Rutgers!

I bought five of those "five for a dollar" packets of Rutgers seed at Walmart this spring. I bought the seed in late spring and planted six pots with them to see if they would germinate. The weather was becoming hot when I planted them in containers. I was only wanting to see if they would germinate and then grow. They actually produced a lot of medium sized tomatoes which are still green on the vines. I'm looking forward to trying them when they ripen a little. I had no idea what to expect from them.

I was surprised to see this evening, they are producing new blooms which seem to be setting tomatoes in our current 100 degree weather. I'm not sure it is dropping below 80 degrees at night. It's the only variety blooming and setting in this heat in my garden. It must have some relationship to the fact they are considered commercial tomatoes.

Ted

[ContainerTed]

I bought a three pack from the high school greenhouse. I do it every year. Mine are the same as I have had them every year. Smooth taste, full flavor, with seed locules that remind me of roma types. It has a long history of being one of the best tomatoes for canning. It's a very good, all around, multipurpose red tomato. Use it in salads, canning, and it makes great tastiness on all kinds of sandwiches.

Of course, I feel that way about all tomatoes. Can't help it. I was born with a lycopene low light that won't go out. It's a terrible affliction to have. Suffering is bad all winter long.

Ted,

Your right! Those of us who do suffer from LLL find it almost unbearable to look at those expensive, red; globes of water sold as tomatoes all winter. Sometimes I find myself simply standing in front of the "tomato" display in grocery stores ready to break into tears in anticipation of some real garden tomatoes. Oh, the pain; the pain.

Ted

[AlittleSalt]

Rutgers was introduced back in the 1930s. To make a much better reply, I will post a link. Marglobe is one of its parents. I've grown Rutgers. I need to grow Marglobe to understand why it was used as a parent so often.

Rutgers: http://www.njfarmfresh.rutgers.edu/W...gersTomato.htm

[Redbaron]

My Rutgers are setting fruit right now. We are in a heat wave with heat indexes over 105 degrees. Even some of my peppers are dropping fruit. Most my tomatoes have blossom drop, but The miracle BPF and Rutgers are plugging away, as always. I think it is a combination of the genetics and the growing methods.

I think Rutgers is the perfect tomato for a market garden or truck farm, especially now a days. The flavor is what people expect from a tomato. It can be marketed as an "heirloom" due to its age. And it is a dependable producer in a wide range of growing conditions. That and my Dad's favorite tomato!

Personally I like some other tomatoes a bit better for some things, but as an all around? Can't really beat it.

[CamuMahubah]

Originally Posted by tedln

Ted,

Your right! Those of us who do suffer from LLL find it almost unbearable to look at those expensive, red; globes of water sold as tomatoes all winter. Sometimes I find myself simply standing in front of the "tomato" display in grocery stores ready to break into tears in anticipation of some real garden tomatoes. Oh, the pain; the pain.

Ted

The pain is good. Embrace the need. As you have.

If good tasting tomatoes were easy to get at the supermarket, and I'm sure they will be soon. Would we go through the trouble? Yes of course because there is so much more to it. Summertime is wonderful. Too wonderful. I catch myself wanting my tomatoes to ripen while at the same time I want them to stay green so I know it is June. Wow. June is gone.

I feel your pain my friend. Bittersweet. Beautiful pain. Dirty fingernails from pulling weeds. An unknown neighbor's hamburgers on a grill blocks away.

Dodging the sprinkler and that shock of cold when it hits you.

Mom grew Rutgers. I remember they had an acid warm taste eating them straight off the plant. A beautiful taste that begged for a salt shaker.

Now I eat my tomatoes with black pepper and olive oil.

The smell of tomato leaves.

If the supermarkets ever get real tomatoes I don't think I could buy them.

Bought some "heirlooms" at safeway for 5 bucks a pound last month. Mexico stickers. Tasted alright. Beautiful ribbed red.

I need the smell of tomato leaves and the sound of my neighbors mower and mom yelling at me to bring a bucket cause this Rutgers plant is gonna fall over if we don't pick 'em!

Sorry I went a bit off..but your post made me remember me last January looking at a pile of beautiful red things that taste like cardboard at the grocery store.

Rutgers you acidy tart goddess of my youth!

[BigVanVader]

my Dad's favorite tomato!

My moms favorite as well, have to grow her some every year. I use em for salsa as the taste is just ok for me.

[SharonRossy]

Now I have to grow it next year! The reason supermarkets can never replace our own is that they can never have all the wonderful varieties available to us at just the right moment. That warm luscious tomato and that smell. Can't be duplicated.
Sharon

[beefsteak]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

My moms favorite as well, have to grow her some every year. I use em for salsa as the taste is just ok for me.

My dad only grew Rutgers and Marglobe, never saw him grow any other variety.

Originally Posted by Redbaron

My Rutgers are setting fruit right now. We are in a heat wave with heat indexes over 105 degrees. Even some of my peppers are dropping fruit. Most my tomatoes have blossom drop, but The miracle BPF and Rutgers are plugging away, as always. I think it is a combination of the genetics and the growing methods.

I think Rutgers is the perfect tomato for a market garden or truck farm, especially now a days. The flavor is what people expect from a tomato. It can be marketed as an "heirloom" due to its age. And it is a dependable producer in a wide range of growing conditions. That and my Dad's favorite tomato!

Personally I like some other tomatoes a bit better for some things, but as an all around? Can't really beat it.

Scott,

I know you have been working on your Rutgers project for a few seasons. How is that going?

I don;t remember ever growing Rutgers or Marglobe in the past. That only means I don't remember growing them, not I haven't grown them. I did grow Homestead a few years with great results. I plan on growing Homestead again nest year. I've always been a little reluctant to grow anything with the term "commercial" attached to it. My mind makes the assumption that any commercial tomato can't be as good as a non commercial tomato. I'm wrong. Many very good commercial varieties exist and that probably includes Rutgers.

Ted

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by tedln

Scott,

I know you have been working on your Rutgers project for a few seasons. How is that going?

I don;t remember ever growing Rutgers or Marglobe in the past. That only means I don't remember growing them, not I haven't grown them. I did grow Homestead a few years with great results. I plan on growing Homestead again nest year. I've always been a little reluctant to grow anything with the term "commercial" attached to it. My mind makes the assumption that any commercial tomato can't be as good as a non commercial tomato. I'm wrong. Many very good commercial varieties exist and that probably includes Rutgers.

Ted

I never found the variety that we grew in Indiana (semi det produced by Purdue Uni), but Ohio heirloom has a good one and this year I am growing a bunch from Page seeds(det).

[Gerardo]

I like Rutgers.

Initial impressions:
1) good flavor profile, versatile
2) Not as disease resistant as I'd like, I can overlook this because of #1
3) Seedlings are surfacing for fall Rutgers tomatoes as I type this.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by them.

[Gardeneer]

Rutgers is also confusing similar to Brandywine.
Which one have you got ? I don't know which one I've got. It is huge plant, thick stems, very FEW fruit setting. Nothing to write home about. YMMV

Gardeneer

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Rutgers is also confusing similar to Brandywine.
Which one have you got ? I don't know which one I've got. It is huge plant, thick stems, very FEW fruit setting. Nothing to write home about. YMMV

Gardeneer

There are dozens of "Rutgers" as this was released long ago. It has also been improved multiple times. But by the sounds of it, you have something closer to the original indeterminate cultivar AND have too much free nitrogen relative to P&K.This trait of Rutgers was observed very early and the growers guides released at the time cautioned against this.

If I was you, I would check that scenario first. Try a fertilizer with no nitrogen and a high P&K to restore the balance and trigger the plants to fruit. It's about the only thing you can do at this point.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

There are dozens of "Rutgers" as this was released long ago. It has also been improved multiple times. But by the sounds of it, you have something closer to the original indeterminate cultivar AND have too much free nitrogen relative to P&K.This trait of Rutgers was observed very early and the growers guides released at the time cautioned against this.

If I was you, I would check that scenario first. Try a fertilizer with no nitrogen and a high P&K to restore the balance and trigger the plants to fruit. It's about the only thing you can do at this point.

Thanks for the comments, Redbaron.
Yea, I have got inet. for sure.

I have been cutting on N for a while now by using 1/3 MG (24-8-16) and 2/3s Alaska MOREBLOOM ( 0- 10-10). Ever since then my tomatoes in general are setting more.
I might even stop using MG altogether and just use Alaska stuff, as my plants are very strong with rich foliage.

Gardeneer