This product does not ship to: Idaho, Nevada

Rutgers Tomato

Burpee

$14.99
(4 reviews) Write a Review
Availability : Out of Stock
$14.99
This product does not ship to: Idaho, Nevada
  • Delicious Heirloom Slicing Tomato
  • 48-60 Inches Tall
  • 24-36 Inches Wide
  • Plant in Full Sun

Here is an oldy but goody, still a favorite heirloom indeterminate tomato that is a cross of JTD, a Campbell's Soup favorite, and Margold created in 1934. It is unequaled as a slicing tomato as well as to use in cooking. It has slightly flattened 6 ounce tomatoes with a bright red skin and good form. As an indeterminate it grows tall, and fruits all season long. This is a mid season tomato, taking about 2 ½ months to reach maturity. It exhibits an enhanced resistance to fusarium wilt, which is good news to any tomato gardener.

Heirloom tomatoes are typically open pollinated, meaning they are pollinated by the same variety of plant as they are. Crosses, or natural hybrids can occasionally occur and it can be interesting to see what the offspring from that cross, when planted by seed, brings to you in attributes and form. Sometimes famous varieties are made by accidental cross pollinations. The term ‘heirloom’ refers to a variety that grows true to seed and that is at least 50 years old. Rutgers Tomato remains a favorite to this day.

Rutgers Tomato Plant Care

Plant Rutgers indoors in soilless seed starting mix about 8 weeks before your area’s last frost date. Cover with ¼ inch of mix. They will germinate in about 7 to 14 days. Once they sprout, place a fluorescent or LED light about 4 inches from the seedlings, moving it up as they grow. Water regularly by misting or bottom watering, but avoid having plants sit in soggy mix. Harden off by moving outdoors little by little, giving them more sun each time until they can tolerate full sun. Plant in the garden when all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures are above 65 degrees.

Growing Rutgers Tomato Plants

Once incorporated into your garden bed, mulch around them with a good quality mulch to help retain soil moisture. Tomatoes are heavy water users and must be kept consistently moist for best results. Do not let them dry to the point of wilting. Keep weeds down to minimize competition for soil nutrition. Water and feed frequently during the active growing season. Provide support for these indeterminate growers that can reach impressive heights and fruit over a long season. Use of tomato cages, trellises or stakes will help support the stalk and foliage and provide support for the fruit. Clip suckers (unproductive branches) along the first 8 inches of the stalk to help reduce any soil borne fungus or bacteria diseases from reaching the lower leaves.

Tomatoes make excellent container plants, giving even the smallest area gardeners a chance to enjoy their fresh fruits. Choose a container with drainage holes, and provide a tray with rocks in it to put the container on if you need to protect a finished surface. Do not let the container sit in a tray of water and be allowed to stay soggy as you will rot the roots of your plant. Select a large enough container that can resist tipping over when loaded with fruit, and will allow you to provide some support for the vine to grow on. Rutgers can grow to over 10 feet tall, and will spread 34 to 54 inches wide. Raised beds work well for gardeners with poor draining native soil.

Watering Rutgers Tomatoes

Water daily until your plants are established in the ground or their containers. Water frequently if planted in containers as these dry out faster than in ground plants will. Consider watering by irrigation if planted in a large garden area, or by a soaker hose in a smaller area to avoid splashing the foliage and giving rise to soil borne diseases.

Feeding Rutgers Tomato Plants

Fertilize your tomatoes about 3 weeks after planting in the ground with an organic tomato food. Alternatively, natural gardeners can apply a well rotted compost or make a compost tea to provide tomatoes with valuable nutrients that they can then use to produce fruit. If you notice blossom end rot beginning on your fruit, apply a soil amendment that is meant to add calcium to your soil to alleviate this problem. Fertilize every other week or as needed during the active growing season. If the weather gets hot and your plant slows fruit and flower production, cease fertilizing until cool weather arrives and your plant resumes its growth and production.

Rutgers Tomato Plant Information

Common Name: Rutgers Tomato
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum
Plant Type: Tomato – Heirloom Slicer
Edible Type: Vegetable
Fruit Size: 7 oz
Light Exposure: Full Sun (+6 hrs.)
Spacing: 24 - 36" (61 - 91cm)
Height: 48 - 60" (122 - 152cm)
Width: 24 - 36" (61 - 91cm)
Brand: BURPEE®
Tomato Type: Heirloom Tomato
SKU:
TOMRUP45

Container Sizes

Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on; type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.

4.5 Pot

4.5" Pot
 Also Know As:
   4.5" Container

 Plant Age:
   ~ 6 months
 Plant Size:
   ~ 3"-6"
 Pot Size:
   ~ 4.5"H x 3.75"W
 Volume:
   1.42 quarts

Quart Pot

Quart Pot
 Also Know As:
   Quart

 Plant Age:
   ~ 6 months - 1 year
 Plant Size:
   ~ 4"-8"
 Pot Size:
   ~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
 Volume:
   1.50 quarts

2.5 Quart

2.5 Quart
 Also Know As:
   2.5 Quart Pot

 Plant Age:
   ~ 1.5 - 2 years old
 Plant Size:
   ~ 8"-12"
 Pot Size:
   ~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
 Volume:
   2.20-2.30 quarts

#1 Pot

#1 Pot
 Also Know As:
   #1 Container
    1 Gallon
 Plant Age:
   ~ 1.5 - 2 years old
 Plant Size:
   ~ 10"-14"
 Pot Size:
   ~ 7"H x 7.75"W
 Volume:
   2.26-3.73 quarts

#2 Pot

#2 Pot
 Also Know As:
   #2 Container
    2 Gallon
 Plant Age:
   ~ 1.5 - 3 years old
 Plant Size:
   ~ 12"-18"
 Pot Size:
   ~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
 Volume:
   1.19-1.76 gallons

#3 Pot

#3 Pot
 Also Know As:
   #3 Container
    3 Gallon
 Plant Age:
   ~ 2 - 4 years old
 Plant Size:
   ~ 12"-30"
 Pot Size:
   ~9.5"H x 11"W
 Volume:
   2.32-2.76 gallons


For more detailed information, please click here.

Plant Addict Guarantee (Included On All Plant Orders)

Plant Addicts guarantees your plant(s) will arrive happy and healthy, but the plant(s) are being shipped through the mail and accidents happen. If the plant is dead, has dried out roots or the incorrect item was shipped just notify Plant Addicts within 3 days upon delivery. We may ask for pictures but will try to make it as easy as possible for you. Please note plant(s) with damaged branches or wilted leaves will not qualify for this guarantee. Plants are very resilient and will rebound quickly when cared for correctly.

For information on how to care for you new plant please check out our guide. Guide: How to Care for Your New Plant(s)

Plant Addicts Warranty - 1 Year (Extra Purchase Required)

We encourage all plant lovers to purchase the Plant Addicts Warranty whether you’re new or an expert. There are many variables outside our control and yours that can cause the demise of your plant(s). Examples would be hungry animals, drought, poor soil conditions, over watering, disease, insects & many other factors. The Plant Addicts Warranty is a 1 year warranty protecting you from all the unknowns and will replace your plant if it moves on to the plant afterlife.

The warranty is purchased on a per plant basis and must be purchased at the same time as the plant purchase. We will cover 100% of the price of the plant but the warranty does not cover shipping cost. Simply let us know if your plant has died within one year of receiving it and we’ll get you a new one shipped out. We may ask for photos for documentation purposes but again we’ll try to make it as easy as possible.

For more information, please go to our Shipping & Returns page at the bottom of the website.

Guide: How to Care for Your New Plant(s)

Planter Shipping

Standard Colors: 2-3 business days

Special Order Colors: 8 weeks - this is due to the planter being custom made with the color(s) of your choice

Please Note: On special orders there can not be any cancellations

Plant Shipping

Time of Order:

Summer Shipping

  • If there is extreme heat we’ll delay shipping.  
    • We’ll have to review what areas the plants are traveling through along with your location


Once your plant is shipped you’ll receive an email with tracking information. Depending on the above criteria we’ll ship your plant(s) towards beginning of the following week from your order. We put together this helpful guide of what to do when you receive your plants in the mail.

It is important to know that all of our plants are clearly labeled for which growing zones the plant can survive in. The plants are thoroughly trialed and tested in every growing zone before we state the plant can grow in a zone. Again, our #1 priority is to ship the plants to you healthy and ready to thrive in your location. So we will do everything in our power to do so.

4 Reviews - Rutgers Tomato Show Reviews

  • 4
    Rutger tomato...

    Posted by Clinton Davis on May 09, 2022

    Top marks for well protected live plants arriving healthy. Been in pots for a few days and responding nicely. I live in growing zone 8 so the only real thing would that I could've gotten the plants in late March.. but circumstances I understand. Looking forward to these fruits when they ripen!

  • 3
    Rutgers...

    Posted by DONALD B. POLANSKY on Jun 16, 2021

    Plants just arrived a lttle over a week ago. Transplanted them immediately and added nutrients and watered them (daily). They are growing ok so far.

  • 5
    The plants are very healthy and the size they...

    Posted by Beverly Sampieri on May 18, 2021

    The plants are very healthy and the size they should be for the pot. I am very pleased with the Rutgers tomatoes. The packing of the plants was very professional. Thanks so much!

  • 5
    Came incredibly well packaged!

    Posted by Joanne Regan on Jun 07, 2020

    This company obviously cares for their plants. Naturally, There was a delay due to our crazy new world with Covid but the plants look wonderful and two weeks later are they are thriving. Thanks to everyone who took the care in these crazing times we are experiencing.