Rutgers

Single source · Reviewed Sep 9, 2026

Values marked like this (estimated) are model estimates, not confirmed from a source.

Heirloom slicer from USA, 1934. The 1934 New Jersey canning classic: acidic, balanced and built for preserving. Ready in about 75 days from transplant.

  • Heirloom
  • 75 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
  • Indeterminate
  • Medium fruit
  • Moderate (estimated)
Buy seeds from $3.55
Rutgers tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover

At a glance

Fruit type
Slicer 6–8 oz (170–230 g) · Flattened globe (estimated)
Leaf type
Regular leaf
Plant height
6–7 ft (180–210 cm) (estimated) Tall
Spacing
18 × 35 in (45 × 90 cm) (estimated)
Sunlight
Full sun
Position
Handles open positions
Growing sites
Greenhouse · Polytunnel · Open ground · Container
Container growing
Balcony friendly min. 6 gal (25 L) pot (estimated)
Skin
  • Red
Interior
  • Red

Plant size and habit

Tall · Indeterminate

6–7 ft (180–210 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf

Rutgers is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 6–7 ft (180–210 cm).

Flavor

Sweetness 3/5 (estimated)
Acidity 4/5 (estimated)
Intensity 4/5 (estimated)
Flesh density 4/5 (estimated)

“The 1934 New Jersey canning classic: acidic, balanced and built for preserving.”

Growing calendar

75 (estimated) days from transplant Midseason
J F M A M J J A S O N D
  • Sow indoors
  • Transplant out
  • Harvest

Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost date.

Disease resistance

  • F1 Fusarium wilt (race 1)

Uses & tags

  • Canning
  • Sauce & paste
  • Slicing
  • Heirloom classic
  • Sauce workhorse
  • High yield

Origin

Rutgers was released in 1934 by Lyman Schermerhorn at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, from a cross of Marglobe and J.T.D. made at the Campbell Soup Company in 1928 and bred for the state's canning industry. Schermerhorn described its juice as sitting between the sweet Marglobe and the tart J.T.D., and the fruit ripens from the centre outward so a red skin means red flesh. It defined what a tomato tasted like to a generation of Americans through canned and juiced product. The acidity that made it good for canning is exactly what modern fresh-market breeding has bred out. Many named strains followed, among them Rutgers Improved, Rutgers VF and Rutgers Select, and seed sold today is usually one of these rather than the 1934 original.

USA, 1934

Sources

Where to buy seeds

  • Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds

    Pack (30 seeds)

    Check availability

    $3.55Checked Sep 16, 2026
    Buy

Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Sep 16, 2026; not live.

All photos

  • Rutgers tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover
    Rutgers tomatoes ripening on the vine under cover
  • A truss of Rutgers tomatoes
    A truss of Rutgers tomatoes
  • Rutgers tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine
    Rutgers tomato plant in a garden bed with ripe fruit on the vine
  • A ripe Rutgers tomato held in a gardener's hand
    A ripe Rutgers tomato held in a gardener's hand
  • Freshly picked Rutgers tomatoes
    Freshly picked Rutgers tomatoes
  • Rutgers tomato sliced in the kitchen
    Rutgers tomato sliced in the kitchen

Questions

How long does Rutgers take to mature?

Rutgers is ready in about 75 days from transplant.

Does Rutgers need staking?

Rutgers is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 6–7 ft (180–210 cm).

Can Rutgers be grown in a container?

Yes — Rutgers grows well in a container of at least 25 L (6 gal).

Is Rutgers resistant to disease?

Rutgers carries documented resistance to Fusarium wilt (race 1).

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