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Yakov Pavlovich
Professor, Head of the Department of Vegetable Growing
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When buying tomato seeds at a garden store, gardeners often come across the word “beef” on the bag. What are these “beef tomatoes” and how are they different from the usual varieties? This marking of seed material is common in the USA and Europe. The fruits are consumed fresh, baked and fried along with grilled meat.
Beef tomatoes: characteristics and features
The term “beef” means that the seeds will grow into plants with fleshy, multi-chambered, large fruits. The content of juice and seeds in tomatoes is minimal. Beef tomatoes have the following qualities:
- fetal weight from 150 to 600 g;
- the presence of more than 4 small seed chambers;
- the pulp is dense, holds its shape well when cut into circles or slices;
- Beef tomato can be stored for no more than 5–7 days.
Tomatoes have a rich, sweet taste. Some varieties have fruity notes in taste. The color of the skin of the fruit can be different: red, pink, yellow, chocolate.
Main advantages
The main advantage of fleshy large-fruited tomatoes is their taste and high pulp content inside the fruit. These tomatoes are delicious fresh in salads. You can put them on sandwiches without fear that the juice will leak through the bread. Different varieties have their own taste of fruit: sweet (sugar), melon, pear, watermelon.
The fleshy fruits make delicious ketchup, tomato paste and various sauces. The yield of the finished product is higher than that of a prepared dish from ordinary tomatoes.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
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In terms of dry matter content, carotene, lycopene and sugars, beef tomatoes have no competitors.
Are there any disadvantages?
The fruits of “beefsteak” tomatoes are endowed with thin and delicate skin that is easy to damage. Because of this, the fruits must be transported with extreme caution.
The fruits of this variety can be stored for no more than a week, even in the refrigerator. The harvested crop must be processed or eaten within 3–5 days.
During the growing process, plants that form a harvest of large-fruited tomatoes require special shaping (normalization of the ovaries) and an enhanced diet.
Prevention of diseases and pests
The Dutch hybrid is immune to fusaoria, verticillium, cladosporiosis and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) . But it is not always possible to protect tomatoes from late blight. This is all due to non-compliance with the rules of agricultural technology: excessive watering, high humidity in the greenhouse, excess nitrogen in the soil.
The disease can be recognized by these signs:
- brown spots on leaves, fruits and stems;
- whitish edge on the back of the leaf;
- deformation of tomatoes.
Proper care and preventative measures can prevent infection . To do this, in the fall, greenhouses are disinfected using sulfur bombs, and after planting the seedlings, the soil is mulched with sawdust, and the soil is disinfected with copper sulfate.
Help fight late blight :
- microbiological preparations “Fitosporin”, “Trichodermin”;
- chemicals “Bravo”, “Ditan”, “Ridomil Gold”.
Folk remedies work no less effectively:
- ash (pour 300 g into 1.5 liters, bring to a boil, strain through cheesecloth, bring the volume to 10 liters and add 20 g of soap shavings);
- hay (1 kg of rotten raw materials and a handful of urea are soaked in 10 liters of water for 3 days);
- copper sulfate (2 g of substance, 200 g of soap shavings added to 10 liters of water).
Tomatoes attract insect pests : aphids, mole crickets, whiteflies, spider mites, and slugs.
Flumite, Borneo, and Fitoverm products will help get rid of aphids, mites, and whiteflies. Products based on onion peels, garlic, ash, and tobacco are highly effective.
Recipes for folk remedies:
- 400 g of chopped garlic, pour 1 liter of water, leave for 5 days;
- Pour 300-400 g of tobacco shag into 10 liters of boiling water, leave for two days;
- Grate 100 g of tar soap and dissolve in 10 liters of water;
- chop a bunch of celandine, pour in 5 liters of warm water, strain after 24 hours and bring the volume to 10 liters;
- Pour 50 g of ash, 25 ml of liquid soap into 10 liters of water and mix.
Slugs are collected manually or the plants are treated with a solution of ammonia (2 tablespoons of ammonia per 5 liters of settled water).
The best varieties and their descriptions
Domestic gardeners successfully grow not only foreign varieties of large-fruited tomatoes, but also plants of Russian selection. Hybrids bred in Russia are more unpretentious to growing conditions.
Yummy beef f1
A hybrid variety of large-fruited tomato with red skin. The plant is formed into a single stem, which reaches a height of 170 cm. The harvest is formed in clusters, 5-6 fruits each, weighing from 230 g (individual tomatoes can weigh 400 g!).
The fruit is round, slightly flattened, with slight ribbing. There is a tiny nose visible at the top of the tomato. The interior is multi-chambered, low-juicy. The pulp is sugary, dense, tasty.
The hybrid is recommended for growing in open and protected ground. The yield in a greenhouse can reach 18 kg per 1 sq. m.
Mona beef f1
Medium-early tall hybrid for film and polycarbonate greenhouses. The first fruits ripen 98–100 days after the sprouts appear. The height of the bush reaches 170 cm.
See also: The best varieties of tomatoes for the Leningrad region
The weight of tomatoes exceeds half a kilo, and specimens weighing 700 g are not uncommon. Due to the large weight of the fruits, it is recommended to leave no more than 3 of them in a cluster, and additionally tie the clusters to a trellis.
The color of the skin and pulp is dark red. The taste is sweet, rich. The pulp is dense.
The yield of tomatoes per plant is 5–6 kg.
Big sasher
A hybrid of tall tomato with relatively small fruits, weighing 150 g. The harvest ripens 95 days after germination or 100 days after planting. Stem height up to 270 cm. It is recommended to grow indoors.
The fruits are round and regular in shape. The skin is dark brown, durable. The taste is sweet, the flesh is dense.
Beef porter f1
Large-fruited hybrid f1 of medium ripening period. The height of the plant does not exceed 1 m, which makes it suitable for growing in open ground.
The fruits are round, slightly ribbed, and impressive in size – some weigh more than 1.5 kg. The usual weight of a tomato is 700–1000 g. The skin color is red, the flesh is tender, sweet and sour.
Beef master
Dutch hybrid from the group of beefsteak tomatoes. The stem rises to a height of 170–190 cm, up to 9 clusters are formed on it, each containing 4–5 tomatoes. The harvest begins 110 days after germination.
The fruits are red, round. Their weight ranges between 250 and 800 g, with an average weight of 400–500 g. The pulp is sweet and dense, with a small number of seeds.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
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The hybrid is suitable for growing in greenhouses and open ground (in the southern regions). The plant tolerates heat well, the fruits do not crack. Productivity up to 16 kg per 1 sq. m in a greenhouse.
Negro beef
A hybrid for salad purposes, with a tomato weight of 300 g. The plant grows up to 250 cm, so gartering to a trellis is required. Recommended for placement in greenhouses and greenhouses in the middle zone and in open ground in the south.
Tomatoes are round in shape, beautiful chocolate in color. The pulp is very sweet, sugary, aromatic. Up to 7 kg of fruits are removed from the bush.
Big Tasty f1
The hybrid forms a bush, 180–200 cm high. The plant can be planted in greenhouses and outdoors, tied to a trellis. The harvest ripens 120 days after sowing.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
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The fruits are red, flat-round, with slight ribbing, weighing 220–300 g. The pulp is tender, juicy, and sweet.
Landing in the ground
Big Beef tomatoes are transferred to a greenhouse or open beds. A higher yield is obtained in closed ground.
Tomatoes with a height of 30 cm and 7-8 leaves should be planted. Such plants are characterized by a developed root system, so they are able to withstand changes in external conditions.
The place for tomatoes is chosen taking into account the crop growing on it. Tomatoes are planted after cabbage, onions, carrots, beets, and legumes.
Advice! Areas after any varieties of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and potatoes are not suitable for planting.
The soil for tomatoes is prepared in the fall. The beds are dug up and fertilized with humus. In spring, deep loosening of the soil is performed.
The Big Beef F1 tomato variety is planted at a distance of 30 cm from each other. When organizing several rows, leave 70 cm.
The tomatoes are transferred together with a lump of earth into the prepared hole. The roots of the plants are covered with earth, which is slightly compacted. Plantings are watered abundantly and tied to a support.
Features of planting and care
Large-fruited tomatoes are more capricious to grow than ordinary varieties. Most beef tomatoes are tall, so staking with stakes or a trellis is required. To obtain a stable harvest, plants are grown in a greenhouse, providing them with regular watering and fertilizing.
Growing by seeds
Plants for planting in a greenhouse are sown in February - early March for seedlings. Store-bought hybrid seeds are already treated for disease and are often coated with fertilizer. They do not require additional processing.
Dry seeds are lowered to a depth of 7–9 mm, placing 1 seed in a separate pot with a volume of 250–300 ml. The substrate for tomatoes should consist of humus, peat, sand and garden soil, taken in equal parts.
Important! When making the mixture yourself, you need to disinfect it. The soil is steamed or spilled with “Fitosporin”, a solution of potassium permanganate.
The seedlings are kept in a bright room, maintaining a temperature of +18 degrees at night and +23 degrees during the day. Water the tomatoes sparingly with warm water.
See also: Features of growing tomatoes in a snail by Yulia Minyaeva
At the age of 3–4 true leaves, the seedlings are transplanted into pots with a capacity of 1 liter. After transplantation, the tomatoes are fed with complete mineral fertilizer (Kemira, Agricola, Gera).
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
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Seedlings are planted in a permanent place at the age of 55–60 days. The plants are watered abundantly beforehand. The layout of beef tomatoes is 60 by 70 cm. The surface of the ground after planting is mulched with sawdust, grass or tree bark, in a layer of 10 cm. Mulch protects the soil from drying out and overheating, and suppresses the development of weeds.
How to care for such tomatoes
Beefsteak tomatoes are formed into 1-2 stems, tying the plant to a strong trellis. A tomato develops at a temperature of +20...+25 degrees; at low temperatures, plant growth stops; at high temperatures, the pollen becomes sterile.
Tall tomatoes require watering and fertilizing. During the growth of tops, flowering and fruiting, the bushes are watered every 3–4 days, spending 10–15 liters per plant. From the moment the tomatoes turn red, watering is reduced to once a week.
The “beefs” are fed every 3 weeks, starting from the moment of picking. Use mineral fertilizers with a predominance of potassium (potassium sulfate, Agricola, Good Power).
To obtain very large specimens of fruit, the ovaries are normalized. No more than 3 (usually 1–2) tomatoes are left on each bunch, the rest are removed. All lower leaves are also removed from the stem so that the bushes are better ventilated.
Expert opinion
Stanislav Pavlovich
Gardener with 17 years of experience and our expert
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Advice. To prevent the bases of the hands from breaking under the weight of the fruit, they are additionally tied up.
Harvesting is carried out weekly.
Productivity and use of fruits
In greenhouse conditions, up to 18 kg of tomatoes are harvested from each square meter. In open ground the result is more modest - about 9 kg.
Beef tomatoes are eaten fresh, placed on sandwiches and made into salads with sweet fruits. The meatiness of “beefs” allows them to be used in the preparation of vegetable stews and sauces. When fried and stewed, tomato pieces yield little juice.
Tomato care
To get large fruits of beefsteak tomatoes, you need to provide them with proper care. Plants are resistant to external conditions, but if these conditions are unfavorable, harvests will be poor.
How to care for plants:
- Stepsonning. A very important procedure for beefsteak varieties. All excess side shoots and leaves must be removed. It is recommended to leave no more than 4-5 ovaries on one branch. Otherwise, the plant simply will not support the weight of the fruit.
- Watering. Water the bushes at the roots. One bucket of water for one plant twice a week. The condition of the soil must also be taken into account. The next watering is carried out if the top layer has already dried.
- Fertilizer. Beefsteak tomatoes need more feeding than regular varieties. There should be 2 times more potassium salts in the fertilizer than nitrogen components. Fertilizing is applied once a month.
Potassium fertilizers have a positive effect on fruit growth. Nitrogen improves the growth of green shoots and leaves. That is why it is important to increase the amount of potassium in the feeding.
Big Beef, Pink and Rosebeef varieties ripen unevenly. Therefore, you can collect and eat fresh tomatoes for 2-3 months, from the end of June to the beginning of September.
