📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotaya Kaplya (Golden Drop)
- 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from the ASK seed company (Novosibirsk, Russia). It is frequently confused with the famous “Medovaya Kaplya” (Honey Drop), but experienced growers insist they are distinct genetic lines.
- 🌿 Plant Habit: Classified as a semi-determinate. The packet claims it stays around 28-40 inches (70-100 cm) and doesn’t require pruning. However, growers report it can easily surpass 5 feet (1.5 m) in open ground, turning into a massive, sprawling bush.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Small, yellow, pear-shaped or teardrop cherry tomatoes. They have very dense flesh. Unfortunately, they are highly susceptible to cracking/splitting after heavy autumn rains.
- 👅 Flavor: Sweet with a very pronounced, refreshing acidity. (By comparison, “Honey Drop” is usually pure sugar with almost zero acidity).
Seeds are from the ASK company, Novosibirsk. The packet description says: Mid-season, semi-determinate, 28-40 inches (70-100 cm) tall, average foliage, doesn’t require pruning (suckering), very sweet fruits.
For us, it shot way past 5 feet (1.5 m) tall. It turned into a massive sprawling bush and actually climbed right over our shorter plants and onto the wire fencing. We didn’t prune out any suckers.
The fruits turned out to be very dense, sweet, but with a solid kick of acidity – and this was during a blazing hot summer. I went over and taste-tested a Medovaya Kaplya (Honey Drop) right after, and that one was just pure sugar. This makes me strongly suspect that these are two completely different varieties. Has anyone else grown and compared both?
After the heavy September rains hit our open ground beds, the fruits started cracking badly. The first two photos are of the same exact bush taken from different sides.
I used to grow Golden Drop back in the day, and I actually liked it better than Honey Drop (even though I like that one too). They are definitely different varieties, despite looking very similar. I’d love to grow Golden Drop again, but I haven’t seen the seeds for sale anywhere in a long time.
