Seeds, Tomato Early Girl (West Coast Seeds)

This is an early maturing variety.

The plants keep bearing fruit heavily throughout the summer on manageable, disease resistant vines, producing baskets of tasty, 110-170g 4-6 oz) tomatoes. Early Girl is resistant to Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2. Some coastal growers choose early maturing tomatoes as a way to beat Late Blight. The disease usually strikes mid- to late summer, and by that time Early Girl has already produced the bulk of her fruit.

Indeterminate (vine). Matures in 57 days. (hybrid seeds)

Matures in 57 days

Season Warm season

Exposure Full-sun

Timing
Start indoors in early spring over bottom heat. When seedlings germinate, remove from the heat and grow under bright lights. Grow seedlings on for 6-8 weeks at around 10°C (50°F). Early season tomatoes can be planted out once night time temperatures are reliably above 7°C (45°F) - or later. Other types should be transplanted out when night time lows are 10°C (50°F) or warmer - or later. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 25-35°C (68-95°F). With bottom heat seeds should germinate in 7-14 days.

Starting
Sow seeds 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Keep seedlings under very bright light to prevent legginess. You may have to pot on seedlings more than once before they go out to allow for root growth. Space bush (determinate) transplants 45-60cm (18-24″) apart and vine (indeterminate) types 50-75cm (20-30″) apart in rows 1m (3′) apart.

Companion Planting
Another sensitive plant when it comes to companions, tomatoes benefit from asparagus, basil, beans, borage, carrots, celery, chives, collards, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, marigold, mint, nasturtium, onion, parsley, and peppers. Avoid planting alongside Brassicas and dill. Corn will attract tomato pests, and kohlrabi will stunt tomatoes’ growth. Potatoes may spread blight to tomatoes, so keep them apart. Do no plant tomatoes near walnut trees.