Early Girl Tomato in Zone 6A — Midwest

Early Girl Tomato is a Midwest garden favorite for good reason. You get reliably delicious, medium-sized tomatoes incredibly early in the season, perfect for slicing on sandwiches or adding to fresh salads. The taste is classic tomato, and the early harvest lets you enjoy that homegrown goodness long before other varieties are ready in our relatively short growing season.

Our Midwest weather can be unpredictable, with variable springs and occasional summer heat spells. But with Early Girl's quick maturity, you can easily get a fantastic harvest within our 178-day growing season, even with a late start. Careful timing and a little attention will reward you with plenty of tomatoes.

Start your Early Girl Tomato seeds indoors from mid-March through early April, about six weeks before you plan to transplant them outdoors. Use seed trays or small pots filled with a good seed-starting mix. Keep them warm – around 70-75°F is ideal – and provide plenty of light, either from a sunny window or a grow light.

Water your seedlings from the bottom by placing the tray in a shallow dish of water. This encourages strong root growth and prevents damping-off disease. Our moderate-to-late spring means starting indoors is crucial to get a head start.

Transplant your Early Girl Tomato seedlings outdoors from early May through mid-June, once the danger of frost has passed. Before transplanting, harden off your seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions for about a week. This helps them adjust to the sun and wind.

Plant them 24-36 inches apart in fertile soil that has been amended with compost. Keep an eye on the weather forecast – a late frost can still happen! You might want to have some row covers or blankets handy to protect your young plants if temperatures dip unexpectedly.

Early Girl Tomatoes need consistent moisture to produce a steady harvest, especially during our moderate-to-hot summer heat spells. While they're a bit more forgiving than some other tomato varieties, don't let them dry out completely. Stick your finger about two inches into the soil – if it feels dry, it's time to water.

Aim to give your plants about 1-2 inches of water per week, depending on rainfall. It's best to water at the base of the plant to avoid getting the leaves wet, which can encourage fungal diseases in our moderate-to-humid climate. Signs of underwatering include wilting leaves and blossom end rot (more on that later), while overwatering can lead to yellowing leaves and root rot.

Mulch around your tomato plants with straw or wood chips to help retain moisture and suppress weeds. This is especially helpful with our wet-summer rainfall patterns, as it helps prevent soil splash and keeps the soil temperature more consistent.

Early Girl Tomatoes are an indeterminate variety, meaning they'll keep growing and producing fruit all season long. They need support to keep the heavy fruit off the ground and prevent the stems from breaking. Standard 5-foot tomato cages or sturdy stakes work well.

Install your chosen support at planting time to avoid disturbing the roots later. As the plant grows, gently weave the stems through the cage or tie them to the stake with soft twine. This will help keep the plant upright and the tomatoes clean and healthy.

Pruning your Early Girl Tomatoes can help them ripen faster, which is especially important in the Midwest. Focus on removing the suckers that grow in the crotch between the main stem and the branches. These suckers will eventually produce their own stems and fruit, but they'll also draw energy away from the main plant.

Also, remove the lower leaves that touch the ground to improve air circulation and prevent disease. Start pruning a few weeks after transplanting and continue throughout the season. As our first frost approaches around mid-October, you can top the plant to encourage the remaining green tomatoes to ripen.

You can expect your first harvest of Early Girl Tomatoes from late June through late August, about 50 days after transplanting. The tomatoes are ready to pick when they turn a deep red color and are slightly soft to the touch. Don't wait too long, or they may crack or attract pests.

Gently twist or cut the tomato from the vine, being careful not to damage the plant. Regular harvesting encourages continued production, so check your plants every few days. As the end of the season approaches and the first frost threatens in mid-October, harvest any remaining green tomatoes and bring them indoors to ripen. They'll continue to ripen on a windowsill or in a paper bag.

Here are some common problems you might encounter with Early Girl Tomatoes in the Midwest:

Blossom End Rot

• What it looks like: A sunken, dark brown or black leathery patch on the bottom of the tomato.
• What causes it: Calcium deficiency caused by inconsistent watering. Our variable spring and summer heat spells can lead to periods of drought followed by heavy rain, which disrupts calcium uptake.
• How to fix/prevent it: Water consistently, especially during dry spells. Mulch heavily to maintain even soil moisture. Avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen. Remove affected fruit.

Early Blight

• What it looks like: Brown spots with concentric rings (target pattern) on lower leaves, spreading upward. Leaves yellow and drop.
• What causes it: A fungal disease that thrives in our warm, humid conditions. Spreads via soil splash onto lower leaves.
• How to fix/prevent it: Remove and destroy affected leaves. Mulch to prevent soil splash. Water at the base. Improve air circulation through spacing and pruning. Copper fungicide can slow the spread. Rotate crops yearly.

Hornworms

• What it looks like: Large sections of leaves stripped overnight. Large green caterpillars with white diagonal stripes. Dark droppings on leaves below.
• What causes it: Larvae of hawk moths. They can defoliate plants quickly.
• How to fix/prevent it: Handpick them (they're easy to spot). Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray is effective and organic. If you see white cocoons on a hornworm, leave it alone!

Cracking

• What it looks like: Splits in the tomato skin, either concentric (circles around the stem) or radial (lines radiating from the stem).
• What causes it: Heavy watering or rain after a dry spell. Our wet-summer rainfall can cause this.
• How to fix/prevent it: Water consistently. Mulch to maintain even moisture. Harvest promptly when ripe.

Midwest Specific Challenges: Our moderate-to-hot summer heat combined with moderate-to-humid humidity creates ideal conditions for fungal diseases like early blight. Consistent watering is key to preventing blossom end rot and cracking, especially with our unpredictable rainfall patterns.

Companion planting can help your Early Girl Tomatoes thrive in the Midwest. Basil is a great companion because it repels tomato hornworms and other pests, and it's a classic flavor pairing. Carrots and parsley can attract beneficial insects that prey on tomato pests. French marigolds are known to repel nematodes and other soil pests.

Avoid planting brassicas (like cabbage and broccoli) near your tomatoes, as they can stunt tomato growth. Fennel is also a bad companion because it inhibits the growth of many plants, including tomatoes. Corn can block sunlight and compete for nutrients, so keep it at a distance.