Cherry Tomato
Sweetheart Cherry Tomato is an indeterminate heirloom that delivers exactly what its name promises: intensely sweet, crunchy fruits bursting with berry-like flavor. This variety earned its reputation through outstanding trials at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds for both flavor and yield, producing heavy harvests of sugar-packed tomatoes over an extended season. You'll be harvesting ripe fruit in just 70-75 days, and the vine's ability to keep tomatoes on the branch longer than most varieties means peak sweetness with every pick. Space plants 24 inches apart in full sun, and prepare for a wildly productive snacking tomato that thrives equally well in greenhouses and outdoor gardens.
Full Sun
Moderate
5-7
192in H x ?in W
Annual, Perennial
High
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What sets Sweetheart apart is its remarkable combination of exceptional flavor and relentless productivity. The fruit is notably crisp with a rich, berry-like sweetness that builds as tomatoes stay on the vine longer than other cherry varieties, a deliberate characteristic that concentrates sugars. Baker Creek's trials showed these strong vines outproducing and out-tasting most companions, making it both a flavor champion and a champion yielder that keeps producing long into the season.
These cherry tomatoes are quintessential snacking fruit, best enjoyed fresh off the vine where their crisp texture and concentrated sweetness shine brightest. Their compact size and intense flavor make them ideal for adding to salads whole, halving into grain bowls, or simply popping into your mouth as you walk through the garden. The extended hang time on the vine means you can harvest tomatoes at peak ripeness for maximum flavor in any fresh preparation.
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost, keeping soil warm at around 75°F for best germination. Seeds typically emerge within 5-10 days under these conditions. Provide bright light once seedlings break soil.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60°F, though 65-70°F is ideal for this heat-loving variety. Harden off plants gradually over 7-10 days before moving them to their final location. Plant at the depth they were growing in containers, or slightly deeper to encourage a stronger root system.
Pick Sweetheart Cherry tomatoes when they've reached full color and yield slightly to gentle pressure, typically around 70-75 days after transplanting. Look for a rich, deep red color as a sign of peak ripeness and maximum sugar content. The variety's signature trait is that fruit keeps exceptionally well on the vine, so you can leave ripe tomatoes hanging for several days or even a week to build even more sweetness before harvesting. Gently twist and lift, or use a sharp knife to avoid damaging the productive vine.
As an indeterminate variety, Sweetheart will benefit from selective pruning of suckers, the shoots that grow between the main stem and branches, to focus the plant's energy into fruit production. Prune lower leaves once the plant is well-established and lower fruit is ripening to improve air circulation and reduce disease risk. However, avoid aggressive pruning that removes too much foliage, as the plant needs leaves to support its extended, heavy harvest. Monitor throughout the season and remove any diseased or damaged foliage promptly.
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