Rutgers Tomato

The Rutgers tomato, also commonly known as the Jersey tomato, was named by developer Lyman Schermerhorn in honor of its birthplace at Rutgers University in New Jersey. This high-acid, high-sugar tomato was developed in the New Jersey Agricultural experiment station and the Campbell’s Soup Company’s Riverton, New Jersey research facility. Rutgers tomato, Lycoperscion esculentum, is an open pollenated, beefsteak type tomato from the Solanacese family. The original Rutgers tomato was created by crossing the older Campbell’s J.T.D. tomato with the very popular Marglobe.

Rutgers tomatoes were the most popular tomato in the world prior to mechanized farming. Favored by Campbell’s Soup Company for its rich and sweetly acidic taste, Rutgers was also a top choice for other companies such as Heinz and Hunt’s. The thin-skin of the Rutgers tomato proved difficult for automated picking and its commercial use declined after 1960.

The Rutgers tomato is an heirloom variety which can be both determinate and indeterminate. Rutgers tomatoes grow best in full and direct sunlight in soil with a Ph balance between 6 – 6.8. The determinate variety grows like a shrub and reaches up to 4’ in height, bearing fruit within 60-100 days. Once fruits set, the bush begins to die back. Indeterminate varieties grow vines that must be supported by cages or stakes with large first crops and smaller subsequent crops until first frost.

We sell Rutgers tomatoes at our produce stand, and use them in our kitchen. They are a wonderful medium-sized canning tomato, with very small cores. 

Because Rutgers can be both determinate and indeterminate, this is one variety that we keep "post-bloom". Unlike other commercial greenhouses and growers, we pull our determinate tomato plants off the shelves if they haven't sold after the first bloom-set, because they will never set fruit as abundantly again. 

Plant Availability: To Be Announced

Plant Sizes: 4 and 6-cell packs, full (36 or 48 plant count) flats, 4" round pots, gallons