Early Girl OP

JosephineRose · May 31, 2016

Has anyone grown the OP version of these? I did a search but haven't found any conversations to refer to.

I've never even tried the F1, but I'm curious to try the OP version. I've found two seed sources, Knapps and Restoration Seeds. I'm particularly eyeing Restoration seeds because I've bought from them before and quite like them:

http://knapps-fresh-vegies.netfirms.com/early-girl.html

https://www.restorationseeds.com/pro...girl-op-tomato

Thanks in advance.

May 31, 2016

Thanks for the links. I didn't know the OP version was available in stores.

I might recommend growing Early Girl VFF F1 before or at the same time you grow an OP version. Early Girl VFF F1 is supposed to taste different than the original Early Girl F1, which the OP version is likely from. I haven't grown the OP version, but people on this site probably have.

There's also an Early Girl Improved F1 that came after the original F1 and before the VFF F1. I haven't heard much about how it compares to the other two. The VFF is said to taste better than the original, from what I've heard, however, but taste is subjective, and Early Girl is one of those love or hate tomatoes for a lot of people. I love it, if it's grown in dry conditions in our soil, and picked while still somewhat orange. It tastes different in my neighbor's soil (he gave his more nitrogen). Excess copper can make tomatoes more watery and have less taste, I've read. So it's possible his tomatoes got more copper.

NewWestGardener · May 31, 2016

There's a new one out. I am growing New Girl F1 from Johnny's. . It surely is the earliest. very strong vigorous plants too.
****
New Girl
(F1) Tomato Seed
Product ID: 2412

First early, great taste.

Fruits avg. 4-6 oz. and are better tasting and more disease resistant than Early Girl. Holds better than First Lady II. Widely adapted. High resistance to fusarium wilt races 1, 2 and verticillium wilt. Indeterminate.

AlittleSalt · May 31, 2016

The Early Girl I'll be planting in our fall garden are the Ferry~Morse Early Girl 7746 VFF F1.

AKmark · May 31, 2016

Myself and most other AK tomato growers will choose Early Girl, (Burpee version) over almost any hybrid including Big Beef. I think Mountain Fresh is the only one that competes taste-wise. I have grown EG for almost 25 years, and still grow a few every year, and they are darn good every year too. I also get big yields from them. The only OP one I knew of was based on PL, which has a different taste.
I own commercial greenhouses and a nursery, we sold about 3000 tomato plants this year, EG is always a favorite for many customers.

May 31, 2016	#1
JosephineRose Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: California Posts: 383	Early Girl OP Has anyone grown the OP version of these? I did a search but haven't found any conversations to refer to. I've never even tried the F1, but I'm curious to try the OP version. I've found two seed sources, Knapps and Restoration Seeds. I'm particularly eyeing Restoration seeds because I've bought from them before and quite like them: http://knapps-fresh-vegies.netfirms.com/early-girl.html https://www.restorationseeds.com/pro...girl-op-tomato Thanks in advance.

May 31, 2016	#2
shule1 Guest Posts: n/a	Thanks for the links. I didn't know the OP version was available in stores. I might recommend growing Early Girl VFF F1 before or at the same time you grow an OP version. Early Girl VFF F1 is supposed to taste different than the original Early Girl F1, which the OP version is likely from. I haven't grown the OP version, but people on this site probably have. There's also an Early Girl Improved F1 that came after the original F1 and before the VFF F1. I haven't heard much about how it compares to the other two. The VFF is said to taste better than the original, from what I've heard, however, but taste is subjective, and Early Girl is one of those love or hate tomatoes for a lot of people. I love it, if it's grown in dry conditions in our soil, and picked while still somewhat orange. It tastes different in my neighbor's soil (he gave his more nitrogen). Excess copper can make tomatoes more watery and have less taste, I've read. So it's possible his tomatoes got more copper. Last edited by shule1; May 31, 2016 at 03:46 PM.

May 31, 2016	#5
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Myself and most other AK tomato growers will choose Early Girl, (Burpee version) over almost any hybrid including Big Beef. I think Mountain Fresh is the only one that competes taste-wise. I have grown EG for almost 25 years, and still grow a few every year, and they are darn good every year too. I also get big yields from them. The only OP one I knew of was based on PL, which has a different taste. I own commercial greenhouses and a nursery, we sold about 3000 tomato plants this year, EG is always a favorite for many customers. Last edited by AKmark; May 31, 2016 at 09:59 PM.

May 31, 2016	#3
NewWestGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 564	There's a new one out. I am growing New Girl F1 from Johnny's. . It surely is the earliest. very strong vigorous plants too. **** New Girl (F1) Tomato Seed Product ID: 2412 First early, great taste. Fruits avg. 4-6 oz. and are better tasting and more disease resistant than Early Girl. Holds better than First Lady II. Widely adapted. High resistance to fusarium wilt races 1, 2 and verticillium wilt. Indeterminate.

May 31, 2016	#4
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	The Early Girl I'll be planting in our fall garden are the Ferry~Morse Early Girl 7746 VFF F1.