Rutgers, what are they like?

Milan HP · January 27, 2021

I've just heard of Rutgers for the first time. No wonder as I am from Europe and quite new here. I have looked up some info on them and got interested. Heirloom toms from as far back as the 1930s. It's like learning the US history through tomatoes.

My question is: how patriotic do you feel about them? If I wanted to try them here, why should or shouldn't I do it? Thank you.
Milan HP

Labradors2 · January 28, 2021

I'm not American, so not patriotic to Rutgers (or even to the UK's Moneymaker for that matter - ha ha!)

I like tomatoes with sweet, yet compex taste.

I kept hearing about the "old fashioned taste" of Rutgers which sounded like a good thing to me, so I grew them once and found them acidic

Linda

MrBig46 · January 28, 2021

Milan, when Linda writes that it's sour to her, believe it. Already with several tomatoes advertised as sweet (eg Jaune Flamée, etc.) I agreed with her that it is also sour for me. It may be sweet somewhere around NYC, but Start F1 is definitely better for us. I know this from my own experience.
Vladimír

Milan HP · January 28, 2021

Thank you both.
Where are the patriots to defend their national pride?

Vladimir, I know Start F1 is the best of all, but it's nice to make sure of that.

I wonder if any of our testees can get at least as close as to catch the scent.

Milan HP

MrBig46 · January 28, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milan HP

Thank you both.
Where are the patriots to defend their national pride?

Vladimir, I know Start F1 is the best of all, but it's nice to make sure of that.

I wonder if any of our testees can get at least as close as to catch the scent.

Milan HP

If you're interested and would like to grow Rutgers, I probably still have seeds somewhere at home.
Vladimír

Milan HP · January 29, 2021

Not this year, Vladimir, but thank you anyway.
Milan HP

nyrfan · January 29, 2021

I'm sorry to say that I have lived in New Jersey all my life, been growing tomatoes on/off for some 40 years & can't tell you how Rutgers tastes!

Milan HP · January 29, 2021

That's interesting. Why is that? Have you ever grown them? Everyone has their priorities. Don't worry I won't consider you less patriotic for that.

I haven't grown more than 90% of existing Czech varieties.

Milan HP

Hillbillygardner · January 28, 2021

It’s always been hit and miss with me with Rutgers. I live in the Ozarks so we have. Hot humid summers, sometimes cool wet weeks, you never know. I grew in 2018 and had dismal luck, poor production but decent flavor. For sure acidic but was great on sandwiches. 2017 they took off like gang busters, tasted great and canned 18 quarts. They held up great in canning and used in sauces and chili.

Milan HP · January 29, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hillbillygardner

It’s always been hit and miss with me with Rutgers. I live in the Ozarks so we have. Hot humid summers, sometimes cool wet weeks, you never know. I grew in 2018 and had dismal luck, poor production but decent flavor. For sure acidic but was great on sandwiches. 2017 they took off like gang busters, tasted great and canned 18 quarts. They held up great in canning and used in sauces and chili.

Thank you.
If I understand right, you are saying that it's always a toss of a coin to grow them. But that's something that we are pretty much used to over here. Some years are hot and dry and then a cold rainy one comes. And brings late blight as a rule. Or two or three on end. That's how the cookie crumbles.
Milan HP

mcool61 · January 30, 2021

I bought 2 of the ten cent packages of seed they used to sell about 30 years ago. Planted both packages, one each of rutgers & marglobe. Got 65 plants. They were fairly productive & I thought they tasted good but if you want a sweet tomato they probably shouldn't be your first choice.

Milan HP · January 30, 2021

Thank you.
The point is that for certain purposes, e.g. canning for tomato sauce, you don't need sweet tomatoes. The main thing is full tomato taste.

Milan HP

JRinPA · February 12, 2021

I grew Rutger's Select about 5 years back when someone sent me a generous amount of seed. I don't think it got a fair shake. I'm remembering one plant in the brand new raised bed, and a row or two of Florida weave that didn't get watered at another garden. I grew it as a canner but didn't get much noted production.

Every time someone else mentions seeds I already have, it makes me want to find a place for them in the garden...

loeb · March 11, 2021

I have one plant of Rutgers so far, [just sprouted], so if everything goes well I will be able to tell something about it

But as Hillbillygardner have mentioned, a lot depends on a season..

MrBig46 · March 11, 2021

I grew Rutgers in 2016. I can't say today how they tasted then. It must have been average, because I haven't grown them since.
Vladimír

January 27, 2021	#1
Milan HP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Ústí nad Labem in the north of the Czech Republic Posts: 332	Rutgers, what are they like? I've just heard of Rutgers for the first time. No wonder as I am from Europe and quite new here. I have looked up some info on them and got interested. Heirloom toms from as far back as the 1930s. It's like learning the US history through tomatoes. My question is: how patriotic do you feel about them? If I wanted to try them here, why should or shouldn't I do it? Thank you. Milan HP

January 28, 2021	#4
Milan HP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Ústí nad Labem in the north of the Czech Republic Posts: 332	Thank you both. Where are the patriots to defend their national pride? Vladimir, I know Start F1 is the best of all, but it's nice to make sure of that.I wonder if any of our testees can get at least as close as to catch the scent. Milan HP

January 28, 2021	#2
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,894	I'm not American, so not patriotic to Rutgers (or even to the UK's Moneymaker for that matter - ha ha!) I like tomatoes with sweet, yet compex taste. I kept hearing about the "old fashioned taste" of Rutgers which sounded like a good thing to me, so I grew them once and found them acidic Linda

January 28, 2021	#3
MrBig46 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Czech republic Posts: 2,534	Milan, when Linda writes that it's sour to her, believe it. Already with several tomatoes advertised as sweet (eg Jaune Flamée, etc.) I agreed with her that it is also sour for me. It may be sweet somewhere around NYC, but Start F1 is definitely better for us. I know this from my own experience. Vladimír

January 29, 2021	#6
Milan HP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Ústí nad Labem in the north of the Czech Republic Posts: 332	Not this year, Vladimir, but thank you anyway. Milan HP

January 29, 2021	#7
nyrfan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: NJ Posts: 123	I'm sorry to say that I have lived in New Jersey all my life, been growing tomatoes on/off for some 40 years & can't tell you how Rutgers tastes!

January 28, 2021	#9
Hillbillygardner Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Eagle Rock, MO Posts: 43	It’s always been hit and miss with me with Rutgers. I live in the Ozarks so we have. Hot humid summers, sometimes cool wet weeks, you never know. I grew in 2018 and had dismal luck, poor production but decent flavor. For sure acidic but was great on sandwiches. 2017 they took off like gang busters, tasted great and canned 18 quarts. They held up great in canning and used in sauces and chili.

January 30, 2021	#11
mcool61 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 40	I bought 2 of the ten cent packages of seed they used to sell about 30 years ago. Planted both packages, one each of rutgers & marglobe. Got 65 plants. They were fairly productive & I thought they tasted good but if you want a sweet tomato they probably shouldn't be your first choice.

February 12, 2021	#13
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 972	I grew Rutger's Select about 5 years back when someone sent me a generous amount of seed. I don't think it got a fair shake. I'm remembering one plant in the brand new raised bed, and a row or two of Florida weave that didn't get watered at another garden. I grew it as a canner but didn't get much noted production. Every time someone else mentions seeds I already have, it makes me want to find a place for them in the garden...

March 11, 2021	#14
loeb Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Poland Posts: 251	I have one plant of Rutgers so far, [just sprouted], so if everything goes well I will be able to tell something about it But as Hillbillygardner have mentioned, a lot depends on a season..