Early Ripening Tomatoes

These varieties have an average ripening time of less than 70 days, many from only 50 to 60 days to mature fruit.

 

Amy's Sugar Gem ($5.25)   (VE) 65 days. This huge, sprawling plant produces heavy clusters of golf ball sized, incredibly delicious, deep red ambrosial fruit with golden jewel-like sparkles within the red skin. Very sweet! It was one of my absolute favorite tomatoes at TomatoFest in September--just knocked me out. Candy-on-the-vine, not to be missed.

Developed by Jeff McCormack, it is a cross of Red Cherry and Tappy's Finest. Named for Amy Boor Hereford whose Grandma Tappy introduced Jeff to heirloom tomatoes more than 20 years ago.

 

 

Anna Russian ($4.95)    (VE) 65 days. This was the very first heirloom tomato I ever tasted.

Many years ago my mom brought me some perfect heart-shaped Anna Russians from her garden. I swooned. From 8 to 16 ounces, the fruits she brought had grown in beautiful clusters of 2 or 3.

 

Still in my top 5 favorites after all these years, Anna Russian is always among the first few plants I set out in my home garden every spring in a little Tomato Love ceremony.

Anna Russian seeds came from Brenda Hillenius of Oregon, who got the seeds from her grandfather, Kenneth Wilcox. Years earlier he had been given the original seeds from a Russian immigrant friend--a genuine example of the intriguing history these grand old tomatoes carry with them.

 

This plant has very delicate, wistful foliage as do many of the Russian varieties. Don't let that fool you! Anna is easy to grow and bear heavily during hot and cool weather. I wouldn't be without it.

 

 

Azoychka ($4.95) 70 days.   (E) One of the first to ripen in your garden, this lovely lemon yellow 7 to 8 ounce tomato has a delightful sweetness with just a touch of acidity. Ripening in only 70 days from planting out, it has a delightful yet subtle hint of citrusy flavor. This Russian heirloom has become a favorite of chefs and tomato lovers world wide.

 

 

Black Cherry Black Cherry ($4.95) (Ch) (VE) 65 days. A perfectly round cherry tomato with classic black tomato flavor, sweet, yet rich, smoky and complex. Fruit picks easily from the stem and is produced in abundance on vigorous, tall plants. These cherries are irresistibly delicious: look like a  black cherry, taste like a sweet cherry-- a unique addition to the color and flavor spectrum of cherry tomatoes for your garden, along with , Sungold, Green Grape, Snow White and Reisentraube, it makes an arresting display for any table. Just outstanding. 

 

 

Black from Tula  Black From Tula ($4.95) (E)    70 days. Big, splendid, 10 to 12 oz. fruits with a beguiling color: deep dusky reddish-mahogany, with slightly green shoulders, and a sweet, lingering, ambrosial flavor. As a bonus, this Ukrainian variety offers a bountiful production. Pictured on the cover of  '100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden', by Carolyn Male. 

 

 

Black Prince Black Prince ($4.95)    (E)  (SM) 70 days. One of the most intensely 'tomatoey' flavored heirlooms, rich and juicy, a smaller plant, very prolific, easy to grow, it loads up in only 70 days with clusters of gorgeous 6-8 oz. deep, dark mahogany-red fruits the color of rubies at midnight.

 

 

Bloody Butcher ($4.95) (EE)   58-60 days. This marvelous early ripening fruit has an unmatched, spectacular deep red hue--juicy with an intense lingering flavor. The 2-4 ounce round red 2 to 3" fruits have a rich silky texture and grow in great abundance on potato leafed vines. With its bountiful harvest month after month, the strong depth of flavor in Bloody Butcher has made it a favorite among tomato gourmands worldwide. 

 

 

Cerise Orange  ($4.95) 70 days. (E) (Ch) Cerise Orange is rapidly becoming a favored cherry tomato among tomato lovers and especially chefs worldwide, its name is French for orange cherry. From Norbert Parreira of Helliner, France, Cerise Orange produces a huge harvest of tiny, luscious, ½" sunny orange cherries with a delicate subtle striping and flavor just bursting with gratifying deliciousness. Along with Hawaiian Currant, Bianca, Gold Currant and Peacevine, They are being used by chefs worldwide to create a spectacular edible miniature tomato display for restaurants and special events.

 

 

Ceylon ($4.95) 70 days. (E)     This unique, multi-ribbed, little bitty mini-beefsteak shaped tomato is deep red with orange shoulders and only about 1" across. This very unusual ruffled fruit is amazingly prolific and quite a show stopper in your garden. The bright zippy flavor is addictive and the fruit is cute as can be. Very cold tolerant and heat tolerant, it is an all-around winner in all climates.

 

 

Crazy ($4.95)  (EE)     (Ch) 55 days. This plant produces so early and so well in all climates--it's just crazy. It grows tall, strong vines bearing bountiful clusters of six 1", round, red cherry tomatoes in only 55 days from planting out. Sweet, prolific, with a wonderful tangy-sweet balance; Crazy just keeps producing through cold and hot weather.

 

 

  Early Wonder ($4.95) 50-55 days.       (EE) (SM) This extra-early maturing and compact plant variety yields an abundant crop of round, dark-pink, 2 ounce marvelously flavored fruit. Perfect for gardeners in shorter season growing climates. Early Wonder is a small plant, the fruits are delicious and the production is very high.

 

 

 

New for 2008!  Elfin (Grape) ($4.95)  60 days.    (EE) (SM) Elfin is a marvelous ¾” grape tomato borne on a small bushy plant which just loads up with sweet, bright red delicious fruits which can be plum-shaped or pear-shaped on the same plant. This small plant is just great for containers or right in your garden. Shaped like the original grape tomato, the fruits are superbly flavorful with a nice crisp pop when you bite into them.

 

 

Eva Purple Ball ($4.95) 68 days     (E) A beautiful, adaptable, and reliable choice for your garden. Easy to grow, virtually problem free, and often called the most beautiful tomato of all. Eva Purple Ball produces perfectly round, deep pink, 6-8 oz, juicy, sweet luscious globes with an outstanding rich and refreshing flavor. At first bite, the tanginess dominates, giving way a moment later to an enduring sweetness with overtones of tropical fruit and spice. Growing very well in high heat and humidity, its very high-yield and disease resistance makes this prolific garden staple an outstanding choice for novice gardeners and experts alike. Originally from the Black Forest of Germany in the late 1800's. This plant out produced all others in my 2005 summer garden.

 

 

Fireworks ($4.95) 50 days (EE)      Ripe in only 50 to 55 days, this lovely bright red tomato, very large for a quick maturing variety, has splendid rich, sweet juicy flavor which runs deep for a super-early tomato. Fruits are 3", 6-9 oz., round, with a very distinctive slightly pointed tip, are heat resistant, cold tolerant and delicious. 

 

 

Galinas ($4.95) (Ch) (E)     68 days. This 1" yellow cherry tomato matures in only 65-70 days. From Russia with lovely color and intricate sweet flavor, it is a bountiful producer in cool and hot weather and continues to set fruit right up until frost. The fruit matures from green to ivory to yellow finally ripening into deep golden yellow, its beautiful fruits borne in long clusters on a hearty potato leafed plant. Galinas has a depth of flavor normally found in larger tomatoes and has become a favorite in tomato gardens worldwide.

 

 

Gardener's Delight (AKA Sugar Lump)($4.95)  (VE) (SM) (Ch)   65 days. You'll get an amazingly heavy production of precious sparkling-red 1" cherry tomatoes, which are loaded with sugary sweet tomato flavor. A special treat for tomato fans of all ages for eating right from the vine or in salads if they ever make it into the house. Gardener's Delight is also called 'Sugar Lump' for a very good reason.

 

 

Grape Tomato ($4.95) (EE) (Ch)     55 days (H) This vigorous adaptable plant produces long grape-like clusters of very sweet, richly flavored, elongated cherry tomatoes, about 1½" long, popularly sold in pints at the supermarket. Now you can grow them in your home garden, in any climate and, rather then being picked green as are supermarket Grape tomatoes, the taste will be far sweeter and richer. When homegrown and ripening before your eyes, the flavor is exponentially finer than those on market shelves; you won't believe the difference.

 

 

Green Giant ($4.95) (E) (B) 60-70 days. Occasionally a tomato comes along which deserves very special attention. This big, up to 2 lb., green when ripe tomato resoundingly stole the show August 27th at Cincinnati's famous CHOPTAG Tomato Taste Fest last year taking Best Of Show. We had the immense pleasure of tasting it at TomatoFest in Carmel, California where it captured the hearts of tasters and garnered a great deal of attention. I have not been this impressed by a tomato since discovering Goose Creek in the summer of 2004. On a flavor scale of 1 to 100, Green Giant is a resounding 100. Incredible. Unforgettable. 

It arose originally in the garden of Reinhard Kraft of Germany in 2000 when he planted 30 seeds called 'Green Giant' from a friend in Canada. 29 of them grew out regular leafed except for one which had big potato leafed foliage. Reinhard cultivated that one, selecting the best fruit for several seasons, and continued to save seeds. Yay, Reinhard. Seeds are not available commercially but I have managed to secure some for the 2006 season from my buddy Cynthia Geske, owner of Love Apple Farm in Ben Lomond, CA. www.loveapplefarm.biz  Cynthia grew the magnificent Green Giant fruits we tasted at TomatoFest and graciously let me use her photograph here.

 

 

Back for 2008!  Green Grape ($5.25) 60 days. These 1" by 1 ½" ripe fruits are yellow-green with an amber blush on the blossom end, and lovely translucent pale-green on the inside growing on a small yet very prolific plant. After tasting it again at TomatoFest this year I decided to include it on the list for 2008.  You will love it.

This compact plant was developed by Tom Wagner who crossed Yellow Pear with Evergreen. Its fruit has become wildly popular in restaurants and markets because of its unique and very elaborate flavor, a certain tanginess balanced with just the perfect touch of sweetness, stunning beauty and marvelous flavor--Green Grape really stands out as great choice for the discerning tomato maniac. 

 

 

 

Green Sausage ($4.95) (D) (VE) (SM) 65 days. Look at this gorgeous fruit! Easy to grow and early ripening, its resplendent shape, sparkling green and amber color and tantalizing taste have made Green Sausage one of the most sought after tomatoes this season and a huge favorite at Farmer's Markets. Very prolific, Green Sausage is a small plant and produces an early, abundant harvest of 4" long fruits in clusters of 6 or 7 fruits. With flavor similar to Green Zebra but with a meatier flesh, it is tangy, rich, and juicy and sweet--just out of this world. This photograph was taken by my friend Cynthia Geske, grower extraordinaire and owner of Love Apple Farm in Ben Lomond, California. www.loveapplefarm.biz

 

 

Isis Candy ($4.95) (Ch) (VE)    60 days. These precious little 1½" morsels of red and gold garden candy have a dazzling starburst pattern on the blossom end when ripe. Sweet and fruity, Isis Candy has become a top 10 winner at tomato tastings, rivaling Sun Gold's flavor as a best-of-show cherry. Crack-resistant, a spectacular top seller.

 

 

 Jaune Flammée AKA Flammée ($4.95)  (E) 70 days. Very prolific and stunningly beautiful, Flammé is an unforgettable tomato. Intensely orange with a reddish blush on the blossom end, these flame-colored 2 ounce globes have a rich, tangy and exciting flavor that literally bursts in your mouth. Cut open to reveal a reddish interior; this fruit reminds me of a blood orange with its spectacular contrasting colors. At  certain times of day, the fruits of Flammé seem to glow on the vine against the deep green foliage. Just marvelous.

 

 

 Lime Green Salad ($4.95) (VSM) (D)   (E)   52 days. This tomato has become one of my passions. I grew only one Lime Green Salad plant the first season and wish I'd grown10.

This petite plant, about 18 to 20" tall--great for small containers like 2 to 5 gallons, or in your main garden, produces early abundant harvests of luscious tangy-sweet 3 to 4 oz. round lime-green tomatoes which literally burst with intricate, sweet refreshing citrusy flavors when you bite into them. The flesh inside is a gorgeous chartreuse, juicy...the flavor lingers. Unforgettable.  

 

 

Matina ($4.95) (EE)    55 days. Ripening very early with a surprisingly high yield, this terrific fruit has a full-bodied hearty flavor normally found in the big beefsteak tomatoes. These 3-4 ounce bright red, perfectly round tomatoes have an intense depth of character making them a favorite of mine. Borne on a big sturdy potato-leafed plant in clusters of up to nine fruits, they produce an abundant harvest throughout the long growing season and are disease resistant.  The nice solid fruits keep well, too.

 

 

 

Mini Charm ($5.25) (E) 70 days. From Mississippi, this very rare little tomato really charmed me at Carmel TomatoFest in 2005. Mini Charm is a marble sized, deep red, intensely sweet and passionately flavored miniature morsel of a fruit which bewitched me and my tasting companions.

Growing in clusters of 8 to 10 fruits on a big strong plant, Mini Charm is very prolific, great for containers, averaging a

pound and half per picking--about 75 fruits to the pound--and ripening in only 70 days from plant-out; it is also very disease resistant. Laurel's Top pick for 2006.

 

 

New for 2008!    Mirabell ($4.95) 70 days. Once in while I taste a tomato with a flavor so elaborate and fine that I rave about it for weeks. Mirabell is one of these. I hadn't tasted it for several years and then popped a few into my mouth at TomatoFest. Wow. Ambrosial, just sublime. My notes on this variety are a series of 9 exclamation points. The tiny golden-yellow 3/8" fruits grow in bountiful clusters of 8 on a big rangy plant. Along with Camp Joy, Mirabell is my new favorite cherry tomato. Just as I did with Hawaiian Currant years ago, I went back to taste this one many times over.

 

 

 Momotaro  ($4.95) (H) (VE)   62 days. (HG) This very popular early-ripening hybrid variety, (and Dolly Parton's favorite tomato), is being offered due to hundreds of requests from my customers who have found Momotaro fruits at Farmer's Markets. It is exceptionally sweet, low-acid, juicy and just beautiful with a very long shelf life. The 6 ounce fruits are a stunning shade of pink, full flavored, luscious and bountiful on the vine, with superb disease resistance.

I smuggled one into an heirloom tasting party, and the folks loved it. The revelation that it's a hybrid was a splendid surprise to the gathered heirloom aficionados and motley crew of tomato gourmets and gourmands. 

Named for an ancient legend of Momotaro, or Peach Boy, Momotaro was a baby boy found inside a giant peach by childless peasant farmers who had longed for a child of their own. He grew to be a famous warrior for peace. Among his many achievements: conquering, and then encouraging the ogres of Ogre Island to stop pillaging and be nice ogres. Each year the Momotaro festival in Japan celebrates the legend of this brave and wondrous child. 

 

 

Northern Lights Northern Lights ($4.95)    (VE) 60 days. An absolutely striking tomato. This big, heavy 4-5", 10 oz. gorgeous yellow-orange beefsteak, with a red blush on the blossom end and spectacular red patterning in the center, is reminiscent of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, for which it is named. The flavor is sweet, intense, tangy and luscious. This marvelous tomato, only about 60 to 65 days from plant out until ripe fruit, bears beautiful tomatoes right through the cold weather up until the first frost. 

 

 

Opalka Opalka  ($4.95)    (P-S)  (E) 70 days. This wonderful heirloom originated in Poland. To me, and many other tomato lovers; it's absolutely the finest tasting paste tomato, with 5-inch long, thick red fruit, shaped like little red bananas with a pretty round nipple on the tip of each fruit.

The foliage is wispy but the plant is very vigorous and prolific, often the tallest plant in the garden. Very meaty, virtually seedless and loaded with exquisite, refreshing, sweet flavors, marvelous for sauce and fresh eating. I was actually eating the Opalka in this photograph, fresh picked from my garden, as I typed this description. Yum. Despite the plant's large size, it's also done very well for me in 20 gallon containers.

 

 

    Paul Robeson  ($4.95) (VE)  (HG)       65-70 days. This is my all-time favorite tomato and our top seller. It is a gorgeous, dark and dusky-hued fruit with intensely sweet earthy taste with a hint of tanginess, a luscious velvety smooth texture, beautiful skin, rich with juice. The seed was made available by Marina Danilenko, a Moscow seedswoman. 

This luxurious tomato is named for Paul Robeson (1898-1976), the elegant, renowned and charismatic operatic singer, law school graduate, champion athlete, film star, stage actor, and boundlessly brave champion of civil and personal rights throughout the world. This marvelous plant will give you its perfect 3"- 4" fruit in only 65 days from planting. Incredible; a symphony. I do believe this is the finest tomato in existence. 

 

 

 

Porter's Dark Cherry ($4.95)  (Ch) (E) (SM) 68 days. This is such a fine tomato! Produces early, is abundant on the vine in charming clusters of 6 to 8. Small and gem-like, 1" long grape type fruits in an oblong oval shape, with a deep pink hue, it is becoming a much sought after favorite for discriminating tomato maniacs nationwide because the flavor is complex, rich and fabulous--just ambrosial. One of the prettiest tomatoes I've ever seen, marvelous in salads, snacking, and a brave plant that stands up extremely well to hot weather.

 

 

    Purple Haze ($8.95) (E) 70 days.  It's back for '08! This is our rarest plant. The seeds for this exquisite deep purple fruit were given to me by Kansas City heirloom tomato grower and developer Keith Mueller. Keith developed a perfectly round 2" tomato with rapturous flavor, a seductive shape and sensuous color. Its name was inspired by its beguiling color and parental lineage which combines Brandywine, Cherokee Purple and Black Cherry.

The flavor, for the lucky few who have eaten one, is lively and sparkling with a fine tanginess, passionate with intense earthy nuances and a lingering sweetness. Early ripening, growing in great abundance on a huge plant in clusters of 5-7 fruits, it ripens in only 70 days from plant-out.

 

Adding to its extraordinary attributes, it has a subdued yet seductive saltiness-- challenging to describe. Whatever it is, this tomato put a spell on me. 

Exceedingly rare, its ravishing beauty and flavor are unequaled in the tomato world. This is a rare opportunity for you to join the Purple Haze Experience. A fine gift for a tomato or music lover; a complete description with photograph and provenance on parchment is sent with each gift order of Purple Haze. Please order early.   

 

 

Red Robin ($4.95)  (VSM) 52 days. This tiny 10"-12" tall plant produces masses of 1" sweet, delicious cherry tomatoes.  A dwarf heirloom variety, Red Robin is perfect for patio, window box and hanging containers.  I took this photograph at sunset; the golden glow is the setting sun shining on the bright red fruits.

 

 

Siletz Siletz (SLITZ) ($4.95) (EE)    55 days. Bred by Dr. James Baggett of Oregon, this is the best tasting and largest of the super early varieties, reaching 10 to 12 ounces, Siletz is deep red, round and full-bodied and ripens in less than 55 days from plant-out.  This tangy-sweet delicious tomato has superior texture and quality for such an early fruit.

A favorite of market growers, it was developed for short seasons and cool weather but produces well in all areas. Dr. Baggett, an Idaho native, has spent his entire 50 year career at Oregon State University developing plants with an emphasis on adaptability to Pacific Northwest gardens. To the delight of gardeners everywhere, these great varieties have proven to grow beautifully in cooler climate areas including all the North Eastern states. Siletz is named for the Native People of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz in Lincoln County, Oregon.

 

 

 Super Snow White ($4.95) 70 days. (E)   A gourmet's delight. I can't say enough about this exquisite white cherry tomato which ripens from white to ivory to palest yellow with a bright, rich and sweet juicy flavor. Very prolific, easy to grow, pretty as starlight and a top seller.

 

 

 

Sophie's Choice Sophie's Choice ($4.95) 50 days. (D)  (VSM)  (EE)    From Canada, this succulent family heirloom is unique among the super-early producing plants. The slightly flattened round red fruits are borne in clusters of 3, quite large for an early bearer, with firm-when-ripe great flavored fruits from 6 to 8 oz.  Sophie's Choice is a very small compact determinate plant.

This little shrub of a plant reaches about 18" tall and bears loads of delicious tomatoes. It tends to fall over with its heavy fruit burden, so be sure to give it some support. With its very high fruit production, tenacious growth habit and sweet refreshing taste, it's a fun and rewarding plant to grow. Very disease resistant, it is one tomato plant which requires more water than other varieties during early growth.

 

 

Stupice ($4.95)   (EE)   (Stoo-PEECH-kuh) 52 days. A great tomato! For me, this is the absolute very best tasting super-early cold-or-hot weather variety and among the first I plant each season. Big flavor, sweet and luscious.  Stupice is a 3 to 4 oz. red round fruit, first to ripen and very high yielding. Produces quickly, heavily, reliably early and continuously throughout the season. Even when fruits are smaller as the season wanes, they maintain their marvelous flavor becoming even sweeter with colder weather. A garden staple.  

 

 

 

 Sun Gold ($4.95)     (EE) (H) 55 days. This is the one of the best cherry tomatoes I've ever tasted, rivaling Isis Candy, and ready to pick in only 55-60 days. It has the big, rich flavor of a full-size tomato, in a beautiful little deep-golden fruit growing in bountiful clusters on a huge plant. Sweet, rich, so beautiful...just left of center in top photo. Most of them won't make it into your house from the garden. If you send someone to pick them for you, keep your binoculars trained upon the picker. 

 

 

 

 Sun Sugar ($4.95)  (H) (Ch)   (EE) 50 to 60 days. Virtually identical in appearance to Sun Gold, I have used the some photograph to illustrate Sun Sugar until I take its picture, too.

 

 

  Sweet Baby Girl $4.95) (H)  (SM) (Ch)     (VE) 60 days. This vigorous little hybrid plant from Holland has long clusters of sweet, flavorful dark red 1 oz. cherry tomatoes, producing abundantly on small, compact yet indeterminate plants. Its easy-to-pick fruit is produced all season long. 

Sweet Baby Girl's long shelf-life, marvelous taste and disease resistance have made it a new favorite for fitting into smaller gardens and producing bountiful bunches of fruit right up until first frost in containers and in the garden. Kids of all ages love it. Right after shooting this photograph of some of the 150 we picked on February 8th, my employees and I ate the fruits. Every single one.

 

 

New for 2008!    Sweet Israeli ($4.95) 64 days.   (SM) From Israel, this delightful, full flavored 2" plum tomato grows on a small determinate plant and produces some of the finest tomatoes I've ever tasted. Perfect for container growing or in the main garden, these bright red luscious fruits are a treat for the whole family. Growing in marvelous abundance, this brave little bush type plant produces lots of delicious fruits in all climates for fresh eating, cooking and canning. A delight!

 

 

Yellow Pear ($4.95) (HG) (Ch) (E) 75 days. Yellow Pear is back by popular demand. These precious little pear-shaped tomatoes are 2 inches long and a beautiful bright, pure, clear yellow. They are very sweet and delicately flavored. These very prolific fruits make a gorgeous and delectable display on your table in a bowl or basket -- if they make it into the house. The plant gets quite tall, and bears incredibly bountiful harvests all season. This is often called the prettiest tomato of all, and favorite of children who are thrilled to pick a huge basketful of tomatoes in only a few minutes, and proudly bring them to you.