Greenhouse tomato frost report.

Mar 26, 2008 4 Replies
W

It has now been several weeks since the "killer frost" descended on our little garden patch. It was so cold that the tomato plants inside the greenhouse showed signs of damage: wilting, browning.



Sadly, the Super Beefsteaks did not pull through. They have gone on to that big marinara pot in the sky.



The Brandywines are still critical, but if we have a few more nice days they may yet make it.



But the good news is the Rutgers. The cold weather seems to have invigorated them.



So, those of you who might like to beat the season with a tomato plant could do well to choose Rutgers.


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V

Great information. Still the question in my mind is how do you intend to use this fruit? Rutgers are a great canning tomato. High acid makes them too tart for many folks to enjoy in a salad. And Rutgers are a determinate variety, meaning they crop once and then the stalks die out. This is great if you want canning and drying tomatoes, not so great if seeking summer long source of salad tomatoes.

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W

On Mar 26, 9:19=EF=BF=BDam, Vandy Terre wrote= :

d makes them too tart

Vandy,

I quote here from the Lilly Miller Heirloom seed packet, "Superior flavor, delicious in salads, unsurpassed for home canning. Indeterminate."

Personally I don't know Rutgers from Rugby...but I will know come July, and will report here if it was Vandy or Lilly who properly pegged the tomato.

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T

Tomato Growers Supply Co. calls Rutgers a determinate. However they also call Viva Italia determinate and I have never been able to keep it in the 5+' cages and it continues to produce until frost.

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W

Y'know, there is a type of tomato that is semideterminate. It grows in a bush-like form like a determinate, but it continues to produce all season. Maybe that's what we have here in the Rutgers.

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