Beefsteak

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Sink your teeth into Beefsteak Tomato’s lush, garden-ripened juiciness—an inviting, classic tomato fragrance with a rich, balanced sweetness.

At maturity, fruits are large and meaty with a tender, satiny flesh and a bold, rosy-red interior that holds its shape beautifully. Grow Beefsteak for standout slices in fresh salads, and for thick, spoonable sauces that showcase its full-bodied flavor.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 90 DaysHabit: Indeterminate

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Mar 7th
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Jun 20th
Harvest Begins	Sep 18th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	90
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Indeterminate
Support Needed	Cage
Planting Depth	Deep
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Beefsteak’s high-meat-to-gel ratio makes it a slicer: the interior stays tender but structured, so it doesn’t turn your sandwich into a puddle. When you cook it, it reduces into a thick, glossy sauce that tastes like concentrated summer rather than watery chopped tomato.

Best Uses

thick slicing for BLTs and burgers where the slice holds up and won’t slump
salads with minimal dressing so the juice stays structured around the seeds
thick, spoonable pan sauces and quick reductions where the flesh breaks down into a glossy coating

Flavor Profile

meaty, juicy flesh with a satin-like bite balanced sweetness with bright tomato acidity rosy-red, classic “tomato fragrance” on the finish

Kitchen Pairings

black pepper garlic olive oil aged cheese mozzarella balsamic vinegar

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my beefsteak tomato plants getting yellow leaves with fuzzy gray mold on stems, and what should I do?

This pattern commonly points to early blight or gray mold/leaf spot during humid weather, especially when lower leaves stay wet. Remove and discard affected leaves, increase airflow by spacing plants and pruning lower foliage, and avoid wetting leaves when watering. If it keeps spreading, apply a copper-based fungicide or an appropriate tomato fungicide labeled for blight/gray mold, following the label and starting at the first signs.

How often should I water beefsteak tomatoes during the 6–10 weeks of active fruiting?

During active fruiting, keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged—aim for about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, adjusted for heat and rainfall. Water deeply 1–2 times per week (more often in hot spells) so moisture reaches several inches down, and don’t let the soil dry out completely between waterings. Mulch around the plants helps prevent the soil from swinging between dry and wet, which reduces blossom-end rot and cracking.

How can I tell when beefsteak tomatoes are ready to harvest?

Pick when fruits are fully colored (deep red for most varieties), slightly soft at the blossom end, and reach full size—beefsteaks usually take about 90 days from transplant to maturity. If you see a green “shoulder” that isn’t developing color, leave it a few more days; if the fruit gives slightly to gentle pressure and smells tomato-rich, harvest now. For best flavor, avoid picking too early when the fruit is still mostly firm and green.