Photo: "Tomato bounty" by Logan Ingalls · CC BY 2.0

Tomato · Cherry

Sweet 100 Tomatoes

Indeterminate · Solanaceae

Iconic indeterminate cherry tomato. Extremely prolific — produces 100+ fruit per truss in long grape-like clusters. Very sweet, 1-inch round red fruit. Vigorous grower that needs strong support and regular sucker management. Prone to cracking with inconsistent watering.

At a Glance

Days to Maturity

60–65 days

Sun

8+ hours

full sun, 8-10 hours

Spacing

24–36 "

Seed Start

6–8 weeks

before transplant

Container

Not Ideal

10+ gallon pot

Height

6–10 ft

Zone Planting Guide

Your USDA Zone:

Growing Guide

Germination

Germination Time 5–10 days

Optimal Temp 80°F

Seed Depth 0.25"

Transplanting

Min Soil Temp 60°F

Harden Off 10 days

Watering

Weekly Water 1–2 "

Needs Consistent

Method Drip or base watering

Soil

pH Range 6–6.8

Soil Type Well-draining, rich organic matter

Support Cage — Extremely vigorous — can reach 12 ft. Needs sturdy 6ft+ reinforced cage, tall stakes, or overhead trellis. Standard tomato cages are insufficient.

Resilience

Heat: Moderate Cold: Low Drought: Low

Disease Resistance

V F

Common Problems

fruit-cracking

Cause: Inconsistent watering causing rapid fruit expansion. Sweet 100 is especially prone.

Prevention: Drip irrigation on timer, consistent deep watering, heavy mulch

early-blight

Cause: Fungal (Alternaria solani), worse in humid conditions

Prevention: Mulch to prevent soil splash, prune lower leaves, copper fungicide

blossom-drop

Cause: Temperature extremes — daytime >90°F or nighttime >75°F

Prevention: Shade cloth 30-40% in extreme heat. Cherry types more heat-tolerant than large-fruited.

blossom-end-rot

Cause: Calcium transport disruption from inconsistent watering (less common in cherry types)

Prevention: Consistent watering + Cal-Mag at flowering stage

Nutrition

Feeding Intensity Heavy feeder

Calcium Critical — supplement recommended

Recommended Recipes Root drench, Silica foliar, Worm castings topdress, Compost tea

Harvest

Fully colored deep red, slight give when gently squeezed. Detaches easily from calyx with gentle twist. If cracking on vine, harvest immediately even slightly under-ripe.

Expected Yield 8–12 lbs/plant

Storage 5 days — Counter at room temp (55-70°F) stem-side down. Never refrigerate — kills flavor.

Companion Planting

Good Companions

Genovese basil Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve flavor

Nantes carrot Different root depth, efficient space use

Flat leaf parsley Attracts beneficial insects

French marigold Repels nematodes and whiteflies

Borage Attracts pollinators, deters hornworms

Avoid Planting Near

Herb fennel Fennel inhibits most garden plants

Sources

seed_catalog Burpee reference Dave's Garden reference TomatoDirt.com university Penn State Extension university Clemson Cooperative Extension university UC Davis / UC ANR university University of Florida IFAS

More Tomatos

Sweet 100 Tomatoes Planting Dates by Zone

Planting dates for Sweet 100 Tomatoes vary by USDA hardiness zone. Select your zone below for frost dates, start-indoors timing, and a full monthly planting calendar.

Zone 5A Zone 5B Zone 6A Zone 6B Zone 7A Zone 7B Zone 8A Zone 8B Zone 9A Zone 9B

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