsugar Tomatoes

Photo by Gayla Trail  All Rights Reserved

Sunsugars are a farmers’ market staple, which is just one reason why I do not grow them. By policy and public decree. Never shall a ‘Sunsugar’ tomato germinate in my soil!

Don’t get me wrong. The variety is absolutely delicious. They are literally like little orange candies. But why bother growing the varieties you can get all over town when you could grow something surprising?

But this year is different. I have seen sunsugars at some markets, but only some, and on rare occasions.

This is a very bad year for tomatoes.” How many times have I heard that phrase over the last month? Tens of times? One hundred?

And so it happens that I inadvertently grew ‘Sunsugar’ this year, by chance. I won’t go into the story, but there it was, a ‘Sunsugar’ in my soil (Why does that sound like a euphemism?). It was the first plant to produce a ripe fruit (BEFORE July 1!) and it is still kicking. Which is more than I can say for some of my plants.

Sunsugar, I will never speak ill of ye again.

Gayla Trail
Gayla is a writer, photographer, and former graphic designer with a background in the Fine Arts, cultural criticism, and ecology. She is the author, photographer, and designer of best-selling books on gardening, cooking, and preserving.

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9 thoughts on “Sunsugar Tomatoes

  1. Love, love, love these :) As does my sister, who never seems to mind “helping” me eat them. So easy to grow, and you’ll enjoy them all summer!

  2. I’ve never seen Sunsugar in the farmer markets here and most people have never heard of them. I’ve grown them for years. I used to buy plants but lately haven’t been able to find them so I’ve been growing them from seed. They’re terrific – delicious and prolific.

  3. Jane: Good to know! I sometimes get too caught up in what is typical where I am and forget that it might be unusual and surprising for others elsewhere.

  4. Hi Gayla, I grew Sunsugar this year only because I ran out of Sungold seeds and did not want to order one seed packet. I find Sungold vastly superior to Sunsugar as regards taste. Sungold has a winey, tangy taste that makes Sunsugar seem bland. While they are similar in looks and growing habits, and Sunsugar has a big advantage over Sungold in that it is not as prone to splitting, I think most aficionados will give the taste-test nod to Sungold.

  5. Gayla, I’ve never noticed ‘Sunsugar’, and I’m right here with you. Maybe it’s a case of recognizing the familiar — like (way back) when I was pregnant, I suddenly start noticing other pregnant women. But I’ll be looking out for the Sunsugars from now on.

  6. I have several sungold plants that I bought. They are the only ones producing well this year. I hardly have any to bring in the house because I can’t stop myself from eating them right off the plant!

  7. I have one sunsugar growing at home and have more of these tasty tomatos than I can eat – this in a year when none of the ten plants I have at my community garden (less sunny than home) have ripened yet (I’m in Peterborough)

  8. I love this sun sugar cherry tomato. It surpassed in sweetness and texture the sun gold tomato that we planted about the same time. the difference could have been that we grew the sun sugars in the ground and planted the sun golds in large 5 gallon containers. Our sun sugar didn’t grow bushy as some toms will but with a nicely spaced branches that made it easy to see and pick the ripe tomatoes, which seemingly waited for you 2 touch them before falling into your hand.

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