How To Grow And Care For Early Girl Tomatoes

The 'Early Girl' tomato arrived in the United States from France as the result of one man’s mission to introduce a flavorful, short-season tomato variety to American gardeners. Since its introduction in 1975, Early Girl has remained one of the most popular tomato varieties among home gardeners, and for good reason. Prized for its early season production, Early Girl tomato plants are easy to grow and highly productive, yielding flavorful medium-sized fruits as early as 52 days after planting. 

At 4-6 ounces each, the bright red fruits are well-sized for slicing and stacking on sandwiches or bagels and quartering into salads. They also impart a rich, sweet flavor to quick sauces. Early Girl tomatoes are high in vitamins A and C. Fruits are highly aromatic, with a meaty texture and concentrated flavor, containing a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. Planted after the last frost, 'Early Girl' grows and matures quickly so gardeners can get a jump on enjoying that first taste of summer. Just remember that all plant parts and unripe fruits are toxic to pets. The leaves and stems can be toxic to people.

Plant Attributes 

Early Girl Tomato Care

'Early Girl' tomato is a highly versatile plant, tolerating temperatures as low as 40˚F, while also thriving in hot, dry climates. Plants can be grown in locations where temperatures fluctuate between night and day, such as desert climates. 'Early Girl' tomatoes also perform well under dry farming conditions, a technique in which water is held back after transplanting to encourage deeper rooting and produce a more intense flavor.

Tomato plants require rich soil, warm temperatures, and plenty of sunshine to grow. Wait until the threat of frost has passed before setting tomato plants out in the garden.

Light

'Early Girl' tomatoes need full sun to flower and develop fruits, or at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day. In very hot summer climates, gardeners can use 50% shade cloth to reduce the heat and intensity of the sun. Make sure your plants still have full eastern exposure so they get plenty of morning sun.

Soil

Tomato plants benefit from soils high in organic matter and with good drainage. Amend soil with 3 or 4 inches of compost or other organic matter when planting.

Water

Tomato plants require even moisture to prevent fruit cracking. Supplement rainfall to provide plants with a total of 1 to 2 inches of water per week, depending on how quickly your soil dries out. Water when the top inch of soil is dry. Deep, infrequent soakings are better than more frequent light sprinklings. Water from the base of the plant or use drip irrigation to minimize foliar disease.

Temperature And Humidity

Tomatoes are warm-season vegetables that thrive at temperatures between 70° to 80° F during the day and 60° to 70°F during the night. 'Early Girl' is among the hardier varieties, tolerating temperatures down to 40°F; however, the plants do not tolerate frost. Take steps to minimize humidity within the plant canopy, such as watering from the base and spacing plants appropriately. Tomatoes may not set fruit or ripen properly when daytime temperatures exceed 90°F. In the Tropical South (Zone 10), tomatoes are usually grown in fall and winter in order to beat the heat.

Fertilizer 

Tomato plants are moderate feeders. Prior to planting, incorporate a 10-10-10 fertilizer into the soil at a rate of 1.5 pounds per 100 square feet of bed. Make a second application after the first fruits have reached the size of a quarter, side dressing with the same fertilizer at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet of bed. Repeat this lower application every three to four weeks through the end of the harvest season.

Types Of 'Early Girl' Tomato

The traditional 'Early Girl' tomato is a vining, indeterminate type tomato. A related determinate type, called 'Bush Early Girl', is also available. Among the indeterminate 'Early Girl' tomatoes, two varieties are available for purchase: 'Early Girl VF' and 'Early Girl VFF'. The acronyms refer to disease resistance.

'Early Girl VF' Tomato

This indeterminate, vining tomato produces 4-to-5-ounce fruits continuously over a long growing season. The earliest fruits mature within 50-59 days. 'Early Girl' varieties with the VF designation (as well as those simply listed as 'Early Girl') are resistant to Verticillium wilt and race 1 of Fusarium wilt. 

'Early Girl VFF' Tomato

This cultivar is touted as an improved selection of 'Early Girl', with slightly larger fruits (5-6 ounces each) and even better flavor. The main improvement, however, is in disease resistance, as this variety is resistant to Verticillium wilt as well as races 1 and 2 of Fusarium wilt. This cultivar takes a few days longer to mature.

'Bush Early Girl' Determinate Tomato

Pay close attention to the variety name listed on the label or seed packet, as 'Bush Early Girl' is a determinate type tomato rather than an indeterminate type. Displaying many of the desirable characteristics of its larger sister, 'Bush Early Girl' grows much more compact 3 feet and works well in containers.

As a determinate tomato, it produces a single large crop in about 54 days. 'Bush Early Girl 'also has improved disease resistance, including resistance to Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2, root-knot nematode, and Tobacco Mosaic Virus. 

Pruning

Pruning determinate tomatoes like 'Bush Early Girl' reduces their harvest. Only prune indeterminate varieties, which grow continuously until the first frost. Pruning these will improve airflow and encourage fruit production.

First, remove the lower leaves at planting time so you can bury as much as 2/3 of the stem under the soil to encourage stronger rooting. Once the plants are a foot or two tall, begin to pinch off the small suckers that form in the V's between the main stem and side shoots. Some gardeners like to leave one set of leaves at the base of each sucker to help shield fruit and prevent sun-scald.

Finally, use sharp, sterile pruners to remove any vines that are hanging close to the ground. You should also make use of a stake, cage, or trellis to keep vines away from the ground to prevent disease.

For staked tomatoes, plants are typically trained to allow only one or two main stems per plant, each bearing two to four side branches. Any additional branches or shoots emerging from the base of the plant are pruned away. Prune shoots when they are 4 inches long or less, as you are more likely to damage the plant when removing large shoots. Remove stems by grasping them between your thumb and second finger and bending to the side until it breaks rather than using a tool to cut the stem, which can spread disease. Also, remove the lowest leaves to minimize foliar disease.

Propagating 'Early Girl'

When you prune your tomatoes, this provides an opportunity to propagate the suckers so you'll have more plants. Do this in spring or early summer while there is still time for new plants to grow and mature. Tomatoes naturally grow roots along their stems when they're buried, making tomatoes very easy to propagate following these steps:

1. Choose a strong, healthy sucker and pinch it off. Or, cut the tip of a stem at about 6 inches long. Remove lower leaves so that the top few leaves remain.
2. Fill a small container (3 or 4 inches wide) with fresh potting mix and dampen.
3. Take a pencil or chopstick and make a hole in the potting mix, then insert the cutting so that the leaves are just above the soil line.
4. Water well and place in a warm, shady spot. Keep the soil evenly moist at all times and roots should appear within a week.
5. Begin to gradually expose the cutting to more and more sunlight over the course of another week, then transplant in the garden.

How To Grow 'Early Girl Tomato' From Seed 

'Early Girl' tomato is a hybrid variety. Hybridization produces crops with superior traits by cross-pollinating two plants with different desirable characteristics. The resulting seedlings carry traits from each of the parent plants but are not identical to either. Hybrids are often more vigorous than traditionally bred varieties and have more consistent traits.

One downfall of hybrid crops is that they cannot be grown from seed harvested from your previous year’s crop. Because they are hybrids, you must purchase new seed or starter plants for your crop each year. To grow your own seedlings, start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date in your area:

1. Fill a seed tray or other shallow container with a seed starting soil mix. Look for a container about 2 to 3 inches deep with drainage holes in the bottom. 
2. Before sowing seeds, moisten the soil evenly until it is damp but not soaked.
3. Set seeds ¼-inch deep in rows 2 to 3 inches apart. Cover them with a very thin layer of potting media.
4. Maintain a temperature between 70°F and 80°F during the day and night. Use a mister or spray bottle to keep the soil moist but not wet. Covering the seed tray loosely with plastic is an excellent way to maintain soil moisture. 
5. Seedlings will emerge in seven to 14 days. Remove plastic when seedlings emerge and move them to a location receiving bright light. If supplemental lighting is needed, use a grow light set 3-4 inches above the seedlings, raising it as plants grow. Provide 14 to 16 hours of light per day.
6. Transplant seedlings individually into 3- or 4-inch pots about two to three weeks after sowing or when they have at least 3 pairs of leaves. 
7. Fertilize seedlings with a starter solution after transplanting to larger containers, repeating applications every two to three weeks.
8. Begin hardening off seedlings about one week prior to transplanting into the garden or outdoor containers.

Potting And Repotting 'Early Girl' Tomato

'Bush Early Girl' makes a great patio tomato if you have limited space or want a bumper crop all at once for canning. Choose a container with a drainage hole that is at least 18 inches wide. (If you decide to grow an indeterminate tomato in a container, it must be at least 24 inches.) Fill it with potting mix that includes organic matter or mix in 3 or 4 inches of compost.

Add a sturdy stake, trellis, or small cage into the pot to help support the plant. Remove the lower leaves from your tomato seedling and plant it deep so that up to 2/3 of the stem is under the soil, with the remaining leaves above the soil. Add slow-release organic vegetable fertilizer according to package directions, then water well. Add a thin layer of mulch to help conserve moisture.

Potted tomatoes must be watered more frequently. Water the pot any time the top inch of soil is dry. Fertilize the plants every four to six weeks during the growing season, but hold off if the plants are under stress from a heat wave.

How To Transplant 'Early Girl' Tomato In The Garden

Whether you start your tomato plants from seeds or purchase transplants from the garden center, seedlings will benefit from a period of hardening off prior to being planted in the garden. Hardening off slowly acclimates plants to outdoor conditions to avoid shocking them with the drastic change in environment. Expose plants to outdoor conditions during the day by placing them in a protected location, out of direct sunlight and wind. Increase the length of time seedlings are outside each day and slowly increase exposure to sunlight and wind. By the end of the week, plants can be set in full sun and left outside overnight.

Once plants are hardened off, they can be transplanted into the garden. To minimize plant disease, select a planting site where tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, or potatoes have not been grown for at least three years.

1. Wait until all threat of frost has passed before transplanting tomatoes. Do not set out tomatoes until the soil temperature is above 60°F.
2. If you plan to stake or support your tomatoes, set them 2 feet apart in rows spaced 5-6 feet apart. Otherwise, space unsupported plants 3 to 4 feet apart in the rows.
3. Tomato plants benefit from deep planting and will produce roots along portions of the buried stem. Remove the lowest set of leaves and dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the root ball plus the length of stem up to the first set of leaves. This will encourage deeper rooting.  
4. Gently remove the plant from its pot and loosen the root ball. Set plants to the depth of the lowest remaining set of leaves. 
5. Fill the planting hole with soil, pressing the soil down firmly with your hand.  
6. Water plants thoroughly and mulch with a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic material such as compost, leaves, cottonseed hulls, or straw. Mulching tomatoes is very important to provide even moisture and prevent fruit from cracking.    
7. If you are staking or supporting plants, set up your support system at this time.

Harvest and Storage

For the best flavor, allow tomatoes to ripen fully on the vine. Early Girl tomatoes darken to an even deep red color when ripe. Ripe tomatoes are often easy to pull from the vine by hand. Grip the tomato in one hand and use the other hand to hold the stem just above the point where the tomato attaches, then gently pull. If the tomato does not come off by hand, use a garden snips or pruning shears to cut the fruit from the stem.

Tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life, but they tend to lose flavor and develop a mealy texture. It is best to store tomatoes at room temperature. When you harvest more tomatoes than you can eat, canning and freezing provide ideal storage options.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

Tomatoes are susceptible to a number of diseases. Early Girl is resistant to two of the most common diseases, Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt, bacterial agents that cause plants to wilt and die. Two other common diseases, early blight and anthracnose, are caused by fungi. The best way to manage fungal diseases in 'Early Girl' tomatoes is through proper spacing and watering.

Provide ample space between plants to allow for good air circulation, which reduces moisture in the canopy that can favor fungi. Likewise, direct water at the base of the plant to minimize moisture in the canopy and avoid overhead watering. Finally, practice good sanitation and use mulch to prevent spores in the soil from splashing onto leaves. Use a copper fungicide if the problem becomes serious.

Tomatoes are also susceptible to viral infections, including Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus and Tobacco Mosaic Virus. Many viruses are transmitted from one plant to another through insect feeding. Viruses also spread readily through the garden through simple handling, on clothing, and on equipment. This is why it is important to sterilize pruning equipment regularly. Infected plants will not recover and should be removed. Smokers should wash their hands before working in the garden to prevent transmitting Tobacco Mosaic Virus. Manage weeds in and around the garden to reduce habitat for vectoring insects and practice good sanitation.

Tomato foliage attracts a wide variety of pests. Pick off large caterpillars like cabbage loopers, tomato hornworms, and cutworms and drop them into a can of soapy water. Small caterpillars can be sprayed with Bt or insecticidal soap. Sap-sucking insects like aphids, whiteflies, and thrips can be sprayed with neem oil or insecticidal soap if the problem becomes serious enough (aphids can alternatively be knocked off of plants with a strong stream of water). If you see long, thin beetles eating the foliage, you may have blister beetles. Put on a pair of gloves to protect your skin and knock them into a can of soapy water with a stick.

There are plenty of insects that attack the fruit as well: Stink bugs are recognizable by a shield-shaped body and bright orange leaf-footed bugs will cluster together on tomato plants. Both are difficult to control with insecticides but can be dropped into a can of soapy water.

There are more critters that like to eat tomatoes: birds, squirrels and other rodents, raccoons, and deer. If your garden is turning into a buffet, try picking the fruit early when a blush first appears on the skin. Set tomatoes on your counter to finish ripening.

Common Problems

'Early Girl' tomato remains a popular variety following decades of success by home gardeners partly due to its ability to overcome common diseases and production problems. The variety has pliable skin and is resistant to one of the more common cultural problems associated with growing tomatoes—cracking fruits from heavy rain. However, there are a few other problems you can run into when growing tomatoes:

Blossom-End Rot

Blossom-end rot is another cultural problem that impacts developing fruits. Blossom end rot is caused by low calcium availability and is often associated with fluctuations in moisture that affect calcium uptake. This occurs most often when excessive rain or irrigation follows periods of drought. You can manage blossom-end rot by maintaining even soil moisture and fertilizing if needed to ensure adequate calcium availability.

Yellow Leaves

If you don't see any signs of pests or disease (leaf spots or sudden wilting, for instance), yellowing leaves can be a sign of under watering or heat stress. If you are experiencing a heatwave, try increasing the frequency of watering. Containers can be moved to a spot with a little protection from afternoon sun.

If leaf veins remain green while the rest of the tissue is yellow, this is an indication that your soil is lacking in nutrients. Fertilize the plant if you have not done so in the past few weeks.

Curling Or Rolling Leaves

While diseases can cause these symptoms, environmental factors can also play a role. Leaf roll on a perfectly healthy tomato plant can occur during very hot weather, dry and windy conditions, or from a lack of water. Leaves may also curl up, cup, and become discolored when they are sprayed with herbicide, so be careful and stay downwind of your tomatoes when spraying weeds.

Fruit Not Setting

Once the temperature soars over 90°F, blossoms tend to drop off of tomatoes. But the humidity of the air also plays a role in setting fruit. In very humid weather, pollen can become too sticky to transfer within the flowers. In very dry weather, pollen can become too dry to stick and achieve pollination. In high heat, pollen may not be viable even when it does transfer successfully. Once the weather improves, your plant should start setting fruit again.