Beefmaster Tomato Info: How To Grow Beefmaster Plants
If you want to grow big beefsteak tomatoes, try growing Beefmaster tomatoes. Beefmaster tomato plants produce huge tomatoes, up to 2 pounds (1 kg.)! Beefmaster hybrid tomatoes are vining tomatoes that are prolific producers. Interested in more Beefmaster tomato info? Read on to find out how to grow Beefmaster plants and other pertinent information.
Beefmaster Tomato Info
There are around 13 species of wild tomato plants and hundreds of hybrids. Hybrids are created to breed selected traits into a tomato. Such is the case with Beefmaster hybrids (Lycopersicon esculentum var. Beefmaster) wherein the plant was bred to produce larger, meatier, and disease resistant tomatoes. Beefmasters are categorized as F1 hybrids, which means they have been cross bred from two distinct “pure” tomatoes. What this means to you is that the first-generation hybrid should have better vigor and producer larger yields, but if you save seeds, the successive years’ fruit will likely be unrecognizable from the previous one. As mentioned, Beefmaster tomato plants are indeterminate (vining) tomatoes. This means that they prefer lots of staking and pruning of tomato suckers as they grow vertically. The plants produce solid, meaty tomatoes and are fertile yielders. This type of tomato hybrid is resistant to verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt, and root knot nematodes. They also have a good tolerance against cracking and splitting.
How to Grow Beefmaster Plants
Growing Beefmaster tomatoes is easy via seed, or this hybrid can often be found as seedlings at nurseries. Either start seed indoors five to six weeks prior to the last frost date for your area or plant seedlings after all frost has passed. For transplants, space seedlings 2 to 2 ½ feet (61-76 cm.) apart. Beefsteak tomatoes have a fairly long growing season, 80 days, so if you live in a cooler region, set the plants out early but be sure to protect them from the cold.
Gardening tips, videos, info and more delivered right to your inbox!
Sign up for the Gardening Know How newsletter today and receive a free download of our DIY eBook "Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects For Fall And Winter".
Amy Grant has been gardening for 30 years and writing for 15. A professional chef and caterer, Amy's area of expertise is culinary gardening.
-
4 Winter Composting Shortcuts To Fill Garden Beds In Time For Spring Planting
Discover quick, clever winter composting techniques to prep your garden beds and pots for spring planting. Reduce waste, enrich soil, and save time.
By Melanie Griffiths
-
Foraging Flowers: How To Forage Floral Plants – And Which Flowers You Can Pick For Free Edibles!
It’s fun to forage flowers, but it’s important to know the rules. Avoid areas that have been sprayed, beware of imposters and take only what you need.
By Tonya Barnett