Sweet 100
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
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Sweet 100 in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Sweet 100 · Zones 10–11
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 ripe Sweet 100 tomatoes at room temperature for 3-5 days for best flavor, or refrigerate for up to one week. Never refrigerate unripe tomatoes, as cold temperatures halt the ripening process and damage flavor development.
For preservation, Sweet 100's small size makes them perfect for freezing whole – simply wash, remove stems, and freeze in bags for use in cooked dishes. They're also excellent for water bath canning whole, maintaining their shape better than many cherry varieties. Dehydrate halved Sweet 100s at 135°F for 8-12 hours to create intensely flavored dried tomatoes perfect for winter cooking.
Their high sugar content makes them ideal for tomato jam or conserves. Ferment whole Sweet 100s in salt brine for a unique tangy preserve that maintains their firm texture.
History & Origin
Sweet 100 was developed by Goldsmith Seeds in the 1970s as part of the growing interest in cherry tomato varieties for home gardeners. This hybrid was specifically bred to combine exceptional sweetness with prolific production, addressing the common complaint that many cherry tomatoes were either sweet but low-yielding or productive but lacking in flavor.
The variety gained rapid popularity in the 1980s and became one of the most widely grown cherry tomatoes in North America. Its development represented a breakthrough in combining disease resistance with productivity – many early cherry varieties were susceptible to common tomato diseases that would devastate entire crops.
Sweet 100's success led to the development of related varieties like Sweet Million and Supersweet 100, each attempting to improve on the original's formula. However, the original Sweet 100 remains popular among home gardeners for its reliable performance and distinctive sweet flavor that helped establish cherry tomatoes as a garden staple rather than a novelty crop.
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 and whiteflies, may improve flavor
Marigold
Deters nematodes and aphids with natural compounds
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Carrots
Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients
Borage
Repels hornworms and may improve tomato growth
Chives
Repel aphids and may deter some fungal diseases
Peppers
Similar growing requirements and compatible root systems
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Brassicas
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract corn earworm which also damages tomatoes
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
Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, tomato fruitworm
Diseases
Late blight, early blight, tobacco mosaic virus