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daniel_ny

Early tomatoes - B.I.G. disappointment

daniel_nyc
9 years ago

This year a tried a few early tomatoes: Fourth Of July, Early Girl, Early Wonder...

They were not early AT ALL. Fourth of July - DTM 49 days - ripped at the end of... July, only 2-3 days before a big Rose tomato (21 oz.) - DTM 78 !!! days. The other "EARLIES" were even worse.

How was your experience with Earlies ?

This post was edited by Daniel_NY on Tue, Aug 19, 14 at 17:51

Comments (16)

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    I have read some so not favorable reviews on 4th of July. Also grew Early Girl last year. Not really EARLY plus the fruits were no ripening fast enough and not tasty.

    So after a lot of search and study over the last winter months, I choose to grow Matina, Bloody Butcher, Siletz and stupice. I am very happy with my picks. They have been early and good producers as well. I have heard that Kimberly is also a good early one.

  • goodground
    9 years ago

    The only plant I bought that i did not grow from seed this year was an early girl. Today, I picked my first tomato that is showing some color change to ripen indoors. I already picked well over 80 Cherokee Purples and 2 Brandywines before Early Girl even blushed. Will try a different early variety next year.

  • labradors_gw
    9 years ago

    My Bloody Butcher was incredibly late! Black Early wasn't one of the first either, but the taste was worth waiting for.

    I had great luck with the early cherries though. Jagodka was the first, then Early Annie. Russian Cherry was planted later, but only took 100 days from germination to ripe.

    Linda

  • carolyn137
    9 years ago

    Daniel, we both are in NYS. Could you tell me where you garden, and I ask b'c of the weather we've been been having this so called summer.

    I'm in Eastern NYS 2 miles from the VT border, about an hour north of Albany,but have many friends in W NYS as well.

    Carolyn

  • sheltieche
    9 years ago

    Loved Moravsky Div. Early, compact for contanier, still producing. Very tasty.

  • dbrown2351
    9 years ago

    My Early Girls thrived this year, 56 days from planting to ripe. Still thriving and taste and texture is great. Started from seed in March. Of course, soil and growing conditions affect all of these factors.

    Last ripe- Mr. Stripeys, 75 days from planting, good but Early Girls are still my favorite.

  • northernmn
    9 years ago

    It is bazaar how the order of ripening varies within the same plants, but are grown in different areas. All of my seeds were started at the same time, kept indoors in the same conditions, and planted out on the same date.

    My earliest were Glacier and Bloody Butcher. Both have small fruit, only marginally larger than golf balls. It was about to 10 days later that I started getting some Cherokee Purple and Giant Belgium. Another 10 days beyond that, I finally pick the 1st Early Pick and Black Krim. Yes Early Pick was a full 20 days behind my other earlies. In it's defense, it is a much large tomato. As large or slightly larger than a baseball. Another 5 days and finally I'm seeing a few of my 3 large hybrid varieties with ripe fruit.

    Black Krim has a lot of fruit set, but they are very stingy with the ripening fruit. I think it is all of the cool nights (52 to 62 degrees) that have been especially tough on BK. I'm guessing that some varieties are more sensitive to the cool night temps.

  • daniel_nyc
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Carolyn, IâÂÂm in Long Island (NY.)

    ⦠so called summer.

    Yep, SO CALLED summer. Most of Augustâ days here, were in the upper 70s and lower 80s. A few days we had mid 80s, and all my tomatoes were very happy. Now you, upstate, you have AT LEAST 5-10â F less than we have here in Long Island.

    For example right now - Tuesday, August 19 at 11 pm - in Long Island we have 72â F, while in your area you have⦠58â F. During the day that difference is smaller, but stillâ¦

    Last time it rained.... ? I even don't remember. The lawn of most of my neibors, look like a desert. Mine is ok, because I give my lawn that "1 in. / week."

    This post was edited by Daniel_NY on Tue, Aug 19, 14 at 23:41

  • caryltoo Z7/SE PA
    9 years ago

    The only quasi-early variety I planted was Anna Russian -- the packet claims 60-65 days, which is pretty good considering that they're big, meaty, heart-shaped tomatoes. They started ripening weeks ago, but the first three or four were lost to the rabbit living in my yard. That darn thing would wander through the garden taking a bite here and a bite there. It also seemed to enjoy the pole beans and pretty much destroyed the plants around one of the tripods. That one rabbit is no longer with us. I felt bad borrowing the pellet gun from by brother, but it was that or no tomatoes. We tried a hav-a-heart trap, but it could not compete with a garden full of tomatoes, cukes, kale and beans.

  • 2ajsmama
    9 years ago

    I know someone who had Prudens Purple ripe on the vine 10 days ago - maybe more (I think she had picked some). And her cukes were prolific - she gave me some. But she's down by the river, it may be warmer there than here in the hills.

    Even my uncle's neighbor up on lake near Sturbridge MA had ripe tomatoes (Juliet and I don't know, some hybrid beefsteak) this weekend. The water has a moderating effect, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night.

    Rain - we've had plenty of that this summer - except we haven't had any in the past week, since monsoon last Wed. That's the way it's been all summer - I'm seeing BER not only on pastes but also on some slicers. And septoria on all the field tomatoes - I gave up. The plants in the tunnel (though not covered) are doing better, Brandywines have some EB I'm trying to keep up with.

  • garden_gal_fl (z10)
    9 years ago

    There is a good salad sized striped tomato Black and Brown Boar that has been an early tomato for me. It has a nice acidity and striping and generally starts to ripen a least two weeks before my other tomatoes.

  • mnwsgal
    9 years ago

    I am growing Stupice and Juane Flamme this year. Neither was earlier than my other tomatoes and are still producing though not that tasty IMO. Will not be growing them again. Grew Matina and Sophie's Choice last year. Think I will skip all early varieties as the cherry tomatoes are just as early and will do until the larger one start to produce.

  • daniel_nyc
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I am also growing Stupice and Jaune Flamme this year.

    Jaune Flamme was pretty early with nice size and decemt taste. I might grow it next year.

    Stupice - which IâÂÂm growing because A LOT of people said they are awesome - were late and small yield. DonâÂÂt know the taste yet since in late August they are still green. I will NOT grow them next year. Maybe IâÂÂll change my mind if they have a fantastic taste, which I highly doubt.

    4th of July: huge disappointment: late, small, not tasty. No way I will grow them again next year.

    Most likely I will skip too the early tomatoes. I agree that cherries are way better, some are early enough and tasty too, until the medium-big show up.

    But, I will still do a little research because some recommend other earliesâ¦

  • vinnybob
    9 years ago

    Grew two Siletz this year side by side. When all is said and done one plant will have had about 40 or so tomatoes, the other about 5. Same fert. and soil. I guess I should plant two of every tomato to give an honest opinion on each plant.