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.
Sources
- Tokita Seed variety catalogue — Tokita Seed Co., accessed 2026-06-20