Whether you’re an avid gardener or just starting to learn how to grow your own, beefsteak tomatoes can be a delicious addition to any backyard vegetable garden. Using these simple beefsteak tomato growing tips, you’ll be able to produce plenty of large, delicious fruits all summer long.
Beefsteak tomatoes are indeterminate plants, which means they’ll keep growing and producing all season if you take care of them properly. To help them thrive, you’ll need to plant them as deeply as possible and provide regular water.
Soil Preparation
Beefsteak tomatoes are a favorite among home growers for their meaty, delicious taste and thick slices. They can be grown in a garden or container.
Before planting, prepare the soil by incorporating aged manure or compost into the area. It will break down over time and help your plants grow strong.
Once you’ve prepared the soil, sow your seeds a half-inch deep in peat-based growing medium. Cover with plastic or a humidity dome to retain moisture, and place in a sunny area.
To extend the growing season, start beefsteak tomato seeds indoors six to eight weeks before your average last frost date in your region. This can extend fruit-producting time, especially in warmer areas.
Tomatoes require warm, direct sunlight, plenty of water, and nutrient-rich soil to thrive. They are also susceptible to fungal diseases such as Septoria leaf spot and early blight (Alternaria solani).
Planting
Beefsteak tomatoes are one of the favorite tomato varieties to grow at home. These large, thickly fleshed fruits are incredibly juicy and scrumptious sliced raw or roasted on sandwiches.
They’re also excellent for processing and can be made into a variety of dishes, from sauces to salsas. They are a great choice for gardeners with limited space and can be grown in containers.
Plant beefsteak tomato plants in well-drained, sunny soil with plenty of organic matter. Work a few inches of compost into your soil and add a granular fertilizer at planting time.
Fertilize every three weeks with a nutrient-rich blend of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. The optimum ratio is 8-32-16 or 6-24-24.
Watering
Beefsteak tomatoes are very thirsty plants, and they need a steady supply of water. Water them regularly at the base of the plant to maintain consistent moisture, but do not overwater.
To ensure that they are healthy, beefsteak tomatoes need nutrient-rich soil with a pH of about 6.2 to 6.8. They also require mulching in compost at the time of planting to help provide additional nutrients.
They are intolerant of shady conditions, and they should receive full sun at least 8 hours a day. If your climate allows, they should be grown in a raised garden bed with southern or southeastern exposure.
Pruning
Pruning beefsteak tomato plants properly will help them produce the largest and juiciest tomatoes. It’s a simple process that doesn’t require any tools.
The National Gardening Association (NGB) says that pruning tomatoes creates an optimal balance between vegetative growth and fruit production. It also reduces the number of leaves on the plant, allowing more light and air to reach the fruits.
It’s also necessary for preventing common tomato diseases, including anthracnose and early blight. The NGB recommends pruning indeterminate varieties such as beefsteak and cherry tomato plants after they are planted.
When removing suckers from an indeterminate tomato plant, provide support either by using soft ties tied to a strong stake that’s driven into the ground or by strings that are suspended from a horizontal wire supported on stakes.
Harvesting
Beefsteak tomatoes are one of the most popular types of tomatoes for home gardens. These large fruited varieties come in a wide variety of colors, flavors and sizes and can be eaten fresh from the vine or preserved with canning or freezing.
There are several different beefsteak tomato cultivars, all of which have a unique flavor and shape. Some, like ‘Big Beef’, have big pinkish-red fruits that can reach 1-2 lbs. Others, like ‘Chef’s Choice Yellow’, have 10 oz red fruits and are known for their disease resistance.
When choosing a beefsteak tomato variety, consider your growing area and climate as well as how you plan to use your tomatoes. A fast-maturing variety might be better for short growing seasons, while a disease-resistant beefsteak may be better suited to humid climates.