BIG BEEF HYPE...

[b54red]

Originally Posted by AKmark

I never would have thought that folks in the south would face challenges growing late season varieties. Do you have to grow all highly disease resistant varieties? Is it at all feasable to erect a greenhouse in Alabama for protection? I did not know disease was so bad down there, is it every year? Is BB your fav. reliable? I always preferred Early Girl in taste, as do most folks up here, but we are not even close to your area, so taste may be affected to. I also guess Brandyboy is not as disease resistant, too bad I love those.
Anyway your reasoning opened my eyes to the fact, that most struggle in their own environments as bad as we do in AK, only different fights.

Down here our diseases have diseases. As to growing late season tomatoes the real challenge is getting the newly set out plants to survive the heat, humidity, diseases and pests long enough to start really setting a lot of fruit as the weather cools down. Big Beef is one of the best at doing that but it is still liable to come down with fusarium in my garden sometimes but it has the ability to usually hang on longer than varieties like Goliath and Bella Rosa.

I have a small greenhouse in which I start my seeds and pot up my seedlings and it has a small air conditioner in it which makes it bearable most of the time.

I usually have enough plants survive the summer plant out to have a decent crop in the fall if the cool weather doesn't arrive too early which it rarely does. This time of the year those new plants look really thin and spindly but as soon as it starts cooling off they will usually take on a totally different and much healthier appearance.

I don't grow the disease resistant hybrids for fresh eating so most end up in the sauce pot or given away. I grow them for insurance in case all my heirlooms fail me. Of course when that happens they are a nice backup to have.

Bill

[JRinPA]

This is the first year we have done big beef and it is much more prolific setting fruit than the also first timer supersteak plants right next to them. Our big beef started blushing a week or ten days. The fruit are big and taste pretty good. I would like to compare it to the supersteaks...every day I go down to give them a pep talk but so far they are dogs. I know the supersteak is supposed to need more time than the big beef but still.

The better boys are also good as are the early girls... from what I gather on the tomato forums early girl flavor is not well thought of by some, but we've always grown them and they taste fine to us. So maybe that should be factored in - we are not hard to please. As long as it is ripe and fresh and from the garden it generally tastes pretty good.

[riceke]

Originally Posted by b54red

Down here our diseases have diseases. As to growing late season tomatoes the real challenge is getting the newly set out plants to survive the heat, humidity, diseases and pests long enough to start really setting a lot of fruit as the weather cools down. Big Beef is one of the best at doing that but it is still liable to come down with fusarium in my garden sometimes but it has the ability to usually hang on longer than varieties like Goliath and Bella Rosa.

I have a small greenhouse in which I start my seeds and pot up my seedlings and it has a small air conditioner in it which makes it bearable most of the time.

I usually have enough plants survive the summer plant out to have a decent crop in the fall if the cool weather doesn't arrive too early which it rarely does. This time of the year those new plants look really thin and spindly but as soon as it starts cooling off they will usually take on a totally different and much healthier appearance.

I don't grow the disease resistant hybrids for fresh eating so most end up in the sauce pot or given away. I grow them for insurance in case all my heirlooms fail me. Of course when that happens they are a nice backup to have.

Bill

Ahhahaha LMAO. Couldn't have said it better Bill

[TomatoDon]

As Hemingway said, "It is a good thing to have in reserve."

[PHONETOOL]

I'm pretty excited my seeds arrive today what a great deal there's about 50 seeds

For under $4 on Amazon that includes shipping so I'm going to start them this weekend I'll let you know how well they germinate.


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[TomatoDon]

I was hoping for 500 tomatoes from my six plants in a 5 x 12 raised bed of Better Boy and Big Beef. I just passed 600 and will probably pick another 100 before it's over. I've upped my goal to 750.

[tekaha]

enablers . . .

[TomatoDon]

I have read every word of your post seven times and still don't know what you mean.

[tekaha]

tomato don, are you talking to me?

i'm saying that you made me want to get my hands on big beef tomato seeds . . . (even if you didn't mean to). but that's what i get for hanging around here, i guess.

[JRinPA]

We've gotten what I consider good production for both our big beef and better boys....but nowhere near 100 a plant!

[TomatoDon]

I believe Big Beef would do great in your climate. It is rare indeed the person who tries Big Beef, in a suitable climate, that doesn't have good success with them. Goliath is another good one. They are almost automatic tomato producers, year in and year out. Best of luck with them! And let us know how they do for you!

[feldon30]

Big Beef has earned the hype with me. Great producer, and good flavor.

[riceke]

Originally Posted by TomatoDon

I believe Big Beef would do great in your climate. It is rare indeed the person who tries Big Beef, in a suitable climate, that doesn't have good success with them. Goliath is another good one. They are almost automatic tomato producers, year in and year out. Best of luck with them! And let us know how they do for you!

In previous years that I planted BB I agree with you. Never counted them but was picking a bunch...more than any other plant that I have planted. And they were large. Never tried Goliath but after your testimonial I think I'll try it.

[TomatoDon]

My farm neighbor has already sold 6,000 pounds of Goliath's for a dollar a pound, and he's no where near being through. He'll probably make about $8,000 on his patch of 170 Goliath's by the end of the season. He doesn't even set up at the usual places this year. People drive out to his place to pick them up. I think they had a FaceBook page telling about his tomatoes and he got a lot of business from out of town friends, friends of friends, etc.

The production I've had in this one patch in the back yard exceeded all expectations. And yes, my production does sound high, but we've counted and counted, and always write it down. I think we picked 227 Wednesday. That's a third of the 600 plus right there. I hope to harvest 750 before the season's over. Even better, I haven't sprayed them for anything all season. Nothing. And all plants took off and thrived.

Technically I have seven plants. I bought a big one at Home Depot and my helper snapped it off a few inches above the potting soil. I planted the part with the roots anyway, and then stuck the leafy part into the soil mix and watered it very well for a few days. It lived, then really took off, and now I can't tell it from the other plant. They are like one big plant now in a 24 inch cage. I never have stuck one in the ground like that before and had it to live, but this one did.

I'm not sure why they like Goliath over Big Beef, but the ones who grow for market all seem to have nothing but Goliath. Goliath and Big Beef are both first rate tomatoes.

[Karla]

Big beef is a good tasting tomato and good production.I grew this tomato this year and was pleased.