Solanum lycopersicum ‘Super Sweet 100’ (Tomato)

Solanum lycopersicum ‘Super Sweet 100’ – Super Sweet 100 Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum ‘Super Sweet 100’, also sold as ‘Supersweet 100’, is a vigorous F1 hybrid cherry tomato prized for its long, branching clusters of glossy scarlet-red fruits, very sweet flavor, and sustained productivity. Its indeterminate vines continue flowering and fruiting through the growing season, producing abundant bite-sized tomatoes for snacking, salads, lunchboxes, and fresh summer cooking.

‘Super Sweet 100’ is especially valuable to gardeners who want a classic red cherry tomato with strong flavor, heavy yields, and useful wilt resistance. The vines need substantial support, but once established they can carry impressive trusses of fruit over a long harvest period.

Quick Facts – ‘Super Sweet 100’ Tomato

• Planting: Plant after frost danger has passed in warm soil and full sun; space about 24-36 in. (60-90 cm) apart.
• Water: Maintain reasonably even moisture, especially while fruit is ripening.
• Feeding: Use balanced fertility and avoid excessive nitrogen that promotes foliage at the expense of fruiting.
• Support: Provide a tall cage, trellis, stake, or string system for the vigorous vines and long fruiting trusses.
• Pruning: Match pruning to the support system and available space rather than removing every sucker automatically.
• Mulching: Mulch after the soil warms to conserve moisture and reduce soil splash.
• Best use: Choose ‘Super Sweet 100’ for abundant, sweet red cherry tomatoes and sustained harvests rather than compact growth.

1 What Makes ‘Super Sweet 100’ Special?

‘Super Sweet 100’ is famous for abundance. Its vigorous vines develop long, often multiple-branched trusses carrying numerous glossy red cherry tomatoes. The original cultivar description states that well-supported plants can produce clusters containing 100 or more fruits.

The “100” is therefore more than a catchy marketing number. It reflects the cultivar’s documented potential to carry exceptionally large fruiting clusters under good growing conditions.

The tomatoes themselves are small, juicy, and notably sweet, making them ideal for eating directly from the plant. Because the vines are indeterminate, production continues through the season rather than arriving in one concentrated flush.

2 Super Sweet 100 vs. Sweet 100

‘Super Sweet 100’ and ‘Sweet 100’ have closely related names and produce similar sweet red cherry tomatoes, but they should not be treated as interchangeable cultivars.

Super Sweet 100 was bred by Northrup King as a separate F1 hybrid, recorded as NVH 4353 and introduced in 1986. It retained the prolific cherry habit associated with Sweet 100 while adding documented resistance to Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt race 1.

Like other F1 hybrids, ‘Super Sweet 100’ does not reliably reproduce true from home-saved seed. Seeds may germinate, but the next generation can segregate and should not be assumed to have the same traits as genuine Super Sweet 100 F1.

3 Growth Habit and Support

‘Super Sweet 100’ is a vigorous indeterminate tomato. It continues extending, flowering, and producing fruit throughout the growing season rather than terminating after one concentrated crop.

Plants commonly reach about 5-6 ft. (1.5-1.8 m) when supported, although vigorous vines can grow taller during a long season. The long, fruit-heavy trusses add considerable weight, so install a sturdy cage, trellis, stake, or string support early.

For more on tomato growth habits, see Gardenia’s Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes.

For detailed pruning guidance, see Gardenia’s How and When to Prune Tomatoes.

4 How to Grow ‘Super Sweet 100’

Sun

Grow ‘Super Sweet 100’ in full sun, with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight and preferably 8 or more for vigorous growth, flowering, and fruit production.

Soil

Plant in fertile, organically rich, moist but well-drained soil. Clay, loam, or sandy soil can work when drainage and fertility are suitable. Aim for a slightly acidic to neutral pH around 6.0-6.8.

Spacing

Allow about 24-36 inches (60-90 cm) between plants. Use the wider end of the range for large cages, multi-stem plants, or humid conditions where greater airflow is useful.

Water

Maintain reasonably even root-zone moisture. Abrupt shifts from dry soil to heavy rain or irrigation can encourage cherry tomatoes to split.

Feeding

Use balanced fertility and avoid excessive nitrogen. A huge leafy vine is not automatically a more productive vine, and excessive nitrogen can favor foliage over balanced flowering and fruiting.

For complete tomato care, see Gardenia’s Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) profile.

5 Disease Resistance and Common Problems

The original cultivar record documents resistance to Verticillium wilt race 1 and Fusarium wilt race 1.

Current commercial seed sellers do not always list exactly the same resistance package. Some advertise additional Fusarium races or nematode resistance.

Fruit can also split during wet weather or following abrupt changes in soil moisture. Even a disease-resistant tomato is not automatically resistant to physiological problems caused by changing root-zone conditions.

Plants may still encounter early blight, late blight, Septoria leaf spot, blossom-end rot, and pests such as tomato hornworms.

If symptoms are unclear, use Gardenia’s Tomato Problems: What Is Wrong With My Plant?. For infectious diseases, see Tomato Diseases: Identification, Treatment & Prevention.

6 Harvesting ‘Super Sweet 100’

Harvest individual fruits when they are fully scarlet-red and firm-ripe. The long trusses do not ripen every tomato simultaneously, so there is no reason to wait for the entire cluster to turn red.

Pick frequently during peak production. Regular harvesting helps prevent overripe fruit from splitting or dropping and makes it easier to keep up with the cultivar’s heavy production.

If prolonged rain is forecast, mature fruits that have already begun coloring can be harvested and allowed to finish ripening indoors.

7 Growing ‘Super Sweet 100’ in Containers

‘Super Sweet 100’ can perform very well in a container, but its small fruit should not be mistaken for compact plant growth.

Use a large container, preferably around 10 gallons or more, together with tall, sturdy support. Greater soil volume gives the roots a larger moisture reserve and makes watering easier to manage during hot weather.

Container-grown vines may need frequent moisture checks during heat or wind. Pruning can help fit the vine to its support, but pruning cannot compensate for an undersized root zone.

8 Companion Plants for ‘Super Sweet 100’

Choose companions that share full sun, fertile soil, good drainage, and regular moisture without crowding the vigorous tomato canopy.

• Basil (Ocimum basilicum) enjoys full sun, well-drained soil, and regular moisture and fits naturally into an edible tomato bed.

• French Marigold (Tagetes patula) thrives in full sun and well-drained soil while adding long-season flowers around vegetable beds.

• Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) can trail around bed edges without competing for vertical canopy space.

• Garlic (Allium sativum) shares a preference for sun and good drainage and can use garden space before the tomato reaches full summer size.

For more ideas based on compatible growing conditions and practical garden functions rather than folklore, see Gardenia’s Companion Plants for Tomatoes.

Frequently Asked Questions