Truly a Gold Medal Winner
This is my first summer growing ‘Gold Medal’ tomatoes and it won’t be my last. In fact, I’ll never not have them growing in the garden. After trying this lovely tomato out, I know exactly how it received its name. For starters, this huge beefsteak tomato produced a ripe tomato around the same time that my cherry tomatoes were first ripening in the garden. If you’re a fan of heirloom beefsteaks, you know the patience required to wait for what seems like forever for one to finally ripen. Not this beauty, even with it’s gigantic size, it still ripened quicker than anything but the cherry tomatoes.
Not only does this delicious tomato ripen super early, it produces loads of tomatoes and it just keeps on producing. This photo was taken yesterday in my garden, yesterday. It’s mid October in Maine. My ‘Brandywine’ and ‘Cherokee Purple’ tomatoes quit producing tomatoes long ago, not this baby, it’s still flowering and setting fruit. If you live in a northern climate, especially one with cold spring and fall temperatures I’d highly recommend adding ‘Gold Medal’ to your list of must grow tomatoes. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed, in fact I’m guessing you’ll be singing its praises and will grow it every year.
What’s your favorite no fail tomato?
Oh good, thanks for the recommendation! We are in western NC and I would love to have an extended tomato season. Right now I have to work on soil improvement!
to PennyAshevilleNC's comment
What a solid recommendation! I’ll try that next year for sure. I have a favourite tomato but I sadly don’t know the name of it – the seed was given to me and somehow the labelling wore off a few years back (sun fading?). It’s a beefsteak that ripens early as well but it’s a gorgeous dark green colour on top and a blush red/pink on the bottom (when ripe). It’s a “fooler” because you don’t think it’s ripe by looking at them on the plant, but good GRACIOUS is it ever flavourful and juicy and is never mushy or mealy. I save seed from it every year and just LOVE it.
to Sherri's comment