How does the early girl tomato taste? Have you grown this variety of tomatoes before? Do you know what type it is and where it does well?
The early girl tomato is a medium-sized standard globe-type tomato popular for its short time to grow. It is a cold-tolerant short-season red hybrid tomato that is the first to ripen in a vegetable garden.
The early girl tomato is an all-time sweet favorite that grows on the long indeterminate vines.
All About The Early Girl Tomato
This tomato was bred in France and acquired by the US agricultural seed company in the 1970s. The Peto Seed board of directors, Joe Howland, had been searching for a short-season tomato he could grow in the unpredictable climate of Reno Nevada. The early girl tomato seed, as named by Howland, became popular in the 70s as one of the shortest season growing tomatoes.
The early girl tomatoes are red and round F1 hybrid tomatoes reaching about 4 to 6 ounces each. It is a normal-looking tomato making them one of the most popular homegrown upgrades for picky eaters. The early girl is a favorite slice of tomato and one of the many great tomato varieties for use on sandwiches.
What Does The Early Girl Tomato Taste Like?
The early girl tomatoes have a mild old-fashioned tomato taste with a nice balance of acidity and sweetness. The early girl tomato flavor set this tomato apart due to its ability to produce tasty fruit with a homegrown tomato flavor within a short period of time.
This type is not intensely flavored like some of the well-known heirloom tomatoes or open-pollinated hybrids. It has a hint of crisp tang that accompanies the sweetness. The shorter time on the vine helps them develop the depth of their flavor.
This tomato ripens within 2 months of planting the seedling outdoors. It can’t tolerate temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit but can also grow in hot and dry areas. This variety is highly sought-after in the desert zones and inland climates with hot sunny days and cold nights.
The early girl tomatoes taste great after a long winter with no homegrown tomatoes, even though they are a bit more bland than the latest season varieties. This variety is built on a fresh tomato sandwich chopped up into fresh salsa, cubed up into a salad, or enjoyed into a summer pizza.
How To Grow The Early Girl Tomatoes
Growing the bush early girl tomato plants is very similar to growing other indeterminate tomatoes with long vines. These tomatoes can be grown at home from seed or purchased as potted seedling plants from a nursery.
If growing from seed, start your seeds indoors at least 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Sow your seeds indoors starting from February to April, depending on your area’s climate. If you want to buy potted seedlings, they are commonly sold around March to June, depending on your local climate.
Tomato seedlings are sensitive to cold and should not be put outdoors until the threat of frost has passed. The early girl tomato plant is not as hardy as other cultivars and can be easily damaged by temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Planting
Plant your seedlings outdoors in nutrient-rich, well-draining
Plant your early girl in a sunny spot where the leaves get direct sunlight for at least 6 to 8 hours daily. Ensure that you water them regularly drip irrigation system is excellent for watering if available.
This variety of tomato is indeterminate, meaning the vines keep growing longer and longer throughout the season. These vines require stable support with a tall structure like a cage of vertical plants or even a metal garden arch.
The tomatoes themselves are the size of a golf ball which means they are not too heavy. But the vines have branches that thrive, needing support to keep the fruits of the ground as the plant grows larger.
You will need to provide your early girl tomato plants with additional nutrients if growing in containers or nutrient deficient
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Is Early Girl Tomato An Heirloom Tomato
Early girl tomatoes are modern hybrid tomatoes, not heirloom tomatoes. This tomato variety is a recent introduction from France in the 70s. This variety grows from an F1 hybrid seed and is not open-pollinated.
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Harvesting Time For Early Girl Tomatoes
Early tomatoes fruits ripen between 52 to 60 days after transplanting. More continue growing throughout the year as long as the weather stays above 40 degrees, and you keep the pests away.
Common Uses For Early Girl Tomatoes
- Eating Raw. This fruit is safe to eat raw after giving them a good rinse with clean water. Though smaller than most tomato varieties they can cover a sandwich in one slice. They are great for making sandwiches. They are also excellent for salads and sweet salsa.
- Cooking. These tomatoes are great for cooking adding a little sweetness to tomato sauces and other cooked or baked meals.
- Canning Freezing or Drying. The early girl tomato is one of the best for preserving through canning, drying, or freezing.
FAQs
Are Early Girl tomatoes tasty?
I have a large patch of Early Girl tomatoes planted. I've had them in my garden for almost two years now, and they're still doing very well. They're the only tomatoes I've grown that have done well, and the only reason I keep trying to grow them is because they're delicious.
What type of tomato is the Early Girl?
The first thing to know is that the early girl tomatoes are a hybrid of the early boy tomato and the big boy tomato. If the fruit is firm and holds its shape well, it's probably a big boy tomato. If it feels soft, it's an early girl. You can also check for signs of ripening by looking for tiny blisters on the skin. If you see them, they're ready to eat. But if you don't, wait a few more days. It's normal to get a few small blisters on early tomatoes. They will disappear as the fruit ripens. You can also tell by the color.
It's got a much longer shelf life than your regular tomato and can be stored for up to a year (or more). They also have some other attributes like a higher yield and disease resistance. There are many different varieties of this tomato line but most of them are sweet. You can usually find them at big box stores and garden centers in early spring.
Are Early Girl tomatoes sweet?
The "Early Girl" is a hybrid tomato that is bred for productivity. Hybrid tomatoes usually have more sugar than other tomatoes. You may find that these tomatoes are very sweet.
Are Early Girl tomatoes good salsa?
As for using them for salsa, I'd say go for it - you'll get a really nice flavor. I've used some in my tomato sauce, but it's just an experiment - I like to add them to the mix right away. That said, I do think they have a different flavor than late Girls and I think the flavors complement each other nicely. I'd say use them for salsa now, but maybe not as much as you'd use late Girls for salsa.
What do you do with Early Girl tomatoes?
You can also roast them.
I make a big batch and then freeze it in freezer bags. When I want a quick meal I just thaw a bag and put it on top of some rice or pasta. I also like to make tomato juice from them. I just chop them up, add some water, and then puree them with a blender. I strain the pulp through cheesecloth and then pour it into a glass jar and keep it in the fridge. This is great for when I want to make a quick tomato soup or even a Bloody Mary. Re: What can I do with my early girl tomatoes?
Final Thoughts
This sweet, old-fashioned early girl tomato tastes heavenly, and many gardeners have learned the secret. It is a great choice to add to your garden as it will give you good fruit for nearly a month before your other tomato plants mature. The shorter waiting period is a big plus for every gardener who is less patient.
Brian is an avid gardener who loves spending time outdoors. He is passionate about using his green thumb to create beautiful, lush gardens for her friends and family. He finds joy in tending to her garden, trimming plants, and cultivating new species. He enjoys to share his knowledge and experience with others with a similar gardening enthusiasm. Brian is a true nature enthusiast and a has true passion for the outdoors.
