Early Girl is an early tomato variety that lets you reap the benefits of your gardening efforts very early in the season. This popular type of indeterminate tomato is a very fast grower that produces a harvest of round, tennis ball-sized deep red tomatoes. Early Girl tomatoes have a rich, sweet, meaty tomato flavor and are often used as sliced tomatoes.
This plant has a high yield, but the tomatoes can be softer or less crisp than other tomato varieties. In addition to producing fruit early in the season, the Early Girl tomato has a longer growing season than other varieties. It is sometimes even planted late in the summer for one last quick harvest of fall tomatoes before the frost.
All parts of the tomato plant except for the fruit are toxic to humans and pets.
The Bush Early Girl tomato is an early maturing and high yielding tomato variety perfect for container gardening or small spaces. This variety has a bushy, compact growth habit but still produces impressive yields of 4-ounce, deep red tomatoes. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at Bush Early Girl including its flavor, yield, disease resistance, and growing requirements.
Overview of Bush Early Girl Tomatoes
Bush Early Girl is a determinate tomato bred by Burpee Seeds as a compact, container-friendly version of the popular Early Girl tomato. It typically matures its first ripe tomatoes around 54-59 days from transplanting.
Unlike its vining cousin, Bush Early Girl only grows to around 24-36 inches tall and 18-24 inches wide It has a bushy, mounded shape that doesn’t require staking or caging This compact size makes it a great option for small gardens, containers, or hanging baskets.
Each plant produces impressive yields of smooth 4 ounce globes. Fruits ripen from light green to rich red. Flavor is described as sweet and tomatoey with low acidity.
Bush Early Girl is resistant to fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, nematodes, and tobacco mosaic virus which makes it a good choice for disease prone areas
Flavor and Texture
Most reviews praise the flavor of Bush Early Girl as being classic, old-fashioned tomato taste. The fruits have a good sugar to acid ratio leading to a sweet, yet slightly tart flavor.
The flesh is meaty while still maintaining a tender, juicy texture when ripe. The skin has minimal cracking or blemishes. Flavor and texture are best when harvested at peak ripeness.
There are some mixed reviews on flavor with a minority finding it bland or watery. Flavor can depend on growing conditions and proper nutrition. Overall, most gardeners rate the flavor as very good, especially for such an early variety.
Yield and Productivity
Bush Early Girl is one of the most prolific determinate tomatoes. Each compact plant can produce 20-25 fruits or more. With proper feeding and care, yields of over 40 tomatoes per plant are possible.
The first ripe tomatoes appear around 54 days from transplanting. After that, regular picking is needed to keep up with production. Fruits ripen over an extended period, not all at once.
Even during hot weather, Bush Early Girl keeps flowering and setting new fruit. It’s common for plants to still be producing in late summer after other varieties have slowed down. The compact size means more plants can fit in a small space for higher total yields.
Growing Bush Early Girl Tomatoes
Planting: Start Bush Early Girl seeds indoors 5-7 weeks before last frost. Transplant seedlings out around 2 weeks after last expected frost once soil has warmed.
Spacing: Allow 18-24 inches between plants in rows spaced 3 feet apart. For containers allow one plant per 5 gallon pot or plant closer at 12 inch spacing in larger containers.
Care: Apply a balanced vegetable fertilizer at planting and again when first flowers appear. Use mulch and consistent watering to maintain even soil moisture. Avoid overhead watering. Staking is not necessary but plants can be caged for support if desired.
Light: Full sun exposure (at least 6 hours per day) for best growth and fruit production.
Harvest: Pick tomatoes when fully colored but still firm. Store at room temperature and avoid refrigeration. Expect 50-70 days from transplant to first ripe fruits.
Suitable Growing Regions
Bush Early Girl can be grown successfully in most regions except for the warmest climates or short season northern areas. Ideal zones are 3-10.
Due to its compact size and earliness, Bush Early Girl is a good option for container growing in patios or small urban gardens. It’s also recommended for regions with cool nights or low light conditions that affect other heat-loving tomatoes.
Advantages of Bush Early Girl
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Very early maturity for an determinate type
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High yields of 4 oz. red tomatoes
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Sweet, tomatoey flavor
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Disease resistance for problem areas
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Compact bush habit perfect for containers
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No staking required
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Extended harvest window
Disadvantages of Bush Early Girl
- Prone to blossom drop in extreme heat
-Flavor is good but not exceptional
-Lower yields in very hot climates
-Fruits prone to splitting after rain
-Less suitable for transplants or grafting
- Determinate plants lack yield potential of indeterminate
How Does it Compare to Other Varieties?
Bush Early Girl vs. Better Bush: Bush Early Girl yields higher with larger fruit size. It’s also more disease resistant. Better Bush has a more controlled, rounded habit.
Bush Early Girl vs. Patio: Bush Early Girl is earlier by 1-2 weeks. Patio is more compact with higher heat tolerance. Flavors are comparable.
Bush Early Girl vs. Early Girl: Bush Early Girl is the same tomato in a compact determinate form. Early Girl is indeterminate requiring staking for its 6+ foot vines. Both yield well but Early Girl has higher potential.
Bush Early Girl vs. Celebrity: Celebrity is later maturing by about 10 days. It has firmer fruits with a bit more acidity. Celebrity shows more disease resistance. Both are determinate.
Bush Early Girl is a tomato that consistently delivers early, heavy yields of smooth, sweet red fruits. It’s a great choice where space is limited thanks to its compact bushy growth. While the flavor is not exceptional, it has that classic tomato taste with low acidity. With its earliness and disease resistance, Bush Early Girl is a reliable producer suited to a wide range of climates. For an early determinate, it can’t be beat.
Water
Water Early Girl slowly and deeply whenever the top layer of soil feels dry. The plants develop deep roots, which make them suitable for drier conditions, but watering them regularly in the absence of frequent rainfall is indispensable to ensure an abundant harvest of flavorful fruit.
When watering, avoid getting the leaves and stems wet, which helps to prevent fungus and rot.
Container-grown tomatoes will need more frequent watering than those in the ground.
Harvesting Early Girl Tomato
When the Early Girl tomatoes skins turn a deep, vibrant red, they are ready to be harvested.
Remove the tomato from the vine with a gentle twist or use sharp pruners to cut it off. Always leave a small portion of the stem attached to prevent rotting.
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FAQ
Are Early Girl tomatoes any good?
Early Girls are the best performing, most reliable, and best tasting tomatoes I have grown in my current garden. This is a red saladette tomato with smallish fruit that is sweet and tangy. It always bears well for me, which is no small feat in my region.
What do Early Girl bush tomatoes taste like?
Extra large, round tomatoes with a sweet flavor, Early Girl Bush is a determinate tomato that works just as well as a patio plant as it does in the garden.
How tall does an Early Girl bush tomato get?
A true bush-type plant, Bush Early Girl is perfect for large patio pots – amazingly compact yet productive. Growing only 18 in. (45 cm) tall, this plant produces tasty red fruits measuring almost 4 in. (10 cm) across.
What is the difference between Early Girl tomatoes and bush early girl tomatoes?
This hybrid is a relative of the well-known standard-sized Early Girl yet produces more tomatoes than many other compact varieties. The determinate vines form strong bushes perfect for containers. Bush Early Girl bears a surprising number of delicious tomatoes in a small garden or a pot.
Are Early Girl tomatoes easy to grow?
Prized for its early season production, Early Girl tomato plants are easy to grow and highly productive, yielding flavorful medium-sized fruits as early as 55 days after planting. At 4-to-5-ounces each, the bright red fruits are well sized for slicing and stacking on sandwiches or bagels, and quartering into salads.
What is a bush Early Girl tomato?
The Bush Early Girl Tomato is a hybrid plant related to the Early Girl while producing abundantly more tomatoes than it’s similarly named relative. The Bush Early Girl Tomato is as it says, earlyyielding and producing extra large, red tomatoes with outstanding flavor. How many Tomatoes does a bush Early Girl tomato produce?
How many Tomatoes does a bush Early Girl tomato produce?
The Bush Early Girl Tomato grows on an actual bush bearing fruit up to 4 inches in width. It’s branches grow strong to produce an astonishing number of tomatoes per plant. In ideal conditions, this variety has been known to produce an abundance of 100 tomatoes from one plant!
How big does a bush Early Girl tomato grow?
The Bush Early Girl Tomato grows on an actual bush bearing fruit up to 4 inches in width. It’s branches grow strong to produce an astonishing number of tomatoes per plant. In ideal conditions, this variety has been known to produce an abundance of 100 tomatoes from one plant! How long does a bush Early Girl tomato take to grow?
How good is tomato Bush early girl hybrid?
Read reviews for Tomato, Bush Early Girl Hybrid 3.8 Quality of Product, average rating value is 3.8 of 5. 3.7 Value of Product, average rating value is 3.7 of 5. I keep coming back for these seeds. More compact plants that yield a nice medium size fruit year after year. Reasonable drought and wet tolerant, Great tasting.
Are Bush Early Girl tomatoes good for a patio?
Many gardeners note this is one of the best patio tomatoes they’ve grown. Follow these tips to get the best results from Bush Early Girl in your garden: Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost for best yields. Harden off and transplant outdoors after danger of frost passes.