No. 038 · open-pollinated

Marglobe

Marglobe is a determinate open-pollinated slicer with scarlet red fruit. It ripens in about 75 days.

Illustration of Marglobe tomato
Illustration based on known traits, not a photo.
TypeSlicer
HabitDeterminate
BreedingOpen-pollinated
Maturity75 days
Fruit size7 to 10 oz
ColorScarlet red
DifficultyEasy
Best forFresh, slicing, canning

Flavor

Described as having a rich, old-fashioned, balanced tomato taste that is just a touch tangy. This is the recurring catalog and grower description, not a measured claim.

Origin

Bred starting in 1917 by Frederick J. Pritchard of the USDA from a cross of Marvel and Globe, and released in 1925; a foundational wilt-resistant variety and parent of Rutgers and many others.

What it does well

  • One of the first tomatoes bred for Fusarium and Verticillium wilt resistance
  • Uniform round fruit that resists cracking and ripens evenly

Where it frustrates

  • Plants can sprawl and benefit from staking
  • Bears a heavy early main crop, so harvest can come in a concentrated window

Growing it

  • Determinate bush. It sets most of its crop in one concentrated flush, which suits batch cooking and canning, and needs only light support.
  • Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
  • Generally forgiving and beginner-friendly to grow.
  • Skins resist cracking, even after a heavy rain.
  • One of our picks for the cold, short-season gardens of New England.

Disease resistance

VVerticillium wiltFFusarium wilt (race 1)

Why no hardiness zone?

Tomatoes are warm-season annuals, so variety choice comes down to days to maturity and your local frost dates.

Like Marglobe, but...

Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.

RutgersRutgersbut a later variety bred using Marglobe as a parent

Browse similar

SlicerRedMidseasonSlicingCanning

Where to buy seed

Related reading

Common questions

Is Marglobe determinate or indeterminate?
Marglobe is a determinate variety. Determinate bush. It sets most of its crop in one concentrated flush, which suits batch cooking and canning, and needs only light support.
How long does Marglobe take to ripen?
Marglobe ripens in about 75 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
Is Marglobe an heirloom or a hybrid?
Marglobe is open-pollinated, so seed saved from it comes back true to type.
What can I grow instead of Marglobe?
A close swap is Rutgers, but a later variety bred using Marglobe as a parent.

Sources

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From the Almanac

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