How to Grow Rutgers Tomato Plants
About Rutgers Tomato Plants
You’ll find Rutgers tomato plants growing in home gardens all around the world. Once the most popular tomato variety in the world, it is still among the best and most reliable tomato plants. And, its flavor is excellent, too. So, if you’ve never tried it before, read this guide on “How to Grow Rutgers Heirloom Tomato Plants” Then, buy some Rutgers tomato seeds and get growing!
The Rutgers tomato is a superior heirloom tomato variety. It was once the top-performing commercial variety in the world. As a result of its sweet flavor, it is still very popular in the home garden.
Rutgers tomatoes are a mid-season, maincrop variety with good flavor. It is a reliable and excellent producer. Hence, its popularity in the home garden.
The original cultivar was a determinate plant. An indeterminate variety was developed. So, if the plant habit is important to you, check the seed package.
Botanical Name: Lycopersicon lycopersicum
Rutgers Heirloom Tomato Description
Vigorous, indeterminate plants grow up to 6 feet tall. Strong, healthy vines, with heavy foliage, will produce up to frost.
Rutgers tomatoes have a pleasing flavor, smooth skin with no cracking, and a firm, uniform flesh. The heavy foliage reduces sun scald.
The round to slightly flattened globe shaped fruit, grows to about 10 ounces.
Rutgers tomatoes are great for eating fresh, canning, sauces, catsup, and juice.
Growing Tip: Indoor starts need at least 12 hours of full sun light. Provide grow lights as needed.
The History and Origin of Rutgers Tomato Plants
This is a very popular tomato was developed in 1934, at Rutgers University by breeder Lyman Schermerhorn.
It is an Heirloom tomato variety. This means the seed was first cultivated well before the genetic modification of seeds. And the cultivar has remained unaltered.
Nutritional Value
One ripe medium Rutgers Tomato contains approximately:
- 22 calories
- 4.8 g carbs
- 0 cholesterol
- 0.2 g fat
- 1.5 g fiber
- 1.1 g protein
- 6 mg sodium
Note: Obviously, the nutritional values above will vary depending upon the size of the fruit.
Rutgers Tomato Plant Specifications
Days to Harvest: 70 to 80 days after transplanting seedlings into your garden, depending upon variety and growing conditions.
Plant height: 3 to 5 feet tall.
Light Needs: Full sunlight.
Ideal Soil pH : 6.0 – 6.8.
Plant Hardiness Zones: 3 – 11
Ideal Growing Temperatures:
- Nighttime Lows: 60 – 70° F.
- Daytime Highs: 70 – 85° F.
Plant Type: Annual.
Native To: Developed in the 1930s at Rutgers University.
Deer Resistant? No. Deer may nibble on the plant’s tender growing tips, especially if other food sources are scarce.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum
Toxicity: While the fruit is edible, the plant is mildly toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and many other animals.
How to Start Rutgers Heirloom Tomato Seeds
Tomato plants are usually started indoors. Planting Rutgers Heirloom tomato seeds is an exciting time. It is one of the very first gardening projects of the year. After a long winter, you are itching to get your hands back into some “dirt”.
Begin starting Rutgers tomato seeds indoors in small containers, eight to ten weeks before the last frost date for your area. Sow tomato seeds about 1/8″ inch deep, using seed starting soil. Sprouting tomato seeds is quicker and more productive when using a heated germination mat.
As soon as the seedlings emerge, they need full sunlight to grow sturdy. Lack of sunlight causes the plants to grow “leggy”. Use grow lights to supplement the amount of available sunlight.
Days to Germination: Seeds will sprout in 10-14 days, depending upon soil temperature.
Final Spacing: One to two feet apart.
For a fast and healthy start, we recommend the use of a heated germination mat.
Tip: To help your plants grow sturdy, place a small fan on low nearby. Or, lightly brush the tops of the plants with your hands a couple of times each day.
How to Grow Rutgers Tomato Plants
Planting and Soil Needs
Growing Rutgers tomato plants is easy. It’s one reason for their popularity in your home garden. Of course, another reason for growing them in your vegetable garden is because they taste good.
Select a planting site where your tomato plants will receive full sunlight. The plants grow their best in loose, rich, and well-draining soil. Mix plenty of compost into the soil. Next, mix in a general-purpose fertilizer that is high in nitrogen.
Just before planting tomato plants in your garden, “harden off” seedlings by bringing them outside during the daytime and for increasing hours, until you are leaving them out overnight. Use of a cold frame is recommended, but not a requirement. If frost is predicted, bring them indoors.
On planting day, pour liberal amounts of water with a soluble liquid fertilizer on the seedlings. Plant them in the garden carefully. To minimize transplant shock, avoid disturbing the roots. Normal spacing is two to three feet apart, in rows one to two feet apart.
Light Requirement
Grow tomato plants in an area of your garden where they will receive at least eight to ten hours of bright, direct sunlight. For optimal growth and the maximum production of fruit, provide them with full sunlight from sunrise to sunset.
Fertilizer Needs
Similar to other varieties, Rutgers tomato plants are heavy feeders. So, fertilize the plants regularly. Early applications should be high in nitrogen. Importantly, as blossoming occurs, switch to fertilizers that are higher in Phosphorus and Potassium. Too much nitrogen fertilizer results in lots of lush green leaves, and little fruit. A fertilizer specifically formulated for tomatoes will help to maximize your crop.
You can also apply a liquid fertilizer. Spray the leaves of the plants. The leaves will absorb the nutrients. As a result, the leaves turn a deeper, healthier green color and more efficiently uses the sun’s rays.
Water Needs
Keep your tomato plant well watered. The goal is moist, but not wet soil all season long. As the season progresses, the roots go deep in search of moisture. Thus, in mid- summer deep watering is preferable over more frequent, light watering. Ideally, you want moisture to go deep to all the roots of the plant. Water directly to the roots. Keep water off the leaves if at all possible. Tomatoes are susceptible to plant disease that grows in wet, humid conditions.
Other Steps
Weeds compete with your tomato plants for nutrients and soil moisture. Thus, keep the planting area well-weeded during the entire growing season.
Rutgers tomato plants grow up to eight feet tall or more. Therefore, the plants need support. If you use tomato cages, don’t be surprised if the plants grow much taller than the top of the cage. We recommend growing them along a fence or loosely tied to a tall stake. Use jute strips of cloth, a soft rope to tie the plants to the fence or stake. More on staking tomatoes.
Mulch around the plant to retain soil moisture, and to keep the weeds down.
Tip: Find a place along the back of the house for just one tomato plant. This one plant will be the last to succumb to frost in the fall. The warmth of the house, and a light plastic sheet or cloth tossed over it at night, will allow you to harvest fresh tomatoes after the first frost, right when prices are rising in the grocery store.
Cold and hot spells will affect fruit development and growth. Fruit set will not occur below 55 degrees or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Learn more about growing Tomatoes:
Insects and Pests
Tomato plants can experience insect problems with tomato hornworms, cutworms, and a few other garden pests. Also, if not staked or caged, snails and slugs will munch on the ripening fruit.
Birds will occasionally peck holes in red fruit.
Did you Know? Tomato plants emit a mild toxin that discourages many small insects from bothering them. This toxin can also cause skin itching and irritation.
Tip: Borage plants can be used as companion plants, to deter Tomato hornworms
Did you Know? Tomato plants (not the fruit) are used to make an organic insect repellent. See Tomato “Juice” Spray
Tomato Cages and Staking Plants
Maximize your crop, and minimize disease and insect damage, by staking or caging tomato plants. Without a doubt, Rutgers tomato plants will benefit. They will reward you with more tomatoes. The fruit will be cleaner, as they will not be sitting on the soil. More on staking tomatoes.
Plant Maturity and Days to Harvest
Rutgers tomatoes require 70 – 80 days from transplanting outdoors to produce the first fruit.
Days to harvest (or maturity) are counted from the time tomato plants are set out into the garden. The range is broad, as there are many varieties. Generally, cherry tomatoes ripen first, followed by early varieties. Beefsteak tomatoes require the longest days to maturity.
The race is always on in my neighborhood to get the first ripe tomato of the season. Most of us also grow and await the beefsteaks. One slice from these delicious beauties more than fills a sandwich.
How to Grow Tomatoes - Plant Disease
Several plant problems can arise, usually in the mid-summer heat and humidity. Blights and fungus infections can occur in high humidity. Early treatment with fungicides is effective. Spacing plants too close cuts down air circulation and promotes disease.
Blossom end rot can also affect the fruit. This is a round, brown, indented spot on the bottom of the tomato. It is caused by either uneven watering or a lack of calcium in the soil. More on Blossom End Rot.
Tip: Do not water at night if possible in hot and humid weather if possible. Moisture and humidity combined with high temperatures promote plant diseases. If possible, water at the roots.
Plant Hardiness
Tomatoes like it hot! They will die if exposed to frost. Make sure to plant them after the last frost.
Tip#1: Cover your young seedling if frost is predicted. A simple and easy cover for small seedlings is to buy large or extra large plastic disposable cups. Place them over the seedling at dusk, and remove them in the morning. It is usually little or no wind on nights with frost, so they are not easily tipped over.
Tip#2: If you get a light frost overnight and you did not cover up your plants. Go out early before the sun rises, and spray your plants with the garden hose. This melts the ice off the plants and may save them.
Harvesting and Storing Tomatoes
Tomatoes store well in a cool, dry location. Do not put them in the refrigerator. While they last longer in the refrigerator, they will lose their flavor and texture. Keep them out of direct sunlight.
Just before frost, pick tomatoes while they are still green or orange. Wash them thoroughly. Rinse in a light solution of 1 gallon of water and a tablespoon of bleach. This kills off bacteria that rot the fruit. Allow them to dry, then put them in a cool, dry, dark place.
To ripen tomatoes indoors, bring a couple at a time to a warm, sunny window.
Tomato Canning Guidelines – Information on canning tomatoes and other vegetables.
Are tomatoes a fruit or a vegetable? It’s a frequently asked question. While we all grow tomatoes in our vegetable garden, they are classified as a fruit. The U.S. Congress debated this in 1893.
Garden Tomato Recipes
You can use your Rutgers Heirloom tomatoes in any recipe that calls for tomatoes. thus, may we suggest:
Our Garden Recipe Collection – Undoubtedly, it’s one of the largest collections of garden recipes on the internet.
When making large amounts of juice or sauce, you will need a tomato strainer and sauce maker, to easily remove seeds and skin. See Tomato Strainers.
How to Grow Tomatoes - Related Articles
Additionally, people who like this article on Rutgers Heirloom tomatoes will also like:
On the Light Side: See Tomato Trivia
Tomato Mania – In-depth information and advice from Garden Hobbies
Problems with Tomatoes – To begin with, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
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