Should Esterina F1 replace SucGold?

[Barmaley]

2020 was my first tomato year. Now I am planning for 2021 and I will downsize from 30 pots to 5-6! No matter how hard I try squirrels and racoons eat my tomatoes faster than me. I found that I can somehow compete for small cherry types, all big ones are eaten before fully ripen by intruders.

Last year I fought that SunGold F1 is an ultimate tomato in terms of sweetness and intensity on taste. I red that Esterina is even better. Is it true? Should I stick to Esterina instead of SunGold? I am about to shop for seeds and at $0.40 per seed I am thinking about buying a larger number of seeds to save for several years in advance. What about Sungold F6? Did somebody made it stable and good? I prefer to get a hairloom version of those type of tomatoes!

What would you recommend?

[Cole_Robbie]

Esterina had a huge yield for me, but was not nearly as sweet as sungold. Yellow cherries do seem to be the most watered down in taste in a wet year, which I had that season, so perhaps weather played a part.

[FarmerShawn]

I grow, and love, both. But honestly, nothing beats Sungold for flavor. Not just the sweetness, but there's a fruitiness that so far hasn't been beat.

[MissS]

I too have grown both and agree that the critters sure do love them and why not? They are some really good maters and make great snacks. While both are really good, I still prefer a Sungold or Sunsugar for flavor. There is just something about them that I really do enjoy. I am sure that other taste buds would say that Esterina F1 is the way to go as they are a bit more, hmm, tangy to me. I grow all 3 and hope to get a handful after the local chipmunks, mice, voles and whoever else have filled their bellies with with what they can grab.

[zeuspaul]

If you pick your tomatoes when they first start showing color and let them ripen on the counter you may have better luck. The flavor will be just about the same.

[Barmaley]

I am still undecided. If you need to choose one what will be your choice?

[ddsack]

Sungold for me. Esterina was very sweet, but no complexity or acidity in flavor.

[Nan6b]

Ambrosia Gold is someone's attempt to de-hybridize Sungold. Might give that a try; you can collect seeds.

[kath]

I tried Esterina, but it would never replace Sungold in my garden. I've also tried Ambrosia Gold, Sunsugar, and lots of others that people grow instead of Sungold, but none of them were as good in my opinion- just ordered fresh seeds to make sure that I don't have to do without it for at least another 6 or more years!