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Early Season Tomato Checklist

Tomatoes in greenhouse1

Tomatoes in greenhouseEarly-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.

Written by Stephen Albert

Stephen Albert is a horticulturist, master gardener, and certified nurseryman who has taught at the University of California for more than 25 years. He holds graduate degrees from the University of California and the University of Iowa. His books include Vegetable Garden Grower’s Guide, Vegetable Garden Almanac & Planner, Tomato Grower’s Answer Book, and Kitchen Garden Grower’s Guide. His Vegetable Garden Grower’s Masterclass is available online. Harvesttotable.com has more than 10 million visitors each year.

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