Stephen Albert
Early-season tomato varieties reach ripeness or maturity 70 days or less after the tomato seedling is transplanted into the garden.
Early-season tomatoes are often smaller and firmer than mid- and late-season varieties which stay on the vine longer and are exposed to more hot weather.
Early-season tomatoes are the best choice for regions where the growing season is short or where the gardener wants to have more than one tomato harvest in a season. In cold regions, the early-season tomato may be the main crop for the season, but in warm regions an early-season tomato can be planted early in spring or late in summer–as successions to the main-season tomato crop.
Here is a checklist of popular early-season tomato varieties: included in this list is the type of tomato, the color, size, and flavor; also listed are the average days to maturity, whether the tomato is determinate or indeterminate and whether it is disease resistant.
Early-Season Tomato Checklist:
□ Angora (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red fruit, medium sized to 2½ inches in diameter; mild-flavored. 68 days. Determinate. Resists cracking.
□ Aztec (hybrid). Salad tomato. Bright red, plum type to 3 ounces. 68 days. Determinate. VFN.
□ Beefmaster (hybrid). Red-skinned, deep oblate shape; flavorful. 60 days. Indeterminate. VFN.
□ Bobcat (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, uniform shape to 10 ounces. 68 days. Determinate.
□ Break o’Day (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Orange-red fruit, medium-large to 6 ounces; meaty flesh. 65 days. Indeterminate.
□ Burpee’s Big Early (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Large, thick-walled fruit. 62 days. Indeterminate.
□ Burgess Early Salad (hybrid). Salad Tomato. Red-skinned, produces as many as 300 fruits on a vine to 8 inches tall. 45 days. Determinate.
□ Bush Beefsteak (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium-large to 8 ounces; meaty, 62 days. Determinate, compact. Good in northern regions.
□ Bush Celebrity (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned with green shoulders to 9 ounces; excellent flavor. 67 days. Determinate.
□ Bush Early Girl (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, large fruit to 7 ounces; good flavor. 54 days. Determinate, compact. VFFNT.
□ CB-City Best (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, medium-size fruit. 60 days. Determinate. VF. Good container grower.
□ Cherrio (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Salad tomato. Bright red, small, round, full flavor. 55 days. Determinate, compact.
□ Cherry Gold (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Yellow-orange skinned, flavored. 45 days. Determinate to 6 inches tall.
□ Cherry Grande (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, uniform, round; good flavor. 65 days. Determinate. Disease resistant.
□ Cherry Pink (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink-skinned, medium size; very sweet. 68 days. Determinate.
□ Clear Pink Early (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, round, clear pink fruit; sweet and tangy. 58 days. Determinate. Russian heirloom.
□ Cupid (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red, small, oval fruit in clusters of 16 fruits; sweet taste. 62 days. Indeterminate. F.
□ Daybreak (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, globe-shaped to 10 ounces; sweet. 65 days. Determinate. Tolerate stress.
□ Duchess (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, smooth to 6 ounces. 60 days. Determinate.
□ Debut (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, large to 8½ ounces; very firm. 63 days. Determinate. VFF.
□ Earliana (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright scarlet skin; green shoulders, medium sizes to 5 ounces; solid flesh, good flavor. 58 days. Indeterminate.
□ Earlirouge (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium-sized to 7 ounces; sweet, flavorful. 65 days. Determinate, compact. Set fruit in extreme temperatures.
□ Early Boy (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Scarlet-skinned, firm fleshed to 9 ounces. 65 days. Determinate.
□ Early Cascade (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium sized, globe to 8 ounces; excellent flavor. 55 days. Indeterminate. VFN.
□ Early Cherry (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Bright red fruit, round to oval to 1 ounce; mild flavor. 56 days. Determinate, compact.
□ Early Girl (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 6 ounces; flavorful. 52 days. Indeterminate. Disease resistant. Performs in nearly all climates.
□ Early Hi-Crimson (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, large fruit to 3½ in diameter. 65 days. Semi-determinate.
□ Early Pick (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Scarlet-skinned, medium size to 8 ounces or more; full flavored. 55 days. Determinate.
□ Early Wonder (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Dark-pink skinned to 6 ounces; full flavored. 55 days. Determinate.
□ Fireball (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red fruit to 5 ounces. 65 days. Determinate, compact. Resists cracking; protect from sunscald.
□ Fireworks (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright red, round with a pointed tip to 8 ounces; excellent flavor. 60 days. Determinate.
□ First Lady (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 5 ounces. 66 days. Indeterminate. Disease and crack resistant.
□ Florida Basket (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Red fruit, small, slightly elongated to 2 inches in diameter; excellent flavor. 55 days. Determinate.
□ Florida Petite (open-pollinated). Deep red, round, good flavor. 50 days. Determinate to 9 inches tall.
□ Gardener (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium size to 6 ounces. 63 days. Indeterminate. VF. Crack resistant.
□ Gardener’s Delight (open-pollinated). Bright red, small, round to 1½ inches in diameter; sweet flavor. 68 days. Indeterminate. Produces until frost.
□ Glacier (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red, small, round to 2½ inches in diameter to 3 ounces; sweet. 54 days. Determinate, very productive. Heirloom from Sweden.
□ Gold Nugget (open-pollinated). Cherry tomato. Gold-skinned, round to oval fruit; balanced flavor. 56 days. Determinate.
□ Golden Cherry (hybrid). Salad tomato. Golden, thin-skinned; very sweet. 65 days. Indeterminate. Resists cracking.
□ Golden Delight (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Yellow-orange skinned; globe-shaped to 4 ounces; rich flavor. 60 days. Determinate, compact. Developed at South Dakota State University.
□ Golden Honey Bunch (hybrid). Salad tomato. Golden yellow, grape type in clusters of 11 fruits; sweet flavor. 60 days. Determinate. VFFT.
□ Golden Roma (hybrid). Paste tomato. Golden-yellow, oval, firm, meaty flesh. Holds well on plant. Determinate, compact. Heavy yield.
□ Golden Sweet (hybrid). Salad tomato. Deep yellow, bite size; mild, sweet flavor. 60 days. Indeterminate. Resists cracking.
□ Grande Rose (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink beefsteak with green shoulders, firm to 12 ounces. 68 days. Determinate. VFT.
□ Gregori’s Altai (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Pink-red beefsteak to 12 ounces; sweet-acid flavor. 67 days. Indeterminate. Long season. From Siberia.
□ Harbinger (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium-small, good flavor. Prone to cracking. 60 days. Indeterminate. Traditional English tomato from 1910.
□ Hasty Boy (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, meaty, prolific. 60 days. Indeterminate. VF.
□ Heartland (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 4 inches in diameter, 8 ounces. 68 days. Indeterminate dwarf, compact. V, F, N.
□ Ida Gold (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright orange fruit to 2½ inches in diameter; flavorful. 55 days. Determinate. Developed for cold northern regions.
□ Ildi (hybrid). Salad tomato. Yellow-skinned, small fruit on clusters of up to 50 fruits to ½ ounce. 65 days. Indeterminate.
□ Imur Prior Beta (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, small to 4 ounces, firm, flavorful. 60 days. Indeterminate. Developed by Washington State University for short seasons.
□ Jetfire (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned; large, firm fruit. 60 days. Determinate. VF.
□ Jetsetter (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 8 ounces; rich flavor. 64 days. Indeterminate. VFFNTA. Performs well in the South.
□ Juliet (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, meaty to 2 ounces, in clusters of 10 to 12; flavorful. 60 days. Indeterminate. Resists cracking.
□ Jung’s Improved Wayahead (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red skin, smooth, slightly flattened, full flavor. 63 days. Determinate. Long season production.
□ La Roma (hybrid). Paste tomato. Red, uniform, medium-size to 4 ounces. Very prolific. 62 days. Determinate, compact. VFF.
□ Legend (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, round fruit to 8 ounces; good flavor blending sugars and acids. 68 days. Indeterminate. Disease resistant.
□ Lunch Box (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, egg-shaped, thin skinned; sweet. 62 days. Determinate.
□ MacPink (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink-skinned, round to 5 ounces; excellent flavor. 60 days. Determinate. Very productive.
□ Manitoba (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 7 ounces. 60 days. Determinate.
□ Marmande, Marmand VF (hybrid). Slicing size. Red skin, medium to large to 8 ounces; meaty, full flavor. 65 days. Semi-determinate. Sets fruit in cool conditions. Developed in France, popular in Europe.
□ Matina (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 4 ounces; very good flavor. 58 days. Indeterminate. German heirloom.
□ Matt’s Wild Cherry (open-pollinated). Deep red, round, small fruit; high sugar. 60 days. Indeterminate.
□ Miracle Sweet (hybrid).Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, uniform fruit to 5 ounces; sweet flavor. 67 days. Indeterminate. VFFNT.
□ Moira (open-pollinated). Bush beefsteak tomato. Red, uniform, round to 7 ounces. 66 days. Determinate, compact. Crack and blossom-end rot resistant.
□ Moskvich (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Deep red skin, globe-shaped to 6 ounces. 60 days. Indeterminate. From Eastern Siberia.
□ Mountain Spring (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Dark red, globe shaped to 9 ounces. 68 days. Determinate, compact. VFF.
□ Napoli (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Red, pear- to plum-shaped fruit; concentrated flavor. 63 days. Semi-determinate. VF.
□ New Girl (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red skinned, medium size to 6 ounces; rich, full flavor. 62 days. Indeterminate.
□ New Yorker (open-pollinated). Slicing size. Scarlet fruit, medium size to 6 ounces, meaty, fine flavor. 63 days. Determinate, compact. V. Good in cool, northern, short season regions.
□ Niagra Belle. Salad tomato. Dark red fruit to 1¾ inches in diameter. 68 days. Determinate, compact.
□ Nova (open-pollinated). Paste tomato. Red-skinned, early Roma-type. 65 days. Determinate. VF.
□ Orange Blossom (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Orange, globe-shaped to 7 ounces; mild flavor. 60 days. Determinate.
□ Orange Queen (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright orange fruit to 6 ounces; meaty flews, low acid, mild flavor. 65 days. Determinate. Good in northern regions.
□ Oregon Spring (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Medium size to 8 ounces, excellent flavor. 58 days. Determinate. VF. Adapted to cool summer night. Developed at Oregon State University.
□ Patio Hybrid. Slicing tomato. Red, large fruit to 4 ounces for patio growing. 50 days. Determinate.
□ Perfect Peel (hybrid). Processing tomato. Red, medium-size, juicy. For canning, freezing or slicing. 65 days. Determinate. V1, F1.
□ Peron, Peron Sprayless (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright scarlet fruit, medium large to 8 ounces; solid flesh, flavorful. 68 days. Indeterminate. Disease resistant. From South America.
□ Pink Droplet (hybrid). Salad tomato. Pink-skinned, small, oval, very sweet. 60 days. Indeterminate vine. Stake. FVNT.
□ Pixie, Burpee’s Pixie. Salad tomato. Scarlet fruit, globe-shaped; meaty, juicy, very flavorful. 55 days. Determinate, compact. Good for northern regions. Grows well in container.
□ Presto Hybrid (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, small fruits on small vine to 2 feet tall. 60 days. Determinate. Grows well in containers.
□ Prairie Fire (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 5 ounces; tangy full flavor. 55 days. Determinate. Sub Arctic-beefsteak cross.
□ Quebec #13 (open-pollinated). Canning tomato. Red-skinned, firm to 6 ounces. 62 days. Determinate.
□ Red Alert (hybrid). Red-skinned; flavorful. 55 days. Determinate.
□ Red Grape (hybrid). Grape tomato. Red, oval, small fruit; firm, sweet. 60 days. Indeterminate. Crack free.
□ Rocket, Red Rocket (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Medium red fruit to 3 ounces; slightly acid flavor. 50 days. Determinate, compact. Requires staking. Early producer in Canada.
□ Salad Top (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, small fruit to 1 inch in diameter. 60 days. Determinate. Grows well in container.
□ Santiam (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Medium size to 5 ounces; slightly acid, sweet, juicy. 58 days. Determinate FV.
□ Scotia (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Deep-red fruit, slightly green shoulders; medium size to 4 ounces; good flavor. 60 days. Determinate. Sets well in cool weather.
□ Siberia (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Small to medium size to 4 ounces. 50 days. Determinate, compact. For cold, short season regions, winter crop in the South.
□ Siletz (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Deep red to 10 ounces; full flavored. 52 days. Determinate.
□ Silver Fir Tree (open-pollinated). Red skinned with sliver sheen to 6 ounces; flavorful. 58 days. Determinate. Russian heirloom.
□ Small Fry (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red, small, round, 1-inch in diameter, very flavorful. 65 days. Determinate, compact. VF. All-America Selection. Grow in container.
□ Spitfire (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Dark red, globe shaped; excellent taste. 68 days. Determinate. VFF.
□ Spring Giant (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned; thick walled, small core, high yield. 65 days. Determinate. VFN. All-America Selection.
□ Springset (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, medium size to 6 ounces. 65 days. Determinate.
□ Starfire (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, globe shaped to 3 inches in diameter; meaty, few seeds. 55 days. Determinate, compact. Adapted to cool, short seasons.
□ Stupice (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, small to medium-sized to 4 ounces; sweet, juicy. 50 days. Dwarf determinate, compact. For short-season regions. From Czechoslovakia.
□ Sub Arctic Cherry (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Red, small, round fruit to ½ inch in diameter; very productive. 43 days. Determinate, compact. Very cold tolerant.
□ Sub Arctic Maxi (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Deep red fruit, round to 3 ounces. 52 days. Determinate, compact. Developed in Canada.
□ Sub Arctic Plenty (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Small, round to 2 ounces; good flavor. 50 days. Determinate, compact. Sets fruit in cold weather.
□ Sugar Lump, Jung’s Sugar Lump (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Deep red, round to 2 inches in diameter; very sweet. Indeterminate. Produces until frost.
□ Sugary (hybrid). Grape tomato. Bright red grape-shape to ½ ounce in clusters to 20 fruits; very flavorful. 65 days. Indeterminate. Resists cracking.
□ Summerpink (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink, globe-shaped to 8 ounces; acid-sugar balance. 63 days.
□ Sun Gold (hybrid). Cherry tomato. Bright orange-skinned; sweet flavor. 57 days. Indeterminate. TMVF.
□ Sunchief (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Bright red, firm; improved Sunrise type. 67 days. Determinate. VFF.
□ Sunshine (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, improved Sunstart; flavorful. 64 days. Determinate. VFF.
□ Sunrise (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Bright red, flat globe shaped to 7 ounces. 67 days. Determinate, compact.
□ Sunstart (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 7 ounces; firm and tasty. 65 days. Determinate.
□ Sweet Chelsea (hybrid). Salad tomato. Small to 1.5 inches in diameter; thick, firm, resists cracking. 65 days. Determinate. Drought tolerant and disease resistant.
□ Sweet Cluster (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned in clusters of 6 to 8, to 4 ounces; tart flavor. 60 days. Semi-determinate.
□ Sweet Gold (hybrid). Salad tomato. Orange-skinned, firm, round; sweet. 60 days. Determinate. TMVF.
□ Sweet Million (hybrid). Salad tomato. Deep red, small round; sweet flavor. 60 days. Indeterminate
□ Sweet-N-Early (hybrid). Cherry tomato. Red skinned to 4 ounces. 55 days. Indeterminate. VF.
□ Sweet Orange (hybrid).Salad tomato. Orange-skinned, firm round, cherry fruit; very sweet. 60 days. Determinate. TMVF.
□ Sweet 100 (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red, small, round, extremely sweet. 65 days. Indeterminate; best staked.
□ Sweetie (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Bright red, round to 1½ inches in diameter; very sweet, flavorful. 65 days. Indeterminate. Best staked.
□ Tami-G (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red, grape-shaped in clusters. 62 days. Indeterminate.
□ Taxi (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Bright yellow, medium round; firm, meaty, sweet flavor. 64 days. Determinate, compact.
□ The Juice (hybrid). Juicing tomato. Red, sweet juicer medium to large, round to 7 ounces. 65 days. Determinate, compact.
□ Thessaloniki (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Uniform, globe-shaped fruit to 2 inches in diameter; juicy, mild flavor. 68 days. Indeterminate. Disease resistant.
□ Tigerella, Mr. Stripey (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Reddish-orange, striped with golden yellow to 2 inches in diameter; very good flavor. 56 days. Indeterminate. Good disease resistance.
□ Tiny Tim (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Scarlet red, small, round to 1 inch in diameter. 55 days. Determinate, compact. Grows well in containers.
□ Tomboy (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Pink fruit, meaty to 4 inches in diameter. 66 days. Indeterminate. F.
□ Toy Boy (hybrid). Salad tomato. Red-skinned, small fruit; grow 3 or 4 plants to a container. 68 days. Determinate. VF.
□ Tumbler (hybrid). Patio tomato. Bright red, masses to 1¼ inch fruits; sweet flavor. 48 days. Determinate.
□ Tumbling Tom. Cherry tomato. Bright red, trailing produces in clusters; good flavor. 65 days. Determinate.
□ Ultra Girl (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned to 8 ounces. 56 days. Semi-determinate. VFN. Resists cracking.
□ Ultra Pink (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Pink-skinned, similar to Ultra Sweet; firm, large fruit. 64 days. Determinate. VFT.
□ Ultra Sweet (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Bright red skin, deep globe, firm to 10 ounces; balanced sugar and acids. 62 days. Determinate. VFT. Crack resistant.
□ Ultrasonic (hybrid). Slicing tomato. Red-skinned, globe shaped to 12 ounces. 65 days. Semi-determinate.
□ Valiant (open-pollinated). Slicing tomato. Dark red, large, globe-shaped to 15 ounces’ good flavor. 67 days. Indeterminate. Set well in hot, dry climates.
□ Whippersnapper (open-pollinated). Salad tomato. Very early, dark-pink, oval to inch in diameter; sweet and flavorful. 52 days. Determinate, compact.
□ Yellow Bell (open-pollinated). Yellow paste tomato, plum shape; rich and sweet. 60 days. Indeterminate. Heirloom.
