Sun Gold Tomato

Widely considered the sweetest cherry tomato available, producing cascading clusters of bright orange fruits with tropical, fruity sweetness. Indeterminate vines are extremely vigorous and prolific, often producing hundreds of fruits per plant through the season. Fruits tend to crack easily in rain, so harvest frequently and before heavy downpours. The addictive flavor means most of the harvest is eaten straight off the vine before reaching the kitchen.

Start Sun Gold seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date. Sow seeds a quarter inch deep in a warm, moist seed-starting mix. Use a heat mat to maintain soil temperature at 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal germination in five to ten days. Provide strong light immediately upon emergence to prevent leggy seedlings. Transplant into four-inch pots when the first true leaves appear. Harden off over seven to ten days before planting outdoors. Note that Sun Gold is a hybrid, so seeds saved from the fruits will not grow true to type. Purchase fresh seed each year for consistent results.

The Season Plate

Your Sun Gold Tomato Year

Composed for Zone 7 · typical seasons · frost passes Apr 2, returns Nov 1

Sow Sun Gold Tomato Mar – May, pick Jul – Sep. Set your climate below and every date on this plate re-times itself.

Sowing window

Mar – May

re-timed to your frost dates

Plant out

after Apr 2

once frost risk has passed

First picking

around May 19

≈ 65 days from sowing · 4-6 kg per plant

Composed for —ColdTemperateMildWarmUse my locationUsed once to set your season · only the zone is kept

Week-by-week Sun Gold Tomato reminders watering, feeding and pruning, timed to your dates

In the app

Frost alerts for your garden a warning before a cold night costs you the crop

In the app

Succession sowing dates so the picking never gaps mid-season

In the app

Prefer email? Get monthly reminders in the Almanac

Keep my dates — free for 7 daysWe nudge you as each window opens · cancel anytime

Sun Gold is an indeterminate cherry tomato that produces vigorous vines reaching eight feet or more in a single season. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last expected frost, sowing a quarter inch deep in warm seed-starting mix at 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Transplant outdoors two weeks after the last frost into rich, well-drained soil in full sun. Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart and install sturdy support structures at planting time.

Sun Gold vines grow rapidly and need strong staking, caging, or trellising to manage their exuberant growth. Prune suckers regularly to maintain one or two main stems for larger fruit and better air circulation, or allow multiple stems for maximum production. Water deeply and consistently, providing one to two inches per week. Mulch heavily to maintain even soil moisture and reduce fruit cracking, which is this variety's main weakness.

Feed with a balanced tomato fertilizer every two to three weeks once fruits begin to set. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers that promote leafy growth at the expense of fruit production. Sun Gold begins producing ripe fruit approximately 55 to 65 days after transplant and continues until frost. In warm climates, provide afternoon shade to prevent sunscald on fruits. The extremely sweet flavor develops best when fruits ripen fully on the vine to a deep orange color.

Sun Gold tomatoes benefit from being planted alongside basil, which may improve their flavor and repels certain pests. Marigolds planted nearby deter nematodes and whiteflies. Carrots, garlic, and onions are traditional tomato companions. Plant with asparagus for mutual benefit. Avoid planting near brassicas like cabbage and broccoli, which compete for nutrients, or fennel, which inhibits tomato growth. Nasturtiums serve as effective trap crops for aphids when planted nearby.

The Society Table

Basil belongs beside it. Cabbage doesn't.

Old growers' knowledge, checked against Sun Gold Tomato's real companion table below — test any plant you're growing.

Grows well in the company of · 3

BasilCarrotMarigold

Keep apart · 2

CabbageFennel

Plant Sun Gold Tomato with good neighboursThe planner flags conflicts before they're in the ground

Related growing guides

Herbs

Basil

A good companion for Sun Gold Tomato

Vegetables

Carrot

A good companion for Sun Gold Tomato

Flowers

Marigold

A good companion for Sun Gold Tomato

Vegetables

Tomato

View growing guide

Sun Gold tomatoes thrive in rich, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8. Amend planting holes with generous amounts of compost, aged manure, and a handful of bone meal for phosphorus. Apply a balanced tomato fertilizer at planting and switch to a higher-potassium formula once flowering begins to promote fruit development and sweetness. Side-dress with compost every three to four weeks during the growing season. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which produces large vines with reduced fruit sweetness. Consistent moisture is critical to prevent cracking.

Ideal Temperature

Hardiness Zone Compatibility

Harvest Sun Gold tomatoes when they reach a deep, uniform orange color and feel slightly soft when gently squeezed. Ripe fruits detach easily from the vine with a gentle twist or tug. Harvest every one to two days during peak production, as ripe fruits crack quickly after rain or irrigation. Do not wait for all fruits in a cluster to ripen simultaneously. Sun Gold is notorious for splitting, so pick fruits just as they reach full color, especially before predicted rain. Expect to harvest hundreds of fruits per plant over the season.

Storage & Preservation

Sun Gold tomatoes are best eaten fresh and at room temperature for maximum flavor. Store on the counter out of direct sunlight for up to five days. Do not refrigerate unless necessary, as cold temperatures diminish the exceptional sweetness. Overripe or cracked fruits can be roasted at low temperature for several hours to concentrate the flavor into intense tomato candy. Sun Gold makes exceptional tomato jam and can be dehydrated into sweet tomato chips. Halve and freeze on a baking sheet for use in winter sauces and soups.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Fruit cracking is the primary challenge with Sun Gold tomatoes, as the thin skin splits easily after heavy rain or inconsistent watering. Maintain even soil moisture through regular watering and heavy mulching. The extremely vigorous vines can quickly outgrow supports and become unmanageable without regular pruning. Being a hybrid, saved seeds will not produce plants true to the parent. Disease resistance is moderate, so fungal diseases in humid climates require proactive management. Birds and wildlife are attracted to the bright orange fruits.

Growing Tips

1. Sun Gold is not an optional staking tomato — it is a mandatory staking tomato. This is one of the most vigorous indeterminate varieties you can grow. Install a minimum 180 cm stake, heavy-gauge cage, or tall string trellis at transplant time. Anything shorter will be overwhelmed by midsummer.
2. Manage suckers aggressively or accept the jungle. Sun Gold produces suckers at every leaf axil with extraordinary speed. For earlier fruit and easier management, train to 1-2 main leaders and remove all other suckers weekly. For maximum total yield, allow 3-4 leaders but provide a very robust support structure.
3. Harvest ripe fruit every single day during peak season. Sun Gold's thin skin splits easily after rain or inconsistent watering, and ripe fruits that stay on the vine attract birds, wasps, and other pests. The fruit is at its flavor peak the moment it turns fully orange with a slight softness.
4. Water deeply and consistently — Sun Gold's thin-skinned fruit is particularly prone to cracking after sudden irrigation following a dry spell. Drip irrigation on a timer is ideal. Mulch heavily to maintain even soil moisture.
5. Expect volunteer seedlings. Sun Gold drops ripe fruit prolifically, and those fallen tomatoes can survive mild winters to produce volunteer plants the following spring. While these volunteers will not be true Sun Gold (F1 hybrid), many gardeners find they produce interesting and sometimes surprisingly tasty offspring.
6. Plant Sun Gold where you can snack while gardening. This is not a joke — the single biggest advantage of growing Sun Gold is eating them warm from the vine. Position plants along walkways, near seating areas, or at the garden entrance where grabbing a handful is effortless.
7. Remove lower leaves up to the first fruit truss after transplanting. This improves air circulation at the base of the plant and reduces the risk of soil-borne diseases like early blight splashing onto the foliage during rain or watering.
8. Feed regularly but do not over-fertilize with nitrogen. Excess nitrogen produces massive foliage at the expense of fruit sweetness. Use a balanced fertilizer at transplant, then switch to a higher-potassium formula (like 4-8-12 or tomato-specific feed) once flowering begins to maximize sugar content.