📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Brutus
- 🌍 Origin: A well-known commercial variety originating from the Czech Republic, famous for its massive size. Note: Some commercial seed companies label it as an “F1 Hybrid,” but many growers suspect this is a marketing trick to discourage seed saving, as saved seeds grow out true to type.
- 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching about 5 feet (1.5m) or more depending on conditions. A very sturdy, healthy plant that holds its heavy trusses well.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Giant, red, ribbed (fluted) beefsteaks. While seed packets claim they can reach up to 4.4 lbs (2 kg) and 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, most growers see realistic average weights of 10-21 oz (300-600g), with some pushing past 2.2 lbs (1 kg).
- 👅 Flavor & Texture: A classic, old-fashioned, well-balanced “real tomato” flavor. Very meaty and dense. Perfect for sandwiches and slicing.
- ⏳ Yield & Maturity: Late-season variety. Yields vary—some growers report incredible production (8-10 massive fruits per truss), while others find it struggles in extreme heat or poor locations.
The seeds were from the Czech Republic. It grew in the greenhouse and reached about 5 feet (1.5m) tall. Quite a late-season variety. The fruits definitely didn’t reach the advertised 4.4 lbs (2 kg) and 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, but I did get some weighing 1-1.3 lbs (500-600g) and definitely over 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. The yield was average; there were few fruits per truss, but they were all huge. They are said to have a good shelf life, but I don’t know—the skin on mine got damaged under its own weight during transport, even though they were packed carefully in a crate. The flavor is good.
2015 Season. I liked this variety; it’s large and productive. The flavor is standard, classic tomato.
I decided to write a review for this variety too. I planted it in 2014, but it got sick, and the tomatoes were no bigger than 10 oz (300g). I decided to try it again in 2015 since someone gifted me the seeds. And wow, pure delight! The first truss had 8 tomatoes!!! And what tomatoes they were!!! About 11 lbs (5 kg) in total. The second truss only had two, but they were huge!!
But the most important thing is the taste. It’s a “standard tomato” flavor, but realistically, it’s the exact flavor that absolutely everyone loves, especially the men in the family. I got nothing but compliments. It felt great.
By the way, I liked this variety too. I have no complaints about the taste (and I am picky! Based on reviews, I expected worse, but it turned out to have a rich tomato flavor, not bland or overly acidic at all). The bush is very sturdy, prolific, and healthy; the variety has great genetics. It doesn’t get spindly, holds its trusses perfectly, and is easy to care for. The yield is fabulous, and the fruits don’t turn into mush like many other giant varieties do. It’s a good one. I intend to keep it around for now, it’s very productive.
I grew Brutus last year. The fruits are very large, classic flavor, I liked the variety. My yield wasn’t very high, but the bush was growing in a bad spot, so maybe that’s why.
I saw reviews on the forum saying this tomato is very productive. Did anyone grow it this year?
I bought this variety in the store today. The packet is from the company “Russkiy Ogorod” (Russian Garden). It says “F1” on it.
Aglaya said:
I saw reviews on the forum saying this tomato is very productive. Did anyone grow it this year?
I grew it this year. It was just like Tatyana Evgenievna described—8 to 10 fruits per truss. And quite large ones at that! It started ripening a bit late. The variety is simply wonderful.
OlgaP said:
I grew it this year. It was just like Tatyana Evgenievna described—8 to 10 fruits per truss.
Where were your seeds from?
ytanya said:
Where were your seeds from?
From Svetik, traded here on the forum.
OlgaP said:
From Svetik, traded here on the forum.
Olya, how many trusses did it manage to set?
Aglaya said:
Olya, how many trusses did it manage to set?
I found this note in my garden journal:
Sown on February 13. Planted in the greenhouse on April 16. As of June 20, it has already set 6 trusses with 2 more on the way (pruned to 2 main stems).
ytanya said:
I bought this variety in the store today… It says “F1” on it.
Seed companies often trick people by slapping “F1” on the packet. It’s obviously just so people won’t save their own seeds and will keep buying from them instead. That’s what they call a “marketing strategy” nowadays.
OlgaP said:
As of June 20, it has already set 6 trusses with 2 more on the way (pruned to 2 main stems).
Wow… Brutus is a beast.
I liked Brutus, but it didn’t really like the intense heat in my greenhouse. The very first and very last trusses were very good, though.
It disappointed me, and I had desired it so much! 🙂 I need to try growing it from my own saved seeds next year. Because I didn’t understand it at all this time. The bush grew outdoors to about 6 feet (1.8m). But there were hardly any fruits, just a couple of them. Ripened very late. The fruit felt “wooden” to the touch, don’t know about the taste yet. But there is one “small plus”: they look very harmonious next to my “Golden Jubilee” peppers (both are rock-hard and their shapes are identical!).
I bought seeds from “Sady Rossii” (Gardens of Russia). I wonder if it’s the exact same variety or not. Or just the same name.
Marusha said:
It disappointed me… (Photos attached)
It seems to me that yours isn’t actually Brutus. It is way too heavily fluted/ribbed.
Here is mine. Taste-wise, it was a bit too tart for me. Maybe it was due to the weather conditions. But it’s a giant! I love giants. There weren’t that many on the bush; this one here was the heaviest, and the rest were around 12-14 oz (350-400g).
Brutus – Indeterminate, excellent high-yielding variety. Red, oblate tomatoes with plump shoulders, classic and very good flavor, meaty. The weight can reach 2.2 lbs (1 kg), but on average they are 10-17 oz (300-500g).
