First ripe tomatoes of the year

[BLTLOVER]

Picked the first ripe tomatoes (Big Beef) of the year on Monday, 7/16. It is the earliest that I've gotten ripe tomatoes in several years. Last year we had a long, cool, wet spring with a frost on May 17th (avg. last frost May 10th). Consequently, I picked my first ripe tomatoes on August 4th. I kept track last year and picked a total of 683 tomatoes from 8/4 through 10/17 from my 6 plants. I'm going to do that again this year and I'm hoping to hit 800.

[JamesL]

683 from 6 plants!!!! WOW
Were they all Big Beef?

[lakelady]

Holy cow! I want to know what tomatoes you're growing too! lol. I have several plants that so far are only producing about 12-14 tomatoes!

[BLTLOVER]

Yes, they were all Big Beef. Since I tried them several years ago, that's all that I plant. They're big, flavorful and very productive. I'll send some pictures of last years and this years plants.

[JamesL]

BLT, thanks. My grow list is too long for next year already, but I think I am going to have to find space for a Big Beef.

[redwheelbarrow]

I will also be harvesting earlier than ever before. Here on the western shore of Lake Michigan we usually start harvest in mid August. I will be eating tomatoes (with lettuce and bacon) next week. What a strange growing season.

[jennifer28]

Beautiful. Do you consider them sweet?

[BLTLOVER]

I think I'm going to back off my hopes of 800 tomatoes from my 6 Big Beef this year. I was looking at them this morning and, I think due to the warm night time temps, they haven't set near as much fruit as they had last year at this stage of the season. But, I'll take what I get.

[z_willus_d]

So you got an average of over 100 beefsteak tomatoes from each vine over a roughly two month span? That's astounding! What's the average weight for one of these tomatoes? How many pounds does 100 of those tomatoes add up to. You're in world record territory I'd say.

[BLTLOVER]

I know it sounds like I'm embellishing especially when information on the internet says an average of 50 - 60 per plant for the Big Beef. I've guessed in previous years that I was getting close to 100 per plant so that's why I decided to keep track last year. I don't know how many pounds that would be but keep in mind that towards the end of the season, Sept./Oct. they were much smaller.

[jhp]

Wow! Where can I get that big beef seed? My big beef that I grew last year, was nothing to write home about (or write tville about!). Fruits not what I would call big and low production. Maybe my seed source was not good. Seriously where did you get your big beef seed?

Also, can you tell us your growing practices? Anything special that you do?

Thanks,
Jen

[BLTLOVER]

I've ordered my seed through Gurney's for many years and always have 100% germination. As far as doing anything special, I think it's my soil. First, I'm constantly adding organic matter to my soil whether it be grass clippings for mulch, leaves or non-diseased plant foliage from the finished garden in the fall. I let it lay on the garden all winter and then till everything under in the spring. The smell of fertile soil when you turn it is awesome. Second, I dig 4' wide beds in my garden. All the soil from the paths is thrown on top of the beds and I never walk on them so consequently the soil remains loose and never has runoff. Third, even though I don't start my tomato plants until the first week of April, they still get spindly and about 20" tall not counting the peat pot. When I put them out, I plant them very deep so the stem creates extra roots and they stay cool during these hot spells. One more thing about my soil. I haven't had it tested for years and I only fertilize with Miracle Grow once or twice at the most after I plant them in the garden just to get the roots going good (that goes for everything else in the garden). I don't fertilize again all season. My plants get big but yet are always loaded with blooms right up to frost so that tells me the phosphorus levels and other nutrients are right.

[jhp]

Sounds good BLTLover. Thanks for the reply.

Jen

[casserole]

I can not get my brain to believe that kind of production is even possible.

[BLTLOVER]

I just went out to the garden and actually counted the green tomatoes (all sizes) on 2 plants. I have 52 on one and 44 on the other and the plants are loaded with blooms. Since it's only July 22nd, over 100 per plant is very feasible. I've picked 25 ripe ones so far. Next year, just for curiosity, I'm going to take some soil samples into the county extension service to see the levels of nutrients and minerals.