| Different
Cultivars (Varieties) of Early Tomatoes
Slicing
Tomatoes
Grape &
Cherry Tomatoes
Paste
& Roma Tomatoes
Heat
Tolerant & Early Season
All Time
Fastest Growing Tomatoes
Slicing Tomatoes: (Most
Popular)
Early Girl: Probably the most
famous variety of early season tomatoes. It's
history dates back to the 1970s, when it was
developed for PetoSeed by a French company, all
under the urging of seed executive Joe Howland
who wanted an early tomato for his garden in
Reno, Nevada, where temps can get kooky. The
first Early Girls were then licensed to Burpee
who couldn't keep up with the orders when they
put them on their catalog cover in 1975.
Americans then experimented with the variety
to produce a disease resistant, tastier strain.
While tomato varieties go in and out of favor
with gardeners, the Early Girl has endured and
remained popular. "It's a remarkable
tomato," Joe Howland told a Sacramento
Bee reporter in 1998. "It's a good
size (about 4 to 6 ounces), a nice shape, a
good-looking red outside and very red inside, and
dependable."
Besides their early maturity, Early Girls, are known for the
taste, compact but useful size, abundant producing plants, and
disease resistance. Indeterminate, 52 to 62 days.
Bloody Butcher: A well known early season
tomato that produces 2-3 inch red fruit in the 3-4 ounce range
in clusters of 5 to 9. Compact indeteriminate plant that offers
mature fruit in 55+ days. Some growers at DavesGarden report
it to be tasty and delicious, while others disagreed. We are
growing this tomato for our 2010
Growing Journal We'll put it to our taste test this
year with my wife, the tomato connosieur.
Early Wonder: Unlike the
Early Girl, the Early Wonder is a determinate
variety with a very short plant. This compact
tomato is a good producer of pinkish-red
tomatoes, 2-3 ounces. Approx. 55 days.
Glacier Heirloom: From Sweden, so you know
it's tolerant to cold weather, making it ideal for Northern
gardeners. Semi-determinate, 2-3 oz fruits, 55-65 days. Great
variety for container growing.
Gregori's Altai Tomato: An early season tomato
that can resist the high temperatures of the Oklahoma Summer
(Hot weather resistant tomato) and is a good producer of pinkish-red
beefsteak style fruit in the heavier range of 8+ ounces in 65-70
days on indeteriminate vines. Reported to be very delicious
with great crop production. Online seed sellers report this
variety comes from Siberia that originated in the Altai Mountains
on the Chinese border and West Siberia, and also near the Kazakhstan
border. Subject of our 2010 Growing
Journal
Jetsetter: From our
experience, the Jetsetter is a fast growing
tomato. Produces larger fruit than the Early
Girl, average 6 to 8 ounces, but takes a bit
longer, 64 days. This hybrid is an improvement of
the popular Jet Star as it produces earlier and
is more disease resistant.
Manitoba: Besides being Dale
Dribble's favorite brand of cigarettes (King
of the Hill tv show), the Manitoba is also
an early season tomato that matures 58 to 66 days
after transplanting. This determinate, heirloom
bush variety was developed on the prairie lands
of Manitoba, Canada, to produce a tomato that
would mature within their short summer season.
The Manitoba is perfect for Northern or colder
climates and is an abundant producer of 4 to 6
ounce fruit, 3 to 4 inches in diameter.
Oregon Spring: Developed at
Oregon State University, the Oregon Spring was
developed for the cool nights and short summers
of the Pacific Northwest. According to an OSU
Extension service website, this tomato was
released in 1984 and produces 5 ounce fruits that
ripen in early August. Oregon Spring fruit are
not very firm but are useful for the local market
(being firm is more for commercial growers). The
Oregon Spring is well known for having great
flavor, very few seeds (making them ideal for
ketchup and sauces). Determinate, 58-60 days.
Pilgrim: Another tomato
suited for Northern & colder climates, the
Pilgrim is a determinate, hybrid tomato that is
compact in size and crack resistant. At an
average of 7 ounces, the Pilgrim's fruit are a
bit larger than most other early season tomatoes
but it also matures a few days later. Are those
few extra days worth the wait? You be the judge
when you grow these tomatoes. Matures in 68 days.
Popular in Canada.
Polar - - - : Polar Baby,
Polar Beauty and Polar Star. A trifecta of 3 cold
season cultivars grown on short, bushy
determinate plants capable of producing fruit in
the 2 to 4 oz range in 60 to 65 days.
Praire Fire: A cross between
a Sub-Arctic and a beefsteak, this determinate
tomato produces 3 to 5 ounce fruits in 55 days on
bushy, compact plants.
New Yorker: A bush size
determinate that is ideal for Northern climates
and seasons with short summers. Produces small to
medium size fruit in 66 days.
Siberia and Siberian: There
seems to be a lot of confusion out there about
these two tomatoes since their names are so
similar. Since these are 2 different cultivars,
let's try to clear up some of that confusion.
Siberia: From Russia,
this famous cold weather variety can produce
fruit in temperatures as low as 38 degrees,
and in 48 to 55 days. A compact, bush variety
that only grows 2 to 3 feet, it is wind
resistant, cold resistant, and produces 2 to
3 ounce red fruit in clusters. Pleasant
tasting, but reportedly not as delicious as
the Siberian. Only requires a small growing
area. Ideal for growing in containers or
pots.
Siberian: The Siberian is
also from Russia, and also tolerates the cold
well, but not as well as the Siberia Tomato
above. This compact, bush determinate
produces slightly larger, better tasting, 3
to 5 ounce red fruits in 55 to 60 days. Can
also be grown in containers or large pots.
Be careful of seed companies that confuse these two tomatoes
from Russia. However, there aren't too many Siberia Tomato
seeds being sold.
About this popular heirloom early season tomato, Seed Savers
Exchange writes: "Dwarf sprawling plants with early
sets of fruits. From the late Edward Lowden collection, seedsman
from Ontario. Egg-shaped 2-3" fruits, good strong flavor.
Not to be confused with Siberia, Siberian is superior in all
qualities. Determinate, 57-60 days." Subject of
our 2010
Growing Journal
Stupice: A Czechoslavakian tomato, the Stupice
is a gardener favorite for it's delcious taste and early production.
This potato leaf tomato produces 2 to 3 inch red fruits on a
compact but indeterminate vine in 55 to 68 days. Pronounced
Stoo-Peech-kah. Subject of our 2010
Growing Journal
Sub Arctic: Another famous,
early season cold tolerant variety that has
become the basis for a number of OTHER new hybrid
tomatoes. There are different cultivars of the
sub arctic which include: Sub-Arctic Early,
Sub-Arctic Plenty, and the Sub-Arctic Maxi. All 3
produce small but delicious red tomatoes on
compact, determinate vines in 49 to 62 days,
depending on which cultivar you grow.
Grape & Cherry
Tomatoes:
Although most cherry & grape tomatoes are
NOT considered Early Season tomatoes (most mature
in the early season range, some don't), our list
is sorted by the most popular and fastest growing
cherry and grape tomatoes. Grape and Cherry
tomatoes are usually classified as - Grape and
Cherry tomatoes, not Early Season tomates.
However, since many of them mature during the
Early Season, I am throwing the classification
system into total and complete chaos with my list
below.
Red Grape Tomato: Produces
small, super sweet, glossy red fruit in bunches
of 24 on indeterminate vines in 60 days. VERY
disease resistant. Smaller size fruit than other
grape tomatoes. Easy to grow.
Juliet Hybrid: Funny story
about this one, I tried to grow some Juliet
Hybrid's this year, and it turns out they are
definitely not Juliet Hybrid's nor even close to
being cherry/grape tomatoes of any kind. I
suspect the seed company got it wrong in the
packing or hybridization process as I have no
idea what I am growing. A Mystery Tomato I guess.
The ironic part is that whatever they are,
they've got some Early Season Tomato
characteristics in them. They came in a little
after my Early Girl's and Jetsetters. - Anyway -
The Juliet Hybrid was an All
American Selections Winner in 1999. Elongated,
red cherry tomatoes grow in clusters with a sweet
flavor and weigh about 1 ounce each. Crack
resistant, and tolerant to late blight and leaf
spot.
Rosalita: Possibly the only
pink grape tomato out there. Fruit grows in
clusters. Indeterminate, 60 days.
Sprite: Productive plants on
compacty, bushy vines. Red grape tomatoes are
sweet and ready to harvest 60 days after
transplanting. Determinate.
Sugary: Tasting like it's
name, these tomatoes are oval shaped and cherry
sized with a pointed end. Compact plant by
semi-determinate = producing fruits all summer.
Matures in 60 days.
Sun Cherry FT Hybrid: Red,
sweet, and cherry sized fruit on productive
indeterminate vines. 58 days.
Sweet 100 Hybrid: One of the
more popular cherry tomatoes, it produces 1/2
inch size fruit that are high in vitamin c.
Indeterminate, 65 days.
Tiny Tim: Compact sized
plants that are perfect for containers or pots.
Round, red cherry size tomatoes on determinate
plants, 60 days.
Wild Cherry: Like the name
says, this cherry tomato can grow wild in Mexico
where it's from. Small red fruit are very
flavorful. Indeterminate, 60 days.
Plum, Paste & Roma
Tomatoes:
Paste & Plum tomatoes generally produce
fruit mid-season. However, there are a few that
produce faster then other romas and paste
tomatoes. [For more information about Roma
Tomatoes, please see our sister website Roma-Tomato.com].
Early Season tomatoes are those generally
considered 65 days and under. However, we have
included the earliest versions of this mid-season
varities for those who want to grow the
"fastest" paste tomatoes.
Baller: Red, pear shaped,
averages 3 oz fruits, indeterminate, 71 days.
(OP)
Bellstar: Red, plum shaped,
averages 4-5 oz fruits, determinate, 70 days.
(OP)
Golden Roma: Yellow to
yellowish-gold, plum shape, averages 2-3 oz
fruits, determinate, 70 days. (OP)
Orange Roma:
Yellowish-orange, plum/oval shape, averages 2 oz
fruits, indeterminate, 65-69 days. (OP)
Macero Roma: Red fruits,
tubular/cylindrical shape, averages 2-4 oz
fruits, determinate, 68-76 days. (OP)
Window Box Roma VFN Hybrid: Bred
to be grown in pots or containers. Produces 2-3
ounce red fruits for salads, snacking or saucing.
Compact, determinate plants, 70 days.
Hot Weather and Early
Tomatoes
Gregori's Altai Tomato: This one was recommended
to us by Darrel Jones of SelectedPlants.com
who said it would resist the high temperatures (Hot weather
resistant tomato) and is a good producer of pinkish-red beefsteak
style fruit in the heavier range of 8+ ounces in 65-70 days
on indeteriminate vines. Reported to be very delicious with
great crop production. Online seed sellers report this variety
comes from Siberia that originated in the Altai Mountains on
the Chinese border. A subject of our 2010
Growing Journal
Porter: If you live in a hot climate or Southern
state, and want an early season varitiey, the Porter might be
tomato for you. Expect deep red colored fruit in the 4 ounce
size range this resistant to cracking and sunburn and matures
in 65 to 75 days. Developed by the Texas based Porter &
Son seed company for drought prone, hot climate areas like Southern
Texas.
Super Sioux: Expect 4 oz
fruits in 70 days (after transplanting) on
productive, indeterminate vines in 70 days. Thick
walled with acidic flavor. Good for canning or
eating fresh.
5 Fastest Growing
Tomatoes
- Siberia = 48 to 55 days
- Sub Arctic = 49 to 62 days
- Early Girl = 52 to 62 days
- Early Wonder = 55 days
- Prairie Fire = 55 days
Honorable Mention: Siberian
55 to 60 days, Glacier Heirloom 55 to 65 days,
and Stupice 55 to 68 days.
If you know of any tomatoes that are faster
than 60 days or 50 days and should be on this
list, let me know.
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