SILETZ:
>>>Large fruit with full leaf coverage, earliest slicer

Developed by Dr. James Baggett of Oregon State University. Recommended for early peak yields; setting fruit in cold weather, it is the earliest true slicer in trials. Its full-flavored, large fruit ranges from 10-12 ounces. This variety is resistant to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt 1, and cracking.<<<

I have planted about half a dozen so-called EARLY varieties but SILETZ has proven to be a TRUE early variety in my garden. I started all of them from seed(except Stupice), same time and planted them out the same time but none has come close to Siletz in earlyness. ( I will post a recent picture later). I will definitely plant it again next year. I think the fruits are showing a hint of color.

Other EARLY varieties that I have include:

-- Bloody Butcher, Matina, Early Treat, Stupice, Silvery Fir Tree, and Siberian.
Probably Bloody Butcher will be the next one but way behind.
Sun Gold cherry is coming along too but then it is a cheery type.

Do you have a true winner early tomato to recommend?

Update: Add picture
Here is a picture taken 2 weeks ago

As far as I know, all of them are parthenocarpic varieties, which means they set fruits in the absence of pollination. But there are also some negatives that can accompany parthenocarpic varieties as well.

They were bred especially for the PNWest since springs can be so cool that pollination is not always successful.

And here's Siletz, from Victory Seeds who is also based in Oregon:

http://www.victoryseeds.com/tomato_siletz.html

Many years ago I grew both his Oregon Spring and Gold Nugget, but I gave up growing really early varieties since I found that where I grew my tomatoes that those that were early mid season varieties tasted much better.

It's all about personal choice and where they are grown and the season in which they are grown and of course, how they taste/

Carolyn

I am also growing LEGENG, from OSU. That one is not so early.
We shall see.

Linda,

My Matina is way behind. So is Siberian. Stupice is loaded but tiny ones. So is SFT.

I have few other varieties too, like: JBT, Kumato, CP, Pineapple, ML, Beef Steak, Husky Red, another red cherry. I just wanted to get it started with Earlies.

Jagodka is a golf ball size extra early tomato. Sub Arctic Plenty is a medium large fruited tomato that is in the same maturity range as Siletz. Boney-M is the earliest tomato I've grown with mature fruit 38 days from transplant, but it is an ultra dwarf plant that only gets 1 ft tall. Nevskiy Red is another extra early.

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Thanks for suggestions. But all those in my EARLY list are in early category, with published DTM of 60 and under. But here in this part of PNW, West Central Washington we have some unusual climate, not found anywher else in USA. Just as an example: Our LFD is late March. You would think that is good. But cool weather will drag on. This coming SAT night our low is forecast at 47F. We have seen that happen many times in June. Might even happen in July.

So it is a challenge even to grow early tomatoes here.

About Taste:
I don't know yet. But probably early fruits are not generally very tasty as the one ripened later in the season.

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it depends on the specific variety, how the plants are grown, what amendments are used, several other variables, but being so called early varieties and the weather being unsettled early in the season,I think that the weather in any one season is close to THE most important variable,especially when it comes to taste..

Carolyn

For your area, I would suggest getting Betimes Macbeth from Tom Wagner. It is somewhat susceptible to septoria, but produces a very early crop of tomatoes. It originated in your area, he grows it about 10 miles south of the Canada border.

Fusion -power,

I have most of the early ones you mentioned, except Kimberly and Betimes Macbeth.
My Stupice and Bloody Butcher are coming along nicely but I am disappointed about Matina so far. Maybe if will comeback from behind. So far my winner is Siletz, specially developed for our PNW weather by OSU. Sun Gold has also near full size fruits but no color break yet.

OK folks. We are technically in the first week of summer and at least have 3 more months to go. Maybe 4 depending where you are. Other than early ones I also have MID and Late varieties like: Legend, Kumato, JBT, Mortgage Lifter, Pineapple, Green zebra, Cherokee purple, and few other. The all have some small fruits too. So a lot remains to be seen.

Good luck to all !

Here is a little archive of photos that I saved from last years planting of the "4th of July tomato" of 2013 for the first tomato. I got the seeds from amazon, and they came in a ziplock bag just stating "4th of July" but no Burpee package.

I posted a link below when I first planted it. I think the date was May 16th according to my youtube video.

1) Siletz was the star performer, in earliness, size and continued production.

2) Bloody butcher was also early but it was a poor performer.
3) Matina came from behind and kept on producing consistently.
4) Stupice failed. Not only it was not early but also a mediocre performer with small inconsistent size fruits.
4) I also had Silvery Fir Tree. I liked its foliage. It did just one flush. Early ones were good size but a lot of cat faces. Nothing to write home about.

ZAP: Stupice definitely is banned from my garden. Bloody Butcher is 50/50.

I will plant just one SFT in pot. I just like its foliage.
Winners in early category: Siletz and Matina.