Which one to replace Coustralee?

creister · April 8, 2009

Coustralee is a victim of our Tuesday morning freeze. I want to put in another large red. Choices are few around here, as nobody sells many heirlooms. Here are the choices I have seen so far:

Goliath hybrid
Beefsteak
Big Beef
Better Boy
Big Boy

I haven't grown the first two, so am looking for some opinions. I realize taste, size etc. vary.

Thanks

creister · April 8, 2009

I meant Beefmaster, not Beefsteak.

geeboss · April 8, 2009

A nod to Big Beef

kygreg · April 8, 2009

ditto Big Beef, but Goliath is good also

SteveS · April 8, 2009

Another vote for Big Beef!

Steve

kygreg · April 9, 2009

If plan works out I intend to grow Big Beef hybrid and Big Beef open pollinated both this year. Also read from a non-Burpee source that Steak Sandwich was better than Big Beef, so will be trying it. Its on the seed rack, but havent seen any Big Beef or Porterhouse on seed racks this season.

barkeater · April 9, 2009

Beefmaster is a huge beefsteak tomato, mild and juicy, shaped like two beefsteaks welded together. Very thin skinned and cracks easily if heavy rain occurs while ripening. I grew a couple hundred a year for 3 years on the farm until I switched to Burpees Supersteak.

Goliath hybrid I grew last year and it is very good, better than Big Beef and much better than Better Boy.

April 8, 2009	#1
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	Which one to replace Coustralee? Coustralee is a victim of our Tuesday morning freeze. I want to put in another large red. Choices are few around here, as nobody sells many heirlooms. Here are the choices I have seen so far: Goliath hybrid Beefsteak Big Beef Better Boy Big Boy I haven't grown the first two, so am looking for some opinions. I realize taste, size etc. vary. Thanks

April 8, 2009	#3
geeboss Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA Z7 Posts: 524	A nod to Big Beef

April 8, 2009	#4
kygreg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,019	ditto Big Beef, but Goliath is good also

April 8, 2009	#5
SteveS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bloomington, IN Posts: 123	Another vote for Big Beef! Steve

April 9, 2009	#6
kygreg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,019	If plan works out I intend to grow Big Beef hybrid and Big Beef open pollinated both this year. Also read from a non-Burpee source that Steak Sandwich was better than Big Beef, so will be trying it. Its on the seed rack, but havent seen any Big Beef or Porterhouse on seed racks this season.

April 9, 2009	#7
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	Beefmaster is a huge beefsteak tomato, mild and juicy, shaped like two beefsteaks welded together. Very thin skinned and cracks easily if heavy rain occurs while ripening. I grew a couple hundred a year for 3 years on the farm until I switched to Burpees Supersteak. Goliath hybrid I grew last year and it is very good, better than Big Beef and much better than Better Boy.