Editorially reviewedLast reviewed 01/07/2026 · The Tomato Post Growing DeskPassport ref TP-SUNGOLD
At a glance
- Cultivar
- Sungold F1
- Also known as
- Sun Gold
- Botanical
- Solanum lycopersicum
- Origin
- Japan
- Introduced
- 1992
- Breeder
- Tokita Seed
- Fruit
- Round cherry, Tangerine-orange, 15–20 g
- Flavour
- Sweetness 9/10 · Acidity 4/10 — Thin-skinned; prone to splitting when watering is uneven.
Growing calendar
Sow
Feb · Mar · Apr
Plant
May · Jun
Harvest
Jul · Aug · Sept · Oct
Growing guidance
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Days to maturity
- 65 days
- Height / spread
- 1.8–2.4 m / 45–60 cm
- Indoor / outdoor
- both
- Greenhouse
- excellent
- Containers
- good — 30–40 L per plant
- Support
- Single cane or string; tie in every 20 cm as the leader extends.
- Pruning
- Remove side-shoots weekly; stop the leader once seven trusses have set under glass.
- Feeding
- Weekly high-potash tomato feed from first truss; ease off nitrogen once flowering.
- Watering
- Even, deep watering. Aim for consistent soil moisture — irregular watering causes splits.
- Disease resistance
- Generally robust; some tolerance to leaf mould in ventilated greenhouses.
- Common problems
- Fruit splitting, occasional magnesium deficiency on old lower leaves.
- Seed saving
- F1 hybrid — saved seed will not come true. Buy fresh seed each season.
- In the kitchen
- Eat straight off the vine, halve into salads, or roast briefly for a jammy pasta sauce.
A note on weather and microclimate
Every plot is different. Regional weather, aspect, soil and glasshouse ventilation all affect timing and vigour. Treat these figures as a starting point, not a guarantee.
Current growers, kitchens and seed
Growers on record
- Cinderwood Market Garden · Cheshire
- Harlow Lane Glasshouse · Essex
Currently served by
- The Quayside Room · Bristol
Seed
- F1 seed under licenceF1 hybrids such as Sungold are sold under licence and cannot be saved true to type.
On the Tomato Ledger
No ledger records for Sungold yet. Records come from field visits and contributors — we do not invent them.
The Tomato Ledger →Sources
- Tokita Seed variety catalogue — Tokita Seed Co., accessed 2026-06-20