Juliet
Solanum lycopersicum
A larger sister variety of Santa, Juliet is one of the most disease-resistant in our trials. Deep red shiny fruits avg. 2-2 1/4" x 1 3/8-1 1/2", weighing 1 1/2-2 oz. Typically 12-18 fruits per cluster. Delicious, rich tomato flavor for salads, great salsa, and fresh pasta sauce. Good crack resistance, vine storage, and shelf life. AAS Winner. Indeterminate.
Harvest
60d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–10
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Juliet in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Juliet · Zones 10–10
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | July – September |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | May – July |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | May – July |
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
Store freshly harvested Juliet tomatoes at room temperature for 3-5 days to maintain optimal flavor and texture. Refrigeration dulls their sweet taste, so only refrigerate fully ripe fruits you can't use immediately – they'll keep for up to one week at 40°F.
For longer storage, Juliet tomatoes excel at drying due to their firm flesh and concentrated flavor. Cut them in half lengthwise and dehydrate at 135°F for 8-12 hours, or oven-dry at 200°F for 4-6 hours until leathery but pliable.
Freeze whole clusters in freezer bags for up to 8 months – the skins slip off easily when thawed, making them perfect for sauces and soups. Their firm texture also makes them excellent for oil-packed preserves. Simply blanch for 30 seconds, pack in sterilized jars with olive oil, herbs, and garlic, then process in a pressure canner according to USDA guidelines.
History & Origin
Juliet tomato was developed by Rick Kaczynski at Sakata Seed Company and introduced to the market in 1999. This hybrid variety was specifically bred to combine the best qualities of cherry and paste tomatoes – the sweetness and snacking appeal of cherries with the firm texture and processing qualities of paste varieties.
The variety gained immediate recognition in the gardening community, earning the prestigious All-America Selections (AAS) award in 1999, just one year after its introduction. This honor recognized Juliet's exceptional performance across diverse growing conditions throughout North America.
Kaczynski's breeding goal was to create a grape tomato that could withstand the rigors of commercial and home garden production while delivering consistent sweetness and crack resistance – two qualities that were often mutually exclusive in tomato varieties of the 1990s. The name 'Juliet' reflects the romantic notion of a 'perfect love' between gardener and plant, as this variety delivers reliable performance season after season.
Since its introduction, Juliet has become one of the most widely grown grape tomato varieties in North America, prized by both home gardeners and market growers for its exceptional productivity and storage qualities.
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
Basil
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms while potentially improving tomato flavor
Marigold
Deters nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with natural compounds
Carrots
Loosens soil for tomato roots and doesn't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies that prey on tomato pests
Chives
Repels aphids and may help prevent fungal diseases
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids, whiteflies, and cucumber beetles
Oregano
Repels many insects and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Borage
Deters hornworms and attracts pollinators and beneficial predatory insects
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Fennel
Inhibits growth through allelopathic chemicals and attracts harmful insects
Brassicas
Compete for similar nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract corn earworm/tomato fruitworm, increasing pest pressure
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #321360)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Early Blight (Intermediate); Late Blight (Intermediate)
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, whiteflies
Diseases
Early blight, fusarium wilt, bacterial speck