Fruit or vegetable, now that is the question! Much confusion exists around tomato’s classification, but that doesn’t make homegrown tomatoes any less delicious. Believed to have originated in South America, the tomato plant has made its way up through Mexico to the US and Canada and even to Europe via Spanish conquistadors, where it has since become a beloved ingredient in all manner of cuisines. While the “fruit” part of the plant is clearly edible, the rest of the plant is, in fact, toxic and should be grown somewhere away from small children and furry friends who have a tendency to explore the world with their taste buds. The tomato plant comes in a plethora of varieties which vary in shape, color, size, and taste, so we recommend investigating all your options and selecting varieties that cater to your preferences prior to growing!
Beefsteak tomatoes are an extremely popular variety of tomato due to their large size (1–2 lbs per fruit) and juicy flesh, which makes them great slicing tomatoes for sandwiches and salads. Popular varieties of hybrid beefsteaks, which tend to have more uniform fruits and higher resistance to pests and diseases, include the Beefsteak VFN, Beefmaster VFN, Goliath, and the Big Beef. Popular heirloom varieties include Brandywine, Cherokee Purple, and the Red Ponderosa. Because of their size, beefsteak tomatoes can take longer than other types to mature, but once they’re ready to pick, we promise you’ll find it worth the wait!
Seed:
Seed Depth: 1/4″
Space Between Plants: 18–24″
Space Between Rows: 3–5′
Germination Soil Temperature: 60–90°F
Days for Germination: 6–10
Sow Indoors: 5–7 weeks before average last frost date. If transplanting outdoors, plant when seedlings have developed at least 2 leaf sets.
Sow Outdoors: About 6–8 weeks before temperatures consistently reach 70°F. Soil should be at least 60°F. The warmer the soil temperature the faster seeds are likely to germinate.
Vegetative: Can be easily propagated by taking root or stem cuttings or by layering. Cuttings will root in an aeroponic system or soilless media.
Grows best in warm weather. Be sure that you plant early in areas with short summers to allow time for ripening before the first frost. If your summer is extremely hot (regularly over 90°F), some light shading will help tomatoes stay happy. Not frost tolerant.
Natural: Full sun. Prefers partial afternoon shade in warm weather.
Artificial: Grows best under HID lamps due to their need for tons of light. Use metal halide for the vegetative growth and switch to high pressure sodium when you want the fruit to start forming.
Soil: Prefers a well-drained loamy or sandy soil with a high amount of organic matter. A pH between 6.0 and 6.5 will keep plants healthy and nourished.
Soilless: Start seeds and root cuttings using a soilless mix.
Hydroponics: Thrives in a variety of hydroponic systems, including NFT, slab, and media-based systems. Use perlite or mineral wool as the growing medium.
Aeroponics: Cuttings will root in aeroponic systems.
Water: Requires moderate levels of water. Once established, they are fairly drought tolerant. Even soil moisture is necessary to prevent cracking fruits and blossom end rot. Avoid getting water on the leaves.
Nutrients: Requires high levels of nutrients. Amend soil with compost and aged manure before planting. Fertilize 3–5 times during the growing season using a balanced liquid fertilizer, compost tea, and/or liquid seaweed.
Pruning: Remove suckers—the auxiliary buds that form at the intersection of leaf and stem—to divert that energy into fruit production.
Mulching: Use mulch to conserve soil moisture. Black plastic mulch can be helpful to warm the soil more quickly and allow earlier planting.
Support: Staking beefsteak tomatoes is particularly important: large-sized fruits will cause stems to bend, damaging the plant and leading to fruit rot if tomatoes end up sitting on the ground. Cages or stakes will help keep your plants happy and healthy. Creating fabric slings to support the tomatoes that can be tied to a trellis can also help support your tomatoes. For staking options, see our Helpful Links section.
Pest(s):
Disease(s):
Deficiency(s): A calcium deficiency can lead to blossom end rot.
Rotation: A 3-year rotation away from all plants in the Solanaceae family is recommended. Plant after a cover crop or nitrogen-fixing legume like peas or beans. If nematodes are a problem, plant after tilling marigolds into the soil.
Companions: Grows well with basil, asparagus, beans, bee balm, borage, carrots, celery, chives, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, marigolds, mint, nasturtium, onion, parsley, pea, pepper, and sow thistle. Avoid dill, corn, kohlrabi, potatoes, apricot, fennel, cabbage, and cauliflower. Don’t plant tomatoes under walnut trees.
Harvest: Pick fruit at the peak of ripeness when there is no green or orange color left for the best taste. Check plants daily or every other day to make sure you don’t miss any ripe tomatoes. They don’t need sunlight to ripen, so be sure to reach all the fruits in the middle of the plant. Wear long sleeves and gloves when harvesting to protect your skin from potential irritation that some people experience after contact with tomato leaves.
Storage: Keep fresh tomatoes at room temperature for 2–3 days for the best taste. Handle gently and store ‘upside down’ with the stems carefully removed. If you can’t eat your entire harvest, we recommend preserving tomatoes rather than refrigerating them, since this alters the texture of the fruit.
Fun Fact: During colonial times, tomatoes were widely believed to be poisonous. This was likely due to the fact that they’re a member of the nightshade family and have highly poisonous relatives. Although tomatoes didn’t have a place in colonial kitchens, they were still grown for their attractive appearance and commonly used as decorations.
Seed Saving: To save heirloom tomato seeds, select tomatoes at their peak ripeness (not too soft and not too firm) that display characteristics you value (e.g., size, shape, color, heartiness and/or taste). Cut your tomatoes in half, scoop out the seeds and jelly-like liquid inside, and place in a jar. Add about ½ a cup of water and put jar in a dark location for 3—4 days until the seed coatings separate from the seeds. As this happens, viable seeds will sink to the bottom of the jar. If a mold forms on top of your jar, don’t be alarmed! This is a natural part of the process and will not negatively impact your seeds. Pour off the top layer of the mixture (the mold, seed coatings, etc.) and place the seeds that are left in a strainer and rinse. Lay out seeds on a cookie sheet or coffee filters to dry, and then store in an airtight jar until ready for use!
Preserve: Tomatoes are easy and fun to can as sauce, cubes, or peeled and whole. Green tomatoes can be made into a chutney or salsa and canned or pickled.
Prepare: Can be used to make sauces, salsas, ketchup, and soup, or used raw in salads or on sandwiches. Green tomatoes are delicious sliced, breaded, and fried.
Nutritional: Provides high levels of vitamin(s) A and C. Also a good source of B vitamins, potassium, and calcium.
Medicinal: Tomatoes contain lycopene, an antioxidant compound that is currently being investigated for its cancer fighting and cholesterol lowering abilities. Lycopene may also help your skin protect itself from UV damage. Regular consumption may also help protect against heart disease.
Warnings: Tomato leaves can be a skin irritant for some, so wear long sleeves and gloves when harvesting.
Our mouths are watering just thinking about this amazing “Cheesy” Baked Farro dish topped with beefsteak tomatoes!
Wikipedia
Health Benefits of Tomatoes
Staking Options for Tomatoes
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