I'm curious as to how the Burpee Sungold F1 seed was not what you knew. Curious b'c all F1 Sungold Seed is bred in Japan by I think Sakata Seeds, I didn't double check, and then distributed worldwide.

So Sungold F1 sold by Burpee shouldn't be different than any other distributer's Sungold F1.

Tomato Growers Supply, Johnny's Selected Seeds, Totally Tomatoes, Pinetree and many many others carry Sungold F1 seed and I've linked to a Google Search below.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Google Search for Sungold F1 seeds

My Sun Gold seed from Tomato Growers Supply breed true every year. I don't deal with Burpee and haven't for years just because of problems similar to yours. I have to buy Brandy Boy seeds from them now and then since they aren't available elsewhere but that is it.

Dave

Thompson & Morgan consistently has the best Sun Gold seeds I have ever planted. They have a U.S. and a U.K. site and pricing. Their seed pricing and shipping cost is modest.

Occasionally, I see Thompson & Morgan seed packets in quality nurseries and floral shops. That's where I got my first pack of Sun Gold in 2005. Since then I've ordered them online.

Johnny's Selected Seeds also has top quality Sun Gold seeds available via the Net.

"I'm curious as to how the Burpee Sungold F1 seed was not what you knew. Curious b'c all F1 Sungold Seed is bred in Japan by I think Sakata Seeds, I didn't double check, and then distributed worldwide. So Sungold F1 sold by Burpee shouldn't be different than any other distributer's Sungold F1." [Carolyn]

I'm curious, too. Yes, all F1s should be the same and should come from Sakata Seeds in Japan. However, I had the same or similar experience as the original poster with regard to Burpee's Sun Gold seeds in 2008.

Instead of 1/2 - 3/4 inch, gold, sweet, complex fruity cherry tomatoes on extremely aromatic vines, I got small, red, tart, not fruiy or sweet, cherry tomatoes on unremarkably non-aromatic vines. What a disappointment and waste of time and space.

Won't happen again. Received my T & M Sun Gold seeds in the mail and they're already in the starter trays. Packet said "15 seeds" but I counted out 20.

Instead of 1/2 - 3/4 inch, gold, sweet, complex fruity cherry tomatoes on extremely aromatic vines, I got small, red, tart, not fruiy or sweet, cherry tomatoes on unremarkably non-aromatic vines. What a disappointment and waste of time and space.

*****

Good Grief.......WHAT the heck was Burpee selling?

Did I miss a thread here where folks were complaining about the Burpee NOT Sungold F1 seeds?

Carolyn, who left Burpee in the dust maybe 15 years ago.

Yes, Carolyn, I know there was another thread where this came up briefly and I commented I got red Sun Gold from Burpee seeds last summer. Can't recall which forum or thread right now.

Thank you all for your replies.

I saw a post on another forum where someone said they also experienced the problem with Burpee Sun Gold 2007 seeds (mine were 2008).

It really bummed me out to get whatever it was that I grew (bland). Unfortunately, I gave away many of the plants with the claim that they are great. Those recipients will never trust my opinion again! lol!

Thanks again for the seed company refs!

FWIW, I just found what's left of last year's Burpee pkt that I say was NOT Sun Gold. The pkt says:

"Packed for 2008 sell by 11/08
Origin USA Lot 2"

I read that to mean that the seed was not produced in Japan.

Naw, the pack originated in the USA but the seed in the pack came for Japan. ;)

Dave

Wow all this time wondered how that happend. Some verynice person sent me some F1 Sun Gold seeds. Up came a red cherry and a possible Sun Gold, now here loved the taste of the red cherry so kept it going. The cherry self seeded and that got another year in the spot. Saved seeds from that plant. Gave out to one of my friends and she also liked the taste of the red cherry one. Guess some like it some dont.

ML

i just ordered sun gold seedlings from the link below and i know they sell seeds as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: sun gold seeds source

Thompson& Morgan is always the best place to get Sungold seeds from, as they are the genuine real thing, T&M were probably the very first to bring them onto the market via the japanese breeders some years ago and have continued to supply top quality seeds from there ever since.I never grow any other brand of them except for T&M Sungold.

Interesting thread because I grew Sungold twice and both times they were spitters, very vigorous plants that put out many fruit but they just werent good at all. I pulled the plants while they were still healthy and producing. Went through my seeds last night and found my Sungold seeds. The source was Burpee so now I am thinking I should add Sungold to my list for my next grow out and get seeds from a different source. While I understand that taste is subjective, I couldnt understand how a variety that so many rave about could be so bad tasting in my garden.
Maybe its because what I grew wasnt Sungold afterall?

Great, my Sungold seeds came from Burpee

Did the pack look like these??? I picked up about 15 packs of these at $1.59 a pack with about 50 seeds in each. I also gave out a bunch of them to friends. I hope they are not somehow un-true.

{{gwi:1302980}}

^^^^^
No, I ordered them online so they came in plain envelopes with no pictures

I am so sorry that you aren't getting true Sungold because the taste is fabulous. My husband and I could never pass the plant without eating a few. My seeds last year were from Tomato Growers but this year I bought T&M. I am glad I didn't get Burpee.

I've got some from last year--the family's and neighbors favorite. Very tasty, sweet, even people who don't care for tomatoes liked these. I got them originally from Pinetree Gardens in Maine. One year I bought some "Sungold" down at the local nursery, 3 months later I found them NOT to be the Sungold everyone liked, these were a different color and didn't have the taste. Since then I only grow my own from seeds I know are the original. Drop me an email, I'll send you some.

Al

bump for original poster

dyna,

I know Sun Gold is hybrid. If you grow from seeds collected from your harvest, would they come true? Have you tried this before?

I would like some seeds if this can be done.

Erik

long-islander & dyna,

The true sungold is a hybrid so the seeds will not be true.
From my experience the seeds from sungold develop into mainly red cherry tomatoes without the flavor of the sungold. It was a couple years ago & I thought the volunteers from my Sungold would breed true and gave 500 or so seedlings away to my coworkers claiming they were Sungold. A new lesson.

I am still confident my Burpee Sungolds will turn out to be Sungolds :-)

I usually get my sungolds from Fedco- they have always been fantastic.

I've actually been growing out my sungolds for about 4 years now, and my H2's have always been identical or better than the H1's. Now that I'm down the road a bit, I'm pretty close to bagging the whole project. Each year, I'm more disappointed with the results. What I love about sungolds are their color, flavor, prolific growing, and heartiness. I haven't been able to keep all of those together. I'll probably keep going for a bit, but somehow, it doesn't seem like it's worth it.

Good luck- great tomato!

I have about ten Sungold plants going from Burpee seed and was really looking forward to them so I wrote to Burpee asking about changes to their seed source and about the difficuly with some of the fruits turning red and tasting terrible.

Here is their reply:
"Hello
We are sorry about the poor results you recieve with the Sungold, they are
usually very prolific. We have not changed anything with the seed.
They will turn reddish-orange on the vine if not picked when they are yellow-gold.
Please advise if you need any further assistence.
Thank you for your interest in Burpee

At 6.5 weeks, my Burpee Sunglod seedlings are the prettiest and most robust seedlings I have.
They are gorgeous and have a wonderful tomato plant scent.
Dont know what that tells anyone :)

Update:

Harvested our first Sungold's of the season, and they are infact Sungolds.

The seeds were purchased from Burpee.

Brian

Brian

Can u post pics so I can see if my sun golds will be true sungolds. This is my first year growing tomatoes

I'm sure they will be Tammy. I wont be able to post any new pics for a while as we are heading to DC in the early AM for a week, but here are some I have from a few weeks ago

Sungold is on the right

Burpee Seeds runs 2 companies. Mail Order and in store sales. They are run as separate companies. So the seeds from one might be different than from the other.

Burpee used to be a great company. Now they are a sales organization. I no longer look to Burpee as desireable. I also think they take regular seeds and make up new names and sell them as exclusive seeds when they are really regular seeds under a different name. I think that is not fully honest. Of course I could be wrong. who knows.