Golden Sweet
Solanum lycopersicum
Crack-resistant, 15-20 gm., deep-yellow fruits grow in long clusters on tall, healthy plants. Mild, sweet flavor. Leaf mold resistance is a plus for indoor culture. Indeterminate.
Harvest
60d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–9
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Golden Sweet in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 pea →Zone Map
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Golden Sweet · Zones 10–9
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | May – June | July – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | April – June | June – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 6 | — | — | April – May | June – November |
| Zone 7 | — | — | March – May | May – November |
| Zone 8 | — | — | March – April | May – December |
| Zone 9 | — | — | February – March | April – December |
| Zone 10 | — | — | January – March | March – December |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Water: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
The fruits are smooth, shiny, glossy, and are classified as berries. The size, shape, and color will vary depending on the variety or cultivar. The color of the fruits may be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or pink. The fruits may contain over 100 yellow to light brown seeds.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Golden Sweet pods maintain peak quality for 5-7 days when stored unwashed in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper drawer. The optimal storage temperature is 32-35°F with high humidity. Don't wash until ready to use, as excess moisture promotes rapid deterioration.
For freezing, blanch whole pods in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then immediately plunge into ice water. Drain thoroughly and freeze in airtight containers for up to 8 months. The golden color may fade slightly but flavor remains excellent.
Dehydration works well for Golden Sweet—use a food dehydrator at 125°F for 8-12 hours until pods are crisp. Store dried pods in airtight containers for up to one year, perfect for adding to soups and stews. Avoid canning as the delicate texture doesn't hold up well to high-heat processing.
History & Origin
Golden Sweet represents a rare color mutation in the Pisum sativum family, likely originating from European breeding programs in the mid-20th century. This heirloom variety emerged from traditional snow pea breeding, where yellow-podded variants occasionally appeared as natural mutations in green-podded populations.
The variety gained prominence among specialty seed collectors and gourmet gardeners during the 1980s farm-to-table movement, when chefs began seeking unusual vegetables for visual impact. Golden Sweet's striking appearance made it a favorite in high-end restaurants and specialty produce markets.
Unlike many modern hybrid peas bred for commercial shipping and uniform appearance, Golden Sweet was preserved by seed-saving enthusiasts who valued its exceptional sweetness and unique color. The variety traces its lineage to traditional European snow peas, maintaining the open-pollinated characteristics that allow gardeners to save seeds year after year. Its cultivation spread primarily through seed exchanges and specialty catalogs rather than commercial agriculture, making it a true gardener's treasure.
Advantages
- +Attracts: Bees, Pollinators, Predatory Insects
- +Wildlife value: The plant is pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees.
- +Edible: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Leaves, Stems): Medium severity
- -High maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Carrots
Peas fix nitrogen in soil that carrots benefit from, while carrots break up soil for pea roots
Radishes
Break up compacted soil and mature quickly, allowing space for pea growth
Lettuce
Benefits from nitrogen fixed by peas and provides ground cover to retain soil moisture
Spinach
Enjoys the nitrogen-rich environment created by peas and shares similar growing conditions
Mint
Deters ants and rodents that may eat pea seeds, while tolerating partial shade from pea vines
Chives
Repels aphids and other pests that commonly attack pea plants
Marigolds
Attract beneficial insects and may help deter nematodes in the soil
Cucumber
Can climb together with peas on shared trellises and benefit from nitrogen fixation
Keep Apart
Onions
May inhibit pea growth and nitrogen fixation through root secretions
Garlic
Allelopathic compounds can stunt pea growth and interfere with beneficial root bacteria
Gladiolus
Competes heavily for nutrients and may harbor thrips that damage pea plants
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #170419)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Fusarium Wilt races 1 (High); Resistant to Leaf Molds A-E (High)
Common Pests
Aphids, thrips, pea weevil, leafminer
Diseases
Powdery mildew, bacterial blight, pea enation virus, downy mildew