Best early varieties for Fall?

Ruby · May 11, 2007

I'm looking for some good tasting early varieties to grow for Fall in southern California (eastern LA county). I'd like to start them in the next week or so and plant them out at the beginning of July. Anyone got any favorite earlies that do well here? I'm looking for open-pollinated or hybrid varieties (leaning towards hybrids that might be available as transplants).

So far I'm impressed with Gregori's Altai (haven't tasted it yet though), so I'll probably give it a shot for sure.

Has anyone tried "New Girl"? It's supposedly a better tasting version of Early Girl from Johnny's Selected Seeds.

Vince · May 12, 2007

Ruby,

I live in Riverside, which is probabley 1/2 hour away from where you live. We have plenty of time to grow fall tomatoes in this area, so I would recommend planting them later because most of the blossums will drop in the heat until late september or early october when they really start to set fruit strong. I grew fall toms for the first time last year and had good success with some varieties. I planted small transplants(less than 6 inches) in the ground between 8/1-8/15 and some even later. I grew brandyboy 9 plants, Gregori's altai 4 plants, stupice 5 plants, sungold 2 plants, siletz 4 plants. Moreover I kept one of each Brandywine and big beef hold over plants. Gregori's altai and siletz did horrible, sickly cracking, tastless, few tastless fruit. However brandy boy, stupice, and sungold were stars. Had heaps of tomatoes that tasted good until the deep freeze in early january. Moreover, the BW set 5 and the big beef 50 more fruit in the fall. The cool weather had little effect on the BW taste. This year I am not afraid to grow late season varities and will be adding Gary'Osena, cherokee purple, BW sudduth, Dora, New big dwarf, citron compact, hopefully more dwarfs from the project, and some repeats from last year. The thing I did notice is that when I pulled the fall crop plants, most roots were rittled with root knot nematode damage, but the buggers seem to not be as active this spring as the plants look great. Hope all is well.

Vince

Ruby · May 12, 2007

Thank you, Vince. Exactly what I was interested in. I'm half expecting my current tomatoes to fizzle out before the Fall because they are setting so much fruit already and I'm guessing disease is going to set in at some point. Good to hear that you were able to get holdovers from your earlier plantings.

I tried Stupice in a different area last year and it didn't do anything, but then again it was a tough year for tomatoes out here last Summer.

Sungold is probably an excellent idea since I don't have any of those planted currently.

tomatoguy · May 12, 2007

Gregory's Altai is a great tasting tomato to me but it does have serious issues with splitting. Be very careful not to overwater them.

My favorite early is the determinate Clear Pink Early. I have no idea how it does in your location but it produces well here. The fruit are small, thinskinned and tangy but don't have the splitting of Gregory's.

I used to grow a hybrid called 4th of July. It was productive in the extreme and was often the largest plant in my garden. The fruit are a little thicker skinned but the taste was excellent. If I was looking for a hybrid early, this is the one I would grow.

mater

May 11, 2007	#1
Ruby Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 44	Best early varieties for Fall? I'm looking for some good tasting early varieties to grow for Fall in southern California (eastern LA county). I'd like to start them in the next week or so and plant them out at the beginning of July. Anyone got any favorite earlies that do well here? I'm looking for open-pollinated or hybrid varieties (leaning towards hybrids that might be available as transplants). So far I'm impressed with Gregori's Altai (haven't tasted it yet though), so I'll probably give it a shot for sure. Has anyone tried "New Girl"? It's supposedly a better tasting version of Early Girl from Johnny's Selected Seeds.

May 12, 2007	#2
Vince Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 942	Ruby, I live in Riverside, which is probabley 1/2 hour away from where you live. We have plenty of time to grow fall tomatoes in this area, so I would recommend planting them later because most of the blossums will drop in the heat until late september or early october when they really start to set fruit strong. I grew fall toms for the first time last year and had good success with some varieties. I planted small transplants(less than 6 inches) in the ground between 8/1-8/15 and some even later. I grew brandyboy 9 plants, Gregori's altai 4 plants, stupice 5 plants, sungold 2 plants, siletz 4 plants. Moreover I kept one of each Brandywine and big beef hold over plants. Gregori's altai and siletz did horrible, sickly cracking, tastless, few tastless fruit. However brandy boy, stupice, and sungold were stars. Had heaps of tomatoes that tasted good until the deep freeze in early january. Moreover, the BW set 5 and the big beef 50 more fruit in the fall. The cool weather had little effect on the BW taste. This year I am not afraid to grow late season varities and will be adding Gary'Osena, cherokee purple, BW sudduth, Dora, New big dwarf, citron compact, hopefully more dwarfs from the project, and some repeats from last year. The thing I did notice is that when I pulled the fall crop plants, most roots were rittled with root knot nematode damage, but the buggers seem to not be as active this spring as the plants look great. Hope all is well. Vince __________________ Vince

May 12, 2007	#4
tomatoguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rockvale, TN Zone 7A Posts: 526	Gregory's Altai is a great tasting tomato to me but it does have serious issues with splitting. Be very careful not to overwater them. My favorite early is the determinate Clear Pink Early. I have no idea how it does in your location but it produces well here. The fruit are small, thinskinned and tangy but don't have the splitting of Gregory's. I used to grow a hybrid called 4th of July. It was productive in the extreme and was often the largest plant in my garden. The fruit are a little thicker skinned but the taste was excellent. If I was looking for a hybrid early, this is the one I would grow. mater