Description

Description

Gold Rush Currant Tomato - Tiny Treasures for Your Garden and Table

Meet the tomato's wilder cousin, a tenacious descendant of the wild Solanum pimpinellifolium from the Andes. The tiny Gold Rush tomato is a flavor factory, churning out a continuous supply of sweet, jewel-like golden fruits to delight your taste buds all season long until late fall. Some of our customers report harvesting ten gallons of tomatoes from six plants!

Details

The Gold Rush tomato is a vigorous, sprawling, indeterminate variety that produces an abundance of tiny, round, golden-yellow tomatoes throughout the season, only stopping when hard frost arrives. Each golden jewel-like fruit, about the size of a garden pea (¼ inch in diameter), offers a burst of true tomato flavor, an intense sweet-tart taste with a satisfyingly firm, juicy texture, thanks to the perfect balance of sugars and acids.

True to its wild ancestry, this variety isn't a tidy bush that minds its manners. Gold Rush sprawls and wanders where it pleases, reaching up to eight feet with a spread of three feet. While it can be pruned to contain its size, it's best to give it a corner of the garden or train it up a trellis with string to accommodate its exuberant growth. Its abundance of sweet little fruits more than makes up for any extra space it claims. The miniature tomatoes hang in long, cascading tresses in groups of 10 to 12, adding a touch of whimsy to the garden.

Gold Rush is known for its high yields, disease resistance, and ability to set fruit early—a boon for gardeners in cooler climates with shorter growing seasons. This early ripening also benefits warm-weather gardeners, allowing them to plant early and enjoy an abundant harvest before the intense heat of summer sets in. The tomatoes mature in about 75 days from transplanting, and the ripe fruits cling beautifully to their trusses, making harvesting easy and eye-catching. This tomato can be successfully grown in containers (at least 10 gallons) with good drainage and adequate support, making it an excellent choice for gardeners with limited space. While typically grown as an annual, this sun-loving variety can be a perennial in warmer climates (USDA Hardiness Zones 10-11).

History

The story of the Gold Rush tomato begins on the fertile slopes of Ecuador and Peru, home to its wild ancestors. This tiny wild tomato has long captivated explorers and botanists with its vibrant color and prolific fruiting. In the early 1700s, French explorer Aédéc Feuilléc collected one of the earliest specimens during an expedition to Peru, and by 1859, seeds were being offered in American catalogs. While specific mentions of the Gold Rush variety itself are limited, yellow tomatoes similar to it have been cultivated since at least 1934.

This particular variety results from the pioneering work of Dutch seedsman Kees Sahin, a breeder who recognized the potential of wild tomato species. He saw in S. pimpinellifolium a treasure trove of desirable traits waiting to be unlocked. Through careful selection and seed saving, he guided this wild species toward a form more suitable for the home garden. Sahin focused on enhancing the plant's growth habit. Where wild S. pimpinellifolium can be quite sprawling, he selected for a more restrained habit, making the plants easier to manage in gardens and greenhouses. He also took note of the fruit clusters. While wild plants have shorter clusters, Sahin stabilized lines with elongated, heavily laden trusses, creating a stunning visual display and increasing the yield. And of course, he had his eye on the fruits themselves. He specifically selected for the rare yellow mutation within the species, resulting in ¼-inch fruits with an intensely sweet flavor.

Through repeated selection and seed saving over multiple generations, Sahin stabilized these traits without hybridizing with cultivated tomatoes, retaining the genetic integrity of S. pimpinellifolium. Gold Rush shows the value of conserving and curating wild species—an heirloom with one foot in the Andes and the other in Dutch greenhouse innovation.

Uses

Don't let their size fool you—these tiny tomatoes are packed with possibilities. Whether you're after an eye-catching garnish, a sweet addition to your salsa, or a juicy snack from the garden, the Gold Rush tomato delivers. Their bright color and intensely sweet-tart flavor make them a dazzling garnish for everything from salads to main courses. Toss a handful into your salad for a burst of sunshine, or add them to sauces and salsas for a rich flavor boost.

They're excellent when oven-roasted on a sheet pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic. Freeze and thaw them for easy skin removal, perfect for winter sauces. Dry them like miniature raisins for a concentrated tomato flavor that will last for months. Or even freeze them whole for a refreshing summer treat. Yellow tomatoes pair beautifully with savory herbs, soft cheeses like fresh mozzarella, and a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette. Let your creativity go and discover the almost endless possibilities of these tiny golden gems!

Companion Planting

Beneficial Companions include basil (repels flies, aphids, and tomato hornworms while improving flavor), marigolds (deter nematodes and other soil pests), onions (repel pests and improve growth), garlic (deters spider mites), and borage (attracts pollinators and beneficial insects).

Antagonistic Companions are dill (can inhibit tomato growth), brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower – compete for nutrients and may increase disease risk), and potatoes (belong to the same family and may attract similar pests and diseases).

Growing Tips

Get your tomatoes off to a strong start by sowing the seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before your last frost. Once the danger of frost has passed, it's time to transplant your seedlings outside. But first, give them a little "tough love" by gradually introducing them to the outdoor elements for a week or two. This helps them adjust and prevents transplant shock.

To ensure your Gold Rush tomatoes thrive, provide them with well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Consistent moisture is crucial but avoid overwatering. Mulching helps retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

You can direct sow these little jewels in warmer climates with longer growing seasons - plant seeds when the soil is warm to your hand.

Harvest Tips

Harvest your Gold Rush tomatoes in the morning when they are cool and fully yellow, but still firm to the touch. Since the ripe fruits cling tightly to the vine, you can easily snip off a whole truss laden with golden-yellow tomatoes. This method is efficient and visually appealing, as the trusses resemble long strands of golden pearls. Enjoy the tomatoes individually, or use the whole truss as a unique garnish or salad component. They ripen from the inside out, starting with faint white lines at the blossom end, followed by a pink blush. Continue harvesting until the first frost. Store ripe tomatoes at room temperature, not in the refrigerator.