Green When Ripe (GWR) Tomatoes...

daylilydude · April 20, 2017

Do you like them... do you grow them... be honest and tell us what you thought it was gonna taste like when you took that first bite and what you think of them now? Me myself I don't like raw tomatoes but now you take a slice of GWR tomato and put it on the grill just about the time the hamburger is done.... it makes my tongue beat a bruise on my forehead...

maxjohnson · April 20, 2017

Green Giant was the best tasting tomato I grew this year. It was sweeter than I thought.

**carolyn137** · April 20, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylilydude

Do you like them... do you grow them... be honest and tell us what you thought it was gonna taste like when you took that first bite and what you think of them now? Me myself I don't like raw tomatoes but now you take a slice of GWR tomato and put it on the grill just about the time the hamburger is done.... it makes my tongue beat a bruise on my forehead...

I may not grow many of them now,just new ones, I don't just like them,I LOVE them and have been growing them since the early 90's when I got some great ones from Glecklers.

I eat them raw, never cooked,since I want to be able to taste that sweet spicy taste that I love so well. If I were to try to list all the ones I've grown, I know it would be close to maybe 100 or so.

I haven't yet given seeds to Rob,local, who grows my seedlings for me,and Freda plants them for me and cares for them,hopefully,and I think I already know which new ones might be grown this summer.

Carolyn

Gardeneer · April 20, 2017

I have grown Green Zebra. Not worth repeating for me.
I grow Ananas Noire. I love it. Of course it is not your typical solid GWR.

This year I am growing Aunt Ruby's German Green , based on good reviews. When they are grren and taste sour, it is no different than just green tomatoes.

We shall see.

PaulF · April 20, 2017

May be all in my head but I just can't eat GWRs. Tried several varieties several years ago. Almost could stand Cherokee Green. Had six or eight varieties in seed form and gave them away at one of the Mid-West Tomato Fest gatherings. Hope the guy who got them enjoyed them.

I like sweet tomatoes, so why not GWRs? No idea. Maybe like a brother-in-law who would not eat anything but a round red saying that's what a tomato should be. Red, pinks, yellows, bi-colors, blacks, oranges; just not greens.

Cole_Robbie · April 20, 2017

I love GWRs. Dwarf Jade Beauty, Malachite Box, Lucinda, Esmerelda Golosina, Green Doctor's Frosted, Green Tiger, and Cherokee Green are some of my favorites.

They are the kiss of death for a market vendor, though. I can sell just a few plants, but hardly any of the actual tomatoes.

Gardeneer · April 20, 2017

I wonder if part of the dislike about GWR is visual and psychological.
Personally, I have visual bias when it comes to food, no matter how good it might taste, it has to look good to be appealing to me.
In the words of an Italian Chef, "we eat we our eyes first."
So in this context, some GWR varieties can be visually attractive too.

IronPete · April 20, 2017

I have only grown a few. One that I was trying for Robin of the DTP last summer tasted like green apples. I also grew Lime Green Salad and liked it a lot. This year I have Green Giant started and can't wait to try it. I think I have seeds for both Aunt Ruby's German Green and also for Cherokee Green but just haven't had space in the garden yet to try them. Because of the review in Craig's book I opted to start with Green Giant and then to try the others next year. Can't wait to try them!Pete

ginger2778 · April 20, 2017

This is my second time growing Aunt Ruby's German Green, and also Green Gables at F6. And my third year for Cherokee Lime. I love all 3. ARGG has the biggest fruit, CL has the most fruit. GG is a PL beefsteak variety.
All 3 are very sweet.

Andrey_BY · April 21, 2017

GWR tomatoes are still not so popular and widely known here in former USSR, but I really like them for taste and look.

Malakhitovaya Shkatulka (Malachite Box in English) and Greean Giant are my GWR favourites.

April 21, 2017

I've grown and tasted the following:

* Green Giant (2016; also growing it this year; very juicy with a rich, excellent taste; not at all yellow when ripe; it looks awesome sliced in half)
* Green Zebra (2015; I didn't taste enough of these to get a good impression; they were decent, but not how people described them)
* Cherokee Green Pear (2016; one with BER tasted totally awesome, fruity and very sweet; the others were less flavorful and less sweet, but decent)
* Green Pear (2016; growing it this year, too; tastes like a good sandwich tomato; good quality flesh; not really a wow taste, but combined with the texture, it's pretty nice)

I'm growing Evergreen, this year, too.

From what I hear, it sounds like people generally favor varieties like Aunt Ruby's German Green, Grubb's Mystery Green, Cherokee Lime, Humph, and probably Malakhitovaya Shkatulka and Cherokee Green. I favor Green Giant (and I know at least a few others do, too), but I haven't tried any of the former, yet. I'm not sure if Cherokee Green tastes like Cherokee Green Pear.

My first reaction was with Green Giant, I believe. I was a little surprised that it tasted very much like a tomato, but it was unusually good and juicy. My mom thought it was sweet and was surprised it wasn't sour. My neighbor was surprised that it didn't need salt.

My general analysis is that they taste like red tomatoes with chlorophyll instead of lycopene. I think it's more of a nutritional difference than a taste one, but I can seem to taste/feel a difference.

Every green when ripe tomato variety I've tried tasted completely different. None of them were acidic.

I like the taste of GWR tomatoes as much as red, pink, and brown tomatoes. Those are my favorite colors for taste, so far, perhaps.

Green Giant is in my top four favorites for flavor out of all the tomatoes I've tried (not just GWR), but it probably ranks number two. The other three are Early Girl F1, Pruden's Purple and McGee. Jackie, Cherokee Green Pear, Gardener's Delight, Husky Cherry Red F2, Ron's Carbon Copy, Medovaya Kaplya, Early Girl F2, Ovita, Pink Cheeks, Chapman, Paul Robeson, Chocolate Pear, my tomato that was supposed to be Jim Dandy, Peaceful Valley's Beefsteak (cooked), Matina, Husky Cherry Red F3, Market Wonder, Green Pear, and Big Sungold Select all deserve at least honorable mentions, though (in no particular order). There are several others I like a lot (but not just for flavor).

NarnianGarden · April 21, 2017

People eat and enjoy other green fruits, as apples (Granny Smith anyone?).. It's just a question of marketing and educating to help folks get used to green tomatoes. Perhaps market them as 'dessert tomatoes'...?
There are all kinds of bananas too, some are for main courses, only some varieties are sweet. But most people hink bananas as sweet.. It's all percepction and what one is used to.

I've loved almost all GWR ones I have tried: Grub's Mystery Green, Green Zebra (like tropical fruit!), Esmeralda Golosina...
Dwarf Jade Beauty and Lime Green Salad were just so-so, no bad at all. Green Sausage just a very ordinary tasting, it's not going to be repeated.
This year.. it's Siberian Malachite and Lucinda.

April 21, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

… There are all kinds of bananas too, some are for main courses, only some varieties are sweet. But most people hink bananas as sweet.. It's all percepction and what one is used to.

…

Check out these pink bananas at Baker Creek. The picture never ceases to amaze me, and I'm pretty sure it's real.

I've heard awesome things about Esmeralda Golosina, too. I forgot to plant that one!

Worth1 · April 21, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I have grown Green Zebra. Not worth repeating for me.
I grow Ananas Noire. I love it. Of course it is not your typical solid GWR.

This year I am growing Aunt Ruby's German Green , based on good reviews. When they are grren and taste sour, it is no different than just green tomatoes.

We shall see.

I have yet to run across anyone that liked green zebra.
It is too bad because the only green I see at the nurseries are green zebra.
This would ruin people from trying other green when ripe tomatoes.
I think the biggest problem is people dont know when to pick them.
The many types I grew some time ago were on the vine rotten when I got home, everything else was picked.
The other problem is people are used to rock hard store tomatoes.
This would complicate things even more for the first time green tomato grower.

I have given whole green when ripe tomatoes to people to try and they sit there and look at it like it was a pulsating heart on their plate.

Others would suck it down like there was no tomorrow.

Worth

Antipodean · April 21, 2017

I like them just for the colour, a mixed tomato salad with the reds, blacks and yellows - looks brilliant!

I love Green Zebra (sorry Worth!) Aunt Ruby was just okay for me....also Green Grape was not bad.

April 20, 2017	#1
daylilydude Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Iuka, Mississippi Zone 7b Posts: 482	Green When Ripe (GWR) Tomatoes... Do you like them... do you grow them... be honest and tell us what you thought it was gonna taste like when you took that first bite and what you think of them now? Me myself I don't like raw tomatoes but now you take a slice of GWR tomato and put it on the grill just about the time the hamburger is done.... it makes my tongue beat a bruise on my forehead... __________________ Richard

April 20, 2017	#4
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,916	I have grown Green Zebra. Not worth repeating for me. I grow Ananas Noire. I love it. Of course it is not your typical solid GWR. This year I am growing Aunt Ruby's German Green , based on good reviews. When they are grren and taste sour, it is no different than just green tomatoes. We shall see. __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

April 20, 2017	#5
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,295	May be all in my head but I just can't eat GWRs. Tried several varieties several years ago. Almost could stand Cherokee Green. Had six or eight varieties in seed form and gave them away at one of the Mid-West Tomato Fest gatherings. Hope the guy who got them enjoyed them. I like sweet tomatoes, so why not GWRs? No idea. Maybe like a brother-in-law who would not eat anything but a round red saying that's what a tomato should be. Red, pinks, yellows, bi-colors, blacks, oranges; just not greens. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

April 20, 2017	#7
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,916	I wonder if part of the dislike about GWR is visual and psychological. Personally, I have visual bias when it comes to food, no matter how good it might taste, it has to look good to be appealing to me. In the words of an Italian Chef, "we eat we our eyes first." So in this context, some GWR varieties can be visually attractive too. __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

April 20, 2017	#8
IronPete Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Charlottetown, PEI, Canada Posts: 302	I have only grown a few. One that I was trying for Robin of the DTP last summer tasted like green apples. I also grew Lime Green Salad and liked it a lot. This year I have Green Giant started and can't wait to try it. I think I have seeds for both Aunt Ruby's German Green and also for Cherokee Green but just haven't had space in the garden yet to try them. Because of the review in Craig's book I opted to start with Green Giant and then to try the others next year. Can't wait to try them!Pete __________________ Thanks; Iron Pete "We can agree to disagree."

April 20, 2017	#2
maxjohnson Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: OH 6a Posts: 592	Green Giant was the best tasting tomato I grew this year. It was sweeter than I thought.

April 20, 2017	#6
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I love GWRs. Dwarf Jade Beauty, Malachite Box, Lucinda, Esmerelda Golosina, Green Doctor's Frosted, Green Tiger, and Cherokee Green are some of my favorites. They are the kiss of death for a market vendor, though. I can sell just a few plants, but hardly any of the actual tomatoes.

April 20, 2017	#9
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	This is my second time growing Aunt Ruby's German Green, and also Green Gables at F6. And my third year for Cherokee Lime. I love all 3. ARGG has the biggest fruit, CL has the most fruit. GG is a PL beefsteak variety. All 3 are very sweet.

April 21, 2017	#10
Andrey_BY Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Minsk, Belarus, Eastern Europe (Zone 4a) Posts: 2,278	GWR tomatoes are still not so popular and widely known here in former USSR, but I really like them for taste and look. Malakhitovaya Shkatulka (Malachite Box in English) and Greean Giant are my GWR favourites. __________________ 1 kg=2.2 lb , 1 m=39,37 in , 1 oz=28.35 g , 1 ft=30.48 cm , 1 lb= 0,4536 kg , 1 in=2.54 cm , 1 l = 0.26 gallon , 0 C=32 F Andrey a.k.a. TOMATODOR

April 21, 2017	#11
shule1 Guest Posts: n/a	I've grown and tasted the following: * Green Giant (2016; also growing it this year; very juicy with a rich, excellent taste; not at all yellow when ripe; it looks awesome sliced in half) * Green Zebra (2015; I didn't taste enough of these to get a good impression; they were decent, but not how people described them) * Cherokee Green Pear (2016; one with BER tasted totally awesome, fruity and very sweet; the others were less flavorful and less sweet, but decent) * Green Pear (2016; growing it this year, too; tastes like a good sandwich tomato; good quality flesh; not really a wow taste, but combined with the texture, it's pretty nice) I'm growing Evergreen, this year, too. From what I hear, it sounds like people generally favor varieties like Aunt Ruby's German Green, Grubb's Mystery Green, Cherokee Lime, Humph, and probably Malakhitovaya Shkatulka and Cherokee Green. I favor Green Giant (and I know at least a few others do, too), but I haven't tried any of the former, yet. I'm not sure if Cherokee Green tastes like Cherokee Green Pear. My first reaction was with Green Giant, I believe. I was a little surprised that it tasted very much like a tomato, but it was unusually good and juicy. My mom thought it was sweet and was surprised it wasn't sour. My neighbor was surprised that it didn't need salt. My general analysis is that they taste like red tomatoes with chlorophyll instead of lycopene. I think it's more of a nutritional difference than a taste one, but I can seem to taste/feel a difference. Every green when ripe tomato variety I've tried tasted completely different. None of them were acidic. I like the taste of GWR tomatoes as much as red, pink, and brown tomatoes. Those are my favorite colors for taste, so far, perhaps. Green Giant is in my top four favorites for flavor out of all the tomatoes I've tried (not just GWR), but it probably ranks number two. The other three are Early Girl F1, Pruden's Purple and McGee. Jackie, Cherokee Green Pear, Gardener's Delight, Husky Cherry Red F2, Ron's Carbon Copy, Medovaya Kaplya, Early Girl F2, Ovita, Pink Cheeks, Chapman, Paul Robeson, Chocolate Pear, my tomato that was supposed to be Jim Dandy, Peaceful Valley's Beefsteak (cooked), Matina, Husky Cherry Red F3, Market Wonder, Green Pear, and Big Sungold Select all deserve at least honorable mentions, though (in no particular order). There are several others I like a lot (but not just for flavor). Last edited by shule1; April 21, 2017 at 04:48 AM.

April 21, 2017	#12
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	People eat and enjoy other green fruits, as apples (Granny Smith anyone?).. It's just a question of marketing and educating to help folks get used to green tomatoes. Perhaps market them as 'dessert tomatoes'...? There are all kinds of bananas too, some are for main courses, only some varieties are sweet. But most people hink bananas as sweet.. It's all percepction and what one is used to. I've loved almost all GWR ones I have tried: Grub's Mystery Green, Green Zebra (like tropical fruit!), Esmeralda Golosina... Dwarf Jade Beauty and Lime Green Salad were just so-so, no bad at all. Green Sausage just a very ordinary tasting, it's not going to be repeated. This year.. it's Siberian Malachite and Lucinda.

April 21, 2017	#15
Antipodean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Perth Posts: 46	I like them just for the colour, a mixed tomato salad with the reds, blacks and yellows - looks brilliant! I love Green Zebra (sorry Worth!) Aunt Ruby was just okay for me....also Green Grape was not bad.