Early Girl Tomato in Zone 6B — Texas

Early Girl Tomato is a Texas gardener's dream. It delivers that classic tomato flavor early in the season, allowing you to enjoy fresh tomatoes in salads, sandwiches, and sauces long before other varieties are ready. Plus, you might even sneak in two harvests during our long growing season.

Sure, growing anything in Texas comes with its challenges, from the brutal Texas heat to unpredictable weather. But with careful timing and a little planning, you can get a fantastic crop of Early Girl tomatoes. Our 230-day growing season gives you plenty of opportunity to succeed.

Start your Early Girl Tomato seeds indoors from mid February through mid March, about six weeks before you plan to transplant them outside. This gives them a head start before the Texas heat really kicks in. Use seed trays or small pots filled with a good seed-starting mix.

Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy. Bottom watering is a great way to avoid damping off: just set the tray in a shallow dish of water and let the soil soak it up from the bottom. Place the trays in a warm spot with plenty of light – a sunny windowsill or under grow lights. With our early springs, you want to make sure your seedlings are strong enough to handle the conditions.

Transplant your Early Girl Tomato seedlings outdoors from early April through mid May, 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 will help them adjust to the Texas sun and wind.

Choose a sunny spot in your garden with well-drained soil. Space the plants 24-36 inches apart to allow for good air circulation. Keep an eye on the weather forecast around transplant time, as we can still get some unpredictable dips in temperature.

Early Girl Tomatoes need consistent moisture, especially during the hot Texas summers. They aren't drought-tolerant, so you can't just plant them and forget about them. Consistent watering is key to preventing blossom end rot and ensuring a steady supply of delicious tomatoes.

During the spring, when temperatures are milder and rainfall is more frequent, water deeply once or twice a week. As the Texas heat intensifies, you'll likely need to water every day or every other day, especially if the humidity is low. Use the "finger test": stick your finger about two inches into the soil. If it feels dry, it's time to water. Aim for about 1-2 inches of water per week, depending on the weather.

Water at the base of the plant to avoid wetting the leaves, which can encourage fungal diseases in our variable humidity. Signs of underwatering include wilting leaves and slow growth. Overwatering can lead to yellowing leaves and root rot. Mulching around the base of the plants with straw or wood chips helps retain moisture in our often-dry conditions.

Early Girl Tomatoes are an indeterminate variety, meaning they'll keep growing and producing fruit throughout the season. Because of this, they need support to keep them off the ground and prevent the stems from breaking under the weight of the fruit. A standard 5-foot tomato cage or sturdy stakes work well.

Install the support at planting time to avoid damaging the roots later. As the plant grows, gently weave the stems through the cage or tie them to the stakes with soft twine. This will help keep the plant upright and prevent the fruit from touching the soil.

Pruning Early Girl Tomatoes can help improve air circulation and encourage earlier ripening, which is always a plus in Texas. Focus on removing the suckers that grow in the "V" between the main stem and the branches. These suckers will eventually produce their own stems and fruit, but they can also overcrowd the plant and delay ripening.

Remove the lower leaves that touch the soil to prevent soil-borne diseases from splashing onto the plant. As the end of the season approaches (with our first frost usually around early November), 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 May through late July, depending on when you transplanted them. The fruits are ready to pick when they turn a deep red color and are slightly soft to the touch. Gently twist or cut the tomato from the vine, being careful not to damage the plant.

Harvest regularly to encourage continued production. Even after the first frost, you can still harvest any green tomatoes and ripen them indoors. Place them in a paper bag with an apple or banana to speed up the ripening process.

Here are a few common problems you might encounter growing Early Girl Tomatoes in Texas:

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. In our Texas climate, this is often due to the cycles of drought and flash floods.
• How to fix/prevent it: Water consistently, especially during dry spells. Mulch heavily to maintain even soil moisture. Remove any 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: Fungal disease that thrives in our warm, humid conditions. It spreads via soil splash.
• How to fix/prevent it: Remove and destroy affected leaves. Mulch to prevent soil splash. Water at the base of the plant. Use a copper fungicide to slow the spread.

Hornworms

• What it looks like: Large sections of leaves stripped overnight. Large green caterpillars with white stripes and a "horn" on their rear end.
• What causes it: These are the larvae of hawk moths. They can defoliate plants quickly.
• How to fix/prevent it: Handpick them (they're big and easy to spot). Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray is effective and organic.

Cracking

• What it looks like: Splits in the tomato skin, either concentric circles around the stem or lines radiating from the stem.
• What causes it: Heavy watering or rain after a dry spell. This is common in Texas, where we often experience sudden downpours after periods of drought.
• How to fix/prevent it: Water consistently. Mulch to maintain even moisture. Harvest promptly when ripe.

Texas Specific Challenges: The hot-to-extreme heat, variable humidity, and unpredictable rainfall in Texas can make growing Early Girl Tomatoes a challenge. The key is to water consistently, mulch well, and monitor your plants closely for signs of stress or disease.

Good companions for Early Girl Tomatoes include basil, carrots, parsley, and French marigolds. Basil is said to improve the flavor of tomatoes and repel pests. Carrots help loosen the soil. Parsley attracts beneficial insects. French marigolds repel nematodes and other soil pests.

Avoid planting tomatoes near brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower), fennel, or corn. Brassicas can inhibit tomato growth. Fennel is allelopathic, meaning it releases chemicals that can harm other plants. Corn can attract pests that also attack tomatoes. Planting the right companions can give your Early Girl Tomatoes a boost in our challenging Texas climate.