mmm, not sure if I want to make salsa out of early tomatoes. I must have early tomatoes but those are for eating. Major cooking and canning happens for me later. But then I am zone 5 Chicago garden. I grew EG few years back and it was early and reliable, stopped growing because better varieties came along.

My first few were "fair" too but the flavor & texture got better as the season went along. They ended up tasting great.

Early Girl has to be the CA state variety, I mean it.LOL

I grew it a couple of times here in the East,and never again.

There are some wonderful varieties that are early, bear well and have darn good taste for an early, but IMO Early Girl is not one of them. ( smile)

Carolyn, who was invited to Hortus Nursery in Pasadena, nolonger in business, for their Tomatomania weekend, and was earlygirled to death.LOL

I just sliced an Early Girl.
First, It is not very juicy but otherwise tastes pretty good.
Sprinkle some salt, few drops of vinegar, It is very refreshing to me.
BTW, my EG has been producing since mid July, in abundance and she is loaded.

as expected...there are differing views. I am not sure what an early tomato has to do with not cooking with them (actually salsa is not cooked). Anyway, it is always interesting to hear people's views. For slicing on a sandwich or eating out-of-hand, it does not compare in taste and juiciness to my Cherokee Purple or Brandywine.

I grew them for many years before I found other varieties
that were just as early and with a lot more taste.

Haven't grown them for quite a few years now.

You stated "The quality for eating "fresh" can best be described as "fair". then this will be "fair" at best salsa There is far better toms than EG that rate better than fair try some

D...I am not sure I agree with the above statement. Respectfully, I ask you to consider qualities that are desirable for different usages. The lip-smacking qualities of a good slicer might be a very poor choice as a cooking/paste tomato. As stated on the other tomato forum...salsa can easily become a juicy/watery mess. We all have tasted those.

Posted by qaguy Sunset 21/LosAngeles (My Page) on
Sat, Aug 24, 13 at 1:08

I grew them for many years before I found other varieties
that were just as early and with a lot more taste.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hi Gaguy,
I would appreciate it you tell us what you plant INSTEAD of EG ?
Thanks

Posted by lindalana z5 IL (My Page) on
Thu, Aug 22, 13 at 21:33

But then I am zone 5 Chicago garden. I grew EG few years back and it was early and reliable, stopped growing because better varieties came along.
****************************************
Hi Linalana,
I am also ain cool short season area.
Do you mind telling us what specific varietie you grow in place of EG, wit a DTM less than 54 days ??

Posted by carolyn137 z4/5 NY (My Page) on
Thu, Aug 22, 13 at 22:30

There are some wonderful varieties that are early, bear well and have darn good taste for an early, but IMO Early Girl is not one of them. ( smile)
******************************************************
Carolyn,
would mind suggesting two or three with same DTM as EG, that is, in you opinion, superior to EG ?

Thanks in advance.

OK...I have some thoughtful posts here....I totally get what some are saying (some not so much). Can I get a few recommendations for early/reliable tomatoes that would be a better taster? thankyou

I have grown a number of early cool climate varieties, like Oregon spring, Fireworks, SIletz, Stupice, Alaska, Silvery Fir tree and all of them tasted better to me than EG. I have a large list to try some more.
If you browse through Tatiana tomatobase website, she has lots of early varieties. Look for word èexcellent tasteè in description, it is bound to be great one LOL Carolyn also pointed me toward Caseyôs seeds and I got few more delightful ideas.

Seysonn, by mid July I had Amazon Chocolate and Paul Robeson ripe and they are out of this world tasty for me, love dark ones. I would consider tomato early if I can get them in my Chicago garden in June. I have been leaning more towards late tomatoes for last couple of years but decided that I just have to have tomatoes in June LOL
My current list of earlies for next year is
Jaune Flammee
Burshtyn
Matina
Kootenai
Kotlas
KImberley
Pink Flamingo
Siberian Gold king- Zolotoy korol
Siberskiy skorospeliy
Pearly pink orange
Beliy Naliv
Sashaôs Altai
Amber Colored
NewYorker
Mano
Minibel
Yaponskiy Karlik
Mohamed
Few of them dwarfs and few are det. so some will go into containers.

Thank U all for your lists.
But, I did not see /hear a familiar name (maybe Stupice).

My problem is that I cannot start from seed. Even if I could, then the seeds have to be available at the retailers. I am too lazy to shop around for a couple of seeds through internet stores. . I will keep my eyes open next spring to find some at the nurseries. But I have decided to GOT TO HAVE Sun Gold next season. I will be shooting for short DTM overall. Cooler weather friendly is also a plus.

NO MORE 90 DTM. it feels like eternity to me. hehe

seysonn - I live in the Los Angeles area and I believe
that may make a difference,

That said, I've put in Momotaro and Lemon Boy as
replacements for EG.

After 3 years in a row of the replacements being ripe
first, I gave up on EG.

Thanks gaguy
I have heard those names (esp. momotaro).
I am going to do a research on it.

My vote for early season variety with good flavor would be Stupice. I experiment with an early variety or two every year, but my constant variety year in and year out is Stupice. I don't have the number at my fingertips, but I want to say Stupice is 56 days? Very prolific for me, so much so that I've decided to grow them in large quantity for canning in lieu of paste tomatoes. I get at least double the yield from the Stupice that I do with any of the roma varieties I've grown. My only complaint is about the size of Stupice... for some reason I devalue them a little when comparing them to the larger tomatoes I grow. Good flavor, not a great "slicer"... hence the reason why I think they'll make a conveniently sized canner for me. Also on the positive side... I like their shape more than other "cocktail" sized tomatoes. Slightly irregular shaped in appearance, not perfectly round. Makes for a more interesting presentation in salads and such. All this talk of tomatoes is making me hungry for one right now!

I like Stupice a lot also, though I haven't grown other early Varieties. When I started looking for an Early Variety two winters ago, Stupice was the one that kept showing up on everyones list. It's early, very good, and it produces an absolute truckload of tomatoes all season long. Great for drying, great for salsa, I would call it only OK as a canner/saucer because it is slightly juicier than ideal. Especially when you can grow something like Italian Heirloom and fill a sauce pot with 8 tomatoes and they are 95% meat and much drier.

CH

Thanks guys !

my research indicated stupice (from Chekoslavakia ?) has a DTM of 52 days, fruits are golf ball size ... good reviews.

So based on what I have heard and with your confirmation, I will try to plant it next season. Sun Gold is my other choice in addition.

Bush Beefsteak 6~8oz 62 dtm,
Early Wonder 6oz 55 dtm,
New Big Dwf. 8~12oz 62 dtm,
Matina 2~4oz 58 dtm,
Red Rocket 8~10oz 60 dtm
Siletz 10~12 oz, 52 dtm
506 Bush 6~8oz 62 dtm

Momotaro is midseason for me. It is a hybrid and I love it.

If you really want to find out what taste and grows well in your area farmers market, produce stands, and walk around your neighborhood. Gardeners love to talk about their gardens some times they even share some of their growing secrets!

If you really want to find out what taste and grows well in your area farmers market, produce stands, and walk around your neighborhood. Gardeners love to talk about their gardens some times they even share some of their growing secrets!

If you really want to find out what taste and grows well in your area farmers market, produce stands, and walk around your neighborhood. Gardeners love to talk about their gardens some times they even share some of their growing secrets!

If you really want to find out what taste and grows well in your area farmers market, produce stands, and walk around your neighborhood. Gardeners love to talk about their gardens some times they even share some of their growing secrets!