Sweet Million
Solanum lycopersicum 'Sweet Million'
An incredibly productive cherry tomato hybrid that produces long clusters of perfectly sweet, crack-resistant fruits throughout the growing season. Sweet Million combines the addictive flavor of the best cherry tomatoes with impressive disease resistance, making it a must-have variety for gardeners who love snacking straight from the vine.
Harvest
65-70d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Sweet Million in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Sweet Million · 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 | — | August – October |
| 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
Fresh Sweet Million tomatoes store best at room temperature for 3-5 days, developing peak flavor as they ripen. Only refrigerate fully ripe fruits you won't use immediately – cold temperatures diminish their sweet flavor. Arrange in single layers to prevent bruising.
For preservation, these cherry tomatoes excel at whole freezing – simply wash, remove stems, and freeze in bags for winter cooking. Their small size makes them perfect for canning whole in light syrup or brine. Sweet Million's concentrated flavor intensifies beautifully when slow-roasted with olive oil and herbs, then frozen in portions.
Dehydrating works exceptionally well due to their balanced sugar content – slice in half and dry until leathery for homemade sun-dried tomatoes. The variety's crack-resistant skin holds up well to all preservation methods, maintaining both texture and that signature sweet flavor.
History & Origin
Sweet Million was developed by Burpee Seeds in the 1980s as part of their effort to create the ultimate snacking tomato. The variety emerged from a breeding program focused on combining the intense sweetness of traditional cherry tomatoes with modern disease resistance and improved productivity.
Burpee's breeders specifically selected for crack resistance – a major problem with earlier cherry varieties that would split after rain or irregular watering. The 'Million' in the name refers to the variety's prolific production, with mature plants capable of producing over 100 fruits throughout the growing season.
This hybrid quickly became a standard in American gardens during the 1990s health food movement, when fresh snacking vegetables gained popularity. Sweet Million helped establish the market for super-sweet cherry tomatoes that we see today, proving that home gardeners would prioritize flavor and convenience over traditional large slicing varieties. Its commercial success encouraged other seed companies to develop similar high-yield, disease-resistant cherry hybrids.
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
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Carrots
Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Chives
Repel aphids and may improve tomato flavor
Borage
Attracts pollinators and may repel hornworms
Lettuce
Benefits from tomato shade and doesn't compete for deep nutrients
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes
Fennel
Inhibits growth of most garden plants through allelopathy
Brassicas
Can stunt tomato growth and attract pests that also damage tomatoes
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
Resistant to Fusarium wilt races 1 & 2, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, and Verticillium wilt (FNT)
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, spider mites
Diseases
Early blight, septoria leaf spot, late blight in humid conditions