The Beefmaster tomato (F1-hybrid) is a tart and tasty, very large tomato, with two pound fruits not unheard of! Beefmaster fruits will vary in size, as shown in the above photo. You may have seen this variety at your county fair winning awards for largest tomato! The fruit interior is red and meaty.
The designation F1-Hybrid tells you this variety has been cross-produced from two distinct "pure" tomatoes. Because this is an F1, or first-generation hybrid, it should have better-than-average vigor and give more uniform and bigger yields. But if you save seeds for next year you'll probably not be able to recognize, or like, the tomatoes produced.
Not only does the Beefmaster produce huge fruit but it is also a high-yielding tomato plant. It grows indeterminate (tall) vines and will benefit from some type of staking or caging if you don't want the fruits to be in contact with the soil.
Tomatoes are easy to grow from seed, but Beefmaster seedlings are frequently available at nurseries. Plant after all danger of frost has passed. Because this variety requires a fairly long growing season, if you are located in a cooler climate zone, you'll probably need to set the plants out early but shielded from the cold. (See the article When to Plant Tomatoes for more information.)
Color: Red
Shape: Beefsteak, slightly ribbed
Average Size: Very large, 1- to 2-pounds
Seed Type: Hybrid
Plant Characteristics: Indeterminate; regular leaf; high yield
Maturity: Late season, 80 days after transplant
Disease Resistance: VFFNGlsAscSt*
A | Alternaria |
Asc | Alternaria Stem Canker |
St | Stemphylium |
V | Verticillium wilt |
F | Fusarium wilt |
FFF | Fusarium races 1, 2 & 3 |
Gls | Gray Leaf Spot |
N | Nematodes |
T | tobacco mosaic virus |
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