Big Beef

Family: Solanaceae Nightshade

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Big Beef to a garden.

Sink your senses into Big Beef’s lush, meaty abundance—an extra-large beefsteak tomato with a rich, classic tomato fragrance and a beautifully balanced sweetness.

The flesh is dense and juicy with a smooth, velvety bite, making it a showpiece for bold slices and hearty, garden-fresh presentations. Grow Big Beef for a dependable, midseason harvest that delivers impressive size and satisfying texture from one sturdy plant.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 90 DaysHabit: Indeterminate

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Big Beef Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Apr 6th	Jul 20th	Oct 18th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 8th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 8th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 31st	Jul 14th	Oct 12th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 8th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 25th	Jul 8th	Oct 6th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 20th	Jul 3rd	Oct 1st – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 16th	Jun 29th	Sep 27th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 13th	Jun 26th	Sep 24th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 7th	Jun 20th	Sep 18th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 2nd	Jun 15th	Sep 13th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 20th	Jun 5th	Sep 3rd – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 11th	May 27th	Aug 25th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 2nd	May 18th	Aug 16th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 16th	May 1st	Jul 30th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 22nd	Apr 6th	Jul 5th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

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

Big Beef’s beefsteak heft gives you meaty, low-collapsing slices with velvety texture—ideal when you want tomato to show up as the star, not just juice in the background. It plays especially well with fats and sharpeners (olive oil, mozzarella, balsamic) because the sweetness and acidity stay balanced instead of turning watery.

Best Uses

thick slice caprese—salted and plated so it doesn’t collapse
hot sear or grill slices for charred edges and jammy interior
BLT-style sandwiches where the tomato holds structure
slow-simmered tomato ragù or spoonable sauce that clings

Flavor Profile

classic tomato fragrance balanced sweetness with bright acidity dense, juicy flesh with a smooth, velvety bite low-seed, meaty slices that stay cohesive

Kitchen Pairings

balsamic vinegar fresh mozzarella black pepper olive oil garlic bacon

Frequently Asked Questions

My Big Beef tomato has leaves turning yellow with small white patches—what pest/disease is it and what should I do?

White patches with yellowing leaves on tomatoes commonly point to early blight or powdery mildew, which start on lower foliage and spread upward. Remove and discard affected lower leaves, avoid wetting foliage when watering, and spray a labeled fungicide for tomatoes (often chlorothalonil or potassium bicarbonate-based products) and repeat as directed every 5–7 days during active spread.

How often should I water Big Beef tomatoes during the main growing phase (after transplanting)?

During active growth and fruit set, water deeply about 2–3 times per week, but only when the top 1 inch of soil is dry—Big Beef dislikes consistently soggy roots. Aim for steady moisture by using a drip line or soaker hose and provide roughly 1–2 gallons per plant per watering, increasing slightly during hot, windy weather.

When is Big Beef ready to harvest, and how can I tell without guessing?

Harvest when fruits are fully colored (deep red for most Big Beef types), the shoulders are also red with no green rim, and the fruit gives slightly to gentle pressure. For best flavor, pick at peak ripeness and avoid leaving fruit on the vine after it becomes fully red, especially during humid weather that can trigger splitting or disease.