Beefsteak Tomatoes Profile

Beefsteak Tomatoes are easy and fun to grow in your home garden. Beefsteak Tomatoes can grow to a pound or more. Whether you slice Steak tomatoes up for a sandwich, cut them into small pieces for a quick pico de Gallo, or eat them straight from the vine, you can't go wrong with Beefsteak Tomatoes. Here's what to know about meaty Beefsteak Tomato: what it is, how to use it, and how to grow and care for a Beefsteak Tomato plant with plenty of juicy tomatoes.

Beefsteak Tomatoes Picture

Beefsteak Tomatoes Info

Botanical Name	Solanum lycopersicum "Beefsteak"
Common Name	Beefsteak Tomatoes
Plant Type	Annual, vegetable
Mature Size	6 feet tall or more
Sun Exposure	Full sun
Soil Type	Fertile, well-drained
Soil pH	Slightly acidic
Bloom Time	Summer

Beefsteak Tomatoes Distribution

The beefsteak tomato is by far the most popular type of home garden tomato plant grown in North America. These tomatoes grow fairly easily and quickly, and produce huge (up to 2 pounds) fruits. They aren't often available in the grocery store as they are not well-suited to mechanized growing on a large scale.

How to Grow and Care for Beefsteak Tomatoes

How to Grow Beefsteak Tomatoes

These tomatoes have a long growing season. In most parts of the country, the weather isn’t cooperative enough to grow your plants entirely outdoors.
Start by germinating seeds indoors to protect the delicate seedlings from the cold.
The rule of thumb is to plant your tomatoes outside about two weeks after the last frost of the season, once soil temperatures are around 60°F.
You can begin germinating your seeds in flats or small parts. There are many ideal substrates you can use, such as seed starting soil, potting soil, or peat pellets.
Place two beefsteak tomato seeds in each container.
You'll want to plant them about three times as deep as the size of the seed. In most cases, this is about ¼ – ½” deep.
Place in an area with sunlight.
Water when the soil is dry.
Let the seedlings reach about eight inches tall before hardening them off.
Planting outdoors.
Your seedlings will germinate well if you keep them in a warm place that receives plenty of sunlight. After 7 – 14 days, your seeds will germinate and begin to grow.
They'll also need to be hardened off before planting outside. Keep them outdoors for a week with some protection from hot sun and extreme temperatures.
After you've acclimated them to the outdoors for a week, you can plant them. Transplant seedlings into garden bed or right in the ground provided you have nutrient-rich soil.

How to Care for Beefsteak Tomatoes

• Light

Beefsteak Tomato plant is very sun-loving. They need at least 8 hours of full sunlight.

• Soil

The soil of pH around 6.5 (acidic) is most suitable to grow beefsteak. Add some mulch of straw or winter cover crop in soil.

• Water

Keeping your Beefsteak tomatoes well watered is a must, especially once they set fruit. Moisture is critical to prevent cracked fruits and blossom end rot, and watering your beefsteak tomatoes deeply will encourage deep root systems.

• Temperature and Humidity

Plant Beefsteak tomatoes when temperatures are above 55 degrees Fahrenheit or ideally above 60 degrees. Since they are warm-weather crops, even a light frost can damage plants.

• Fertilizer

Feed the plants with NPK 19:19:19 for the first two weeks. Later balance the dose with NPK 8:32:16. Give only 4-8 granules of the fertilizer once every week for the first 2 weeks. Feed the plants with 15-20 granules once in 15 days starting from the third week of the final transplant.

• Pruning

Because they are indeterminate, it's important to prune the suckers that form. Remove the growth that you see between the stem and branches.

Uses of Beefsteak Tomatoes

There are lots of things to do with beefsteak tomatoes. These thick and fleshy tomatoes are ideal for slicing for sandwiches or burgers, and this use is where they derive their namesake. Still, they are far more than a sandwich topping. They're also an ideal variety for tomato salad, Caprese salad with leaves from your own basil plant, and any other salads. Their mild taste also makes them a great base for sauces and dips. They are flavorful and not acidic.

Varieties of Beefsteak Tomatoes

Beefsteak varieties produce fruits in many colors, including red/burgundy, gold/yellow, green, orange, pink, purple/lavender, and variegated. 'Beefmaster,' 'Big Beef,' and 'Big Boy' are among the most popular and easy to find varieties that have adapted to southern heat. 'Mortgage Lifter' and 'Grosse Lisse' are good choices for very humid areas. if you enjoy heirloom varieties, try 'Red Brandywine', 'Pruden's Purple Tomato', also known as 'Prudence', or 'Chocolate Stripes'.

Beefsteak Tomatoes Common Pests/Diseases

Blossom end rot

Dark blotches appear on the ends. Water regularly and not sporadically and never allow the soil to dry out.

Tomato blight

Disease that causes fruit and foliage rot, most common in wet weather. Select resistant cultivars.

Tomato leaf mould

Leaf mould can develop rapidly to cause significant yield loss in greenhouse-grown tomatoes. It is rarely seen on outdoor crops. Yellow blotches develop on the upper leaf surface. A pale, greyish-brown mould growth is found on the corresponding lower surface. Where the disease is severe the mould growth may also be found on the upper surface. Select resistant cultivars. Provide ample ventilation to indoor Beefsteak tomato crops.

• Read More: Why Are My Tomato Leaves Turning Yellow

Tomato splitting and cracking

Cracking or splitting usually does not affect the taste of the Beefsteak tomato, but split fruit left on the plant will often be infected by a fungus, such as grey mould and can cause a variety of physiological disorders. Control temperature and sunlight levels carefully. Feed regularly to maintain high soil fertility. Water to maintain a constant level of soil moisture.

Beefsteak Tomatoes Companion Plants

Beefsteak Tomatoes Companion planting is the process of growing beneficial plants alongside each other for healthier, happier plants and heavier yields. Carrots, onions, garlic, chives, and asparagus are all good Beefsteak tomato companion plants. Avoid planting tomatoes near brassicas like cabbage, kale, or Brussels sprouts. This combination can slow or stunt growth. Tomatoes also struggle near corn, fennel, and potatoes. The beefsteak tomato is prone to the same diseases as other varieties. As this tomato needs more time to grow and ripen, it sits on the vine for longer. This means that it's more exposed to potential pests and diseases. As long as you keep your plants health,y they should be fine.