Vegetable Varieties for Gardeners - Variety Details

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'Aunt Ruby's German Green' Tomatoes

Sub-Category:	Standard Main-Season Heirloom

Sub-Category 2:
Description:	Open pollinated. Main season standard type. Indeterminate plants produce 12 to 16 ounce, 4 by 5 inch, oblate shaped, smooth, green fleshed fruit blushed with light yellow and amber pink on blossom end. Disease resistant variety. More evaluation needed to confirm resistance to late blight. About 80 to 85 days to maturity.
Days To Maturity:	80-85
Seed Sources:	Fedco Seeds - updated in 2015 Seed Savers Exchange - updated in 2015 Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - updated in 2015

Rating Summary

Overall: (4.1 Stars) Taste: (4.4 Stars) Yield: (3.1 Stars) Ease/Reliability: (3.8 Stars)

Reviews

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Number of Reviews: 23

KEY: O=Overall Rating, T=Taste, Y=Yield, E=Ease

Reviewed on 01/23/2017 by gwankney - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Fulton, Pennsylvania, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
My favorite for flavor; on the sweet side. Good yield and reliability for an heirloom. One of my must-grows.

Reviewed on 02/04/2014 by A. W. Davidson - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Marion, Indiana, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Fantastic flavor that I associate with most green when ripe tomatoes. Said to be a bit stingy but in 2013 I found it fairly productive. Fruit is good sized, I'd say 10 oz to 1 lb on average for me. Plant had disease issues, but so did all of mine last year.

Reviewed on 04/08/2013 by electra - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Grafton, New Hampshire, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
love, love, love this huge, juicy, funny looking tomato. needs strong staking beause of the size of the tomatoes it bears. keep an eye on it to check for ripeness.... it stays green with spatterings of yellow and pink. not many plants needed for a family of 4. i canned some and found the sauce to be mild with a pale orange color; it was good for soup, not sauce. i\'ll keep growing this one for eating fresh.

Reviewed on 03/07/2013 by Little Bit Farm - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Pontotoc, Oklahoma, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
This is one of my favorite tomatoes! It has a zingy flavor that I love! This tomato rating business is interesting. I\'ve noticed that tomato lovers come in an assortment of tastes. Some like their tomatoes sweeter. Some like them on the tart side. Some like them juicy, and some like them dry. I love tomatoes that are sweet with enough tartness to balance the flavor. I love tomatoes with complex flavor. I love tomatoes either juicy or dry if the flavor is right. I have never tasted a tomato I felt was slimy, unless it was rotten. I love this tomato because it is strong. My favorite tomato is Black Krim. This would run about sixth under: 1) Black Krim 2) Nebraska Wedding 3) Green Zebra 4) An Heirloom I call Portuguese 5) Green Grape 6) Aunt Ruby\'s German Green

Reviewed on 12/27/2010 by Lilikoi - A novice gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	San Diego, California, United States Frost Free Season: Fewer than 103 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Great taste, nice size, not a great yield, not a horrible yield. Planted where it got morning and afternoon sun, and filtered mid-day sun, which is the sweet spot in my tomato garden. We didn't have as many hot days this Summer as we usually do though. No disease problems, no cracking or scalding or any other fruit problems.

Reviewed on 02/13/2010 by Veggie Mom - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Licking, Ohio, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
These grew very large in our garden and had a nice sweet, mild flavor. The only problem we had was they are hard to tell when ripe- because of the color. Checking everyday to see when they were soft seemed to work.

Reviewed on 12/30/2009 by KathyW - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Foster, North Dakota, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
1st time growing. Started with 4 plants: one must have had a wierd virus as it grew funny and we tore it out. One was a yellow tomato! and the other 2 only had 4 or 5 med-small fruits each. It was a poor growing year though. However - the fruit we had was VERY tasty and made better bacon-tomato sandwiches than any other we've ever grown. Will try several more times.

Reviewed on 11/01/2009 by TheFluffyOne - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Kane, Illinois, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
First a caveat, this was tough year for tomatoes in my area, cold and wet. That being said this was the big disappointment in my garden this year. Overall I found this tomato a bit bland, the spiciness some detect was there but very muted, it was sort of slimy in terms of the jell in the tomatoes, hard to judge when ripe, ripened very unevenly. As I dry for preservation I found it interesting as a dried tomato and fine more value in it dried than fresh as the flavor is far more pronounced in the dried products(as with most tomatoes) and the spiceness more apparent. I note the infamous Tatiana\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s database indicates that there may be issues with maintaining this strain and the authenticity of seeds. Given that and this tomatoes reputation will grow it next year under what I hope to be better conditions for tomatoes. If I end up with a similar opinion I will attempt to find a new seed source and give it a final try. But as it was this year, this tomato really is not worth the garden space. My seed source is Livingston Seed Co. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nFor 2010 I upgraded my rating. This was much better tomato this year. I get good reviews of this tomato from family and friends who greatly enjoy it. So my personal views must be out of the mainstream for this tomato. It still seems far to wet to me and gooey but maintain it is a nifty tomato to dry. I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'ll continue growing it since others enjoy it so much and I like it in salsas where it shines and this year again was a hard one for tomatoes. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nI grew this again in 2011 and noted a few things. It once again was one of the earliest producing tomatoes and like other years it got hit with disease first. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\nThe tomato remains way too wet for my preference, but I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'ll still contend in makes and awesome dried tomato. They take long to dry and stick a a lot as they have vast water content, but they dry to a very tasty, almost explosive slightly spicy product that is very tantalizing. It also works very well in homemade salsas where is texture is not an issue. At this point I will continue to plant this each year - because of its uniqueness. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n2012 update - performed very well given the high temps and drought. My complaints about this one remain, but I continue to grow it for its uniqueness. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n----------------------------Grew this in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017...my opinion has not changed. We love this variety, there is a unique spiciness to it, but I do not consider this a real tomato as it does not have that classic tomato taste. That being said, despite it faults,I keep growing it. I look forward to them every year and use absorb paper towels to mop up the excess moisture and then pile it on a sandwich with another, real tomato, variety. The contrast of two varieties really allows Aunt Ruby;s finer qualities to stand out. I nudged the taste rating up from 3 to 4 stars because of the favorable unique flavor.++++++++++ 2020 update, I think the venerable Aunt Ruby\'s met its match and was exceeded for flavor and quality by Green Giant. Simply put Green Giant has more kick to it, and comes across as a less watery, more intensely flavored version of Aunt Ruby\'s. Aunt Ruby\'s is earlier but more disease prone. And you can easily tell when Aunt Ruby\'s is ripe whereas Green Giant never changes in appearance and is much harder to catch. I\'ll continue tp grow Aunt Ruby\'s for a while, as it is significantly earlier than Green Giant, but it terms of taste and quality, it has been eclipsed.,

Reviewed on 06/01/2009 by ihearthoney - A novice gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Ulster, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Sand Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
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Reviewed on 02/07/2009 by OhioMG - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Huron, Ohio, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Aunt Ruby's was recommended to me by the nice person who took my order at Pinetree Garden Seeds. She said it was her favorite for flavor. It came on near the end of August and gave a decent but not prolific yield. This is one to grow for the flavor and beauty but not as a main crop. Flavor is excellent, a fresh tangy-sweet combo with zing. Best to tell if it is ripe by feel, however, as well as by waiting for the amber blush. Several people we shared this with liked it so well they want to grow it this year.

Reviewed on 09/16/2008 by SunnyK - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Fairfield, Connecticut, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
One of the most flavorful tomatoes I have grown. The skin is tender and the flesh is meaty and juicy. Plus they are visually beautiful with the pink blush on the blossom end that is visible inside many of the tomatoes once they are cut .

Reviewed on 01/08/2008 by dmacmtb - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Oconee, South Carolina, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Grew over 12 different heirloom varieties and this was easily one of the three best. Produced well, tasted great, looked good. Will definitly grow it again.

Reviewed on 03/26/2007 by WinterSown - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Nassau, New York, United States Frost Free Season: More than 203 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Tastes fabulous, a bit odd looking, but many heirloom toms are. I wouldn't hesitate to grow this again.

Reviewed on 03/19/2007 by GardenMom - A novice gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Albany, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 103 - 123 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
I gave this an extra star overall based on the color. It's not a great producer and I wasn't impressed with the flavor. I think perhaps in a hotter climate the flavor might improve. However, the color is really wonderful. If you make a sauce with it, it makes green sauce. For salads and summer novelty, I'd suggest Green Zebra, it has better flavor and out-produces although too small for sauce making.

Reviewed on 01/13/2007 by Best Chance - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Oakland, Michigan, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
I keep growing this one because of the flavor, but it really does take forever here to ripen and is not at all prolific.

Reviewed on 01/06/2007 by ant - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Logan, Illinois, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
2006 was my first year for this tomato. I will be growing it again in 07. I loved it's vibrant green color. I also loved it's flavor. It's not my favorite but definitely in my top 10. It was late to produce but I don't get my tomatoes in early.

Reviewed on 11/30/2006 by DD - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Linn, Iowa, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Pleasent but not great.

Reviewed on 04/24/2006 by danceswithferrets - A novice gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Greenville, South Carolina, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Small - Less than 400 square feet (20' x 20') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
A wonderful tasting variety. It's not the most productive of plants, but not as bad as some in that regard. I've had no problems getting it to grow and produce. Flavor is up there with the best. It's a nice, meaty beafsteak.

Reviewed on 03/23/2006 by Cowpoke - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Stokes, North Carolina, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
One of the best tasting tomatoes. Relieable here in North Carolina where many heirlooms are not. Yields can be low. I have grown an everything from full sun to heavily shaded areas and while yield is reduced in shady areas taste is still outstanding.

Reviewed on 12/26/2005 by MATERGIRL - An intermediate gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	York, Pennsylvania, United States Frost Free Season: 123 - 143 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
This was my favorite tomato in 2005. Large toms are green, blushed with pink, and slightly soft to the touch when ripe. I thought the flavor was excellent - perfect for BLTs - sweet, "green," and fresh. Beautiful when cut, flesh is perfect combo of meaty and juicy. Texture is the best of any tomato I have tried so far. My yeild was lowered because I didn't cage the plants. Will grow again in 2006.

Reviewed on 12/12/2005 by remyo - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Erie, New York, United States Frost Free Season: 163 - 183 days Soil Texture: Clay Garden Size: Medium - 400 square feet to 1,600 square feet Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
Good variety for those who like a juicy tomato with an acid sugar mix.

Reviewed on 01/28/2005 by Nancy W - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Frost Free Season: 183 - 203 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: More than 8 hours per day
This is my favorite tomato so far; the flavor is fantastic. Green-ripe tomatoes take a bit of getting used to, to pick when fully ripe but not over-ripe. When dead ripe there is a blush of pink at the blossom end; they're best picked as soon as that begins to show. Thin skinned and extremely juicy, these are fragile and easily bruised. Too juicy to slice on a sandwich or in a lettuce salad, but great for green gazpacho or tomato salads, or just plain eating. Always yields well for me, in our normal hot humid summers and cooler wetter years.

Reviewed on 01/21/2005 by tomatokc - An experienced gardener
Overall Taste Yield Ease	Missouri, United States Frost Free Season: 143 - 163 days Soil Texture: Loam Garden Size: Large - More than 1,600 square feet (40' x 40') Sun Exposure: 6 to 8 hours per day
Ive tried this 3 times and fail to see why others make a big deal of it. Of the large greens fleshed varieties Ive tried it does taste somewhat better - but still it isn't much.

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