Tomato Ida Gold: cultivation, care & harvest time

Due to its limited growth, the bush tomato ˈIda Goldˈ is particularly suitable as a balcony tomato. We present the extremely early ripening tomato variety.

Few tomatoes reliably bear tasty fruit even in cool, rainy summers. The ˈIda Goldˈ tomato is one of them, because it was bred specifically for early maturity and high yields, even in cool years. We present the orange bush tomato in a portrait.

Tomato ˈIda Goldˈ: profile

fruit	cocktail tomato; orange
the taste	Sweet, fruity
maturing time	Very early
growth	Determined, up to 100 cm
location	pot, balcony box

History and origin of the bush tomato

The bush tomato ˈIda Goldˈ comes from a breeding program for very early tomato varieties at the University of Idaho. In the middle of the last century, the program developed numerous precocious varieties especially for areas with cool and rainy summers. The short cultivar was selected in the 1950s from a cross between ˈSubarctic Midiˈ and ˈGolden Delightˈ. In Germany, the variety is now mainly cultivated by the seed company Culinaris, the breeder of the open-source tomato ˈ

Sunvivaˈ, propagated and offered as an amateur variety for the home garden.

Ida Gold tomato: taste and characteristics

The ˈIda Goldˈ tomato grows in a determined manner and, as a bush tomato, reaches a maximum height of 100 cm. The plant grows a bit creeping, which means that its shoots are not thick and stable compared to other bush tomatoes, but noticeably thin and the variety tends to grow more like a creeper. Tomato plants are often wider than they are high. The plants put on many inflorescences and, after pollination, deliver the first ripe fruits weighing around 30 grams as early as the end of June. The tomatoes take on an orange-yellow color when ripe. The taste of ˈIda Goldˈ can be described as sweet and fruity with little acidity. The balcony tomato is a seed-resistant variety, so you can always use your own Get tomato seeds yourself.

Peculiarities in cultivation and care

Due to its limited growth, ˈIda Goldˈ is an ideal plant for pots and plants balcony tomato. The optimal location for the orange bush tomato is sunny and sheltered from the wind. In order to avoid diseases, ˈIda Goldˈ should preferably stand under a rain cover. From mid-May, after the ice saints, the often filigree-looking young plants of the "Ida Gold" can be planted in pots and balcony boxes. The planters should hold at least 5 liters of soil and have good drainage. Tomato plants prefer nutrient-rich, well-drained substrates like ours Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil. Our pre-fertilized soil does not contain any peat, which is harmful to the climate, and stores water with the help of the high compost content. Fill your planter with substrate and then place your young plants in it. Lightly press down the soil around the tomato plant and then water your 'Ida Gold' tomato vigorously. A climbing aid prevents the plants from falling over in the wind and the fruit from lying on the ground later.

Determined tomato plants like ˈIda Goldˈ, but also ˈsilver firˈ or ˈTiny Timˈ should not be exhausted, because flowers and fruits quickly form on the many side shoots. Especially in summer you can't keep up with the watering of pot tomatoes. A layer of mulch, for example grass clippings, significantly reduces evaporation and at the same time provides food for numerous soil organisms. In our article on Mulching and watering of tomatoes you can read more tips for the water supply of the nightshade family (Solanaceae). From June the 'Ida Gold' tomato should be fertilized regularly. For pot culture and tomato cultivation on the terrace and balcony, we recommend an organic liquid fertilizer like ours Plantura Organic Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer. This is applied about once a week together with the irrigation water and supplies the necessary nutrients for high-yielding plants directly to the roots.

Harvest and use ˈIda Goldˈ

Even in cool summers, 'Ida Gold' reliably delivers numerous, sweet and firm fruits. They can simply be nibbled directly from the bush, but can also be dried well or used in salads and sauces.

The fruity sweet ones yellow tomato varieties usually have little acid and are therefore well tolerated by sensitive stomachs. We introduce you to the best varieties with light yellow to orange-gold fruit color.