Large, thickly fleshed beefsteaks are the biggest throw in of tomatoes, weighing 1 pound or more.
It needs a sturdy cage, trellis, orstake to support its fruit.
Learn to grow and care for this abundant plant and welcome a plentiful harvest to your vegetable garden.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Beefsteak Tomato Care and Trellising
Spacetomato plantsat least 18 to 36 inches apart.
Beefsteak varieties are especially tall and require lots of space and training.
For optimal growth and air circulation, space 5 feet or more apart.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Tie the plant to a trellis, stake, or cage.
Dig a 10- to 12-inch deep hole for each plant and consider using apost-hole digger.
Posts that are 3 inches in diameter and 6 feet tall are ideal.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Replace the dirt and pack it in firmly so that the posts do not fall over.
Wrap a 12-gauge wire around the top of one end post about 6 feet above the soil surface.
Nail or staple the end of the wire to the post.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Tie a second wire between the posts about 12 inches above the ground.
Tie twine to the bottom wire and stretch it to the top wire.
Tie the other end to the top.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Once the trellis system is ready, plant a seedling at the base of each length of twine.
Plant each seedling deeper than it was growing in its starter pot.
Establish deep enough so that the bottom leaf is just above the soil surface.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Do this by planting it straight into the soil or sideways to encourage healthy rooting.
Beefsteaks thrive most if planted deeper in the ground rather than being planted in containers.
As the plant grows, you shouldprune it regularly.
As the stem grows, wrap it around the twine in the same direction each time.
Handle the stem carefully so that it doesn’t break.
Light
Give beefsteak tomatoes full, direct sunlight 8 hours or more per day.
verify no shadows are cast by nearby buildings or trees.
For best results, grow them on a slight slope with southern or southeastern exposure.
A well-drainedraised garden bedis especially good in cooler climates because it will warm early in the season.
Maintain a pH between 6.0 and 6.8.
Keep the bed weeded, and mulch between rows of tomatoes to prevent weed overgrowth and to conserve moisture.
Black plastic mulch will warm the soil and radiate heat.
Water
After planting, water immediately to moisten and settle the soil.
Throughout the growing season, keep tomatoes consistently watered, especially as they begin to fruit.
Moisture willprevent fruits from crackingand encourage deep rooting.
If it rains less than one inch in a week, be sure to water them well.
They will need one to two inches of water weekly.
Never let the foliage begin to wilt.
Fertilizer
Before planting, work in compost or other organic amendments.
Fertilize plants every three weeks with 1 pound per 100 square feet.
IdealNPK ratiosare 8-32-16 or 6-24-24.
For smaller gardens, use about one to two level tablespoons of fertilizer per plant every three weeks.
Temperature and Humidity
Plant 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.
In the event of a potential frost or temperature dip, cover the plants with a frost blanket.
Growing from Seed
Many beefsteak tomato varieties take at least 85 days to harvest.
Since this is not possible in much of the United States, it’s best tostart your own seedlings.
Sow seeds in flats and care for them until they are at least 8 inches tall.
Then harden off the seedlings and transplant them after the last spring frost.
Your local Cooperative Extension Service can advise you on planting times in your growing zone.
Watch closely for any issues and take care of them as soon as possible.
Some common pests aretomato hornworms, aphids,rodents such as squirrels, and flea beetles.
Humid weather may cause fungal diseases likeearly blightand late blight.
To remove any aphids, apply a warm stream of water.
you’ve got the option to also handpick and destroy beetles, eggs, and larvae.
To protect plants from early flea beetle damage, use row covers.
Weeding around beefsteak will also encourage good air circulation.
Moving forward, the best way to prevent many of these issues is to practice propercrop rotation.
