big beef

[les matzek]

hi all,
i am growing big beef this year and i would like
to know how tall your big beef has got,thanks.

les

[HoosierDaddy]

Here in SE Michigan last year mine grew over 6 feet. My cages were 5' high and that plant grew out the top of the cages and dropped over the side some.

[Mudman]

I stake my plants and train one leader and my plants were 7 to 8 ft. tall last year. This may not be a good indication of your plants however. Your soil, climate, and growing season are much different than mine.

[b54red]

Since we have a really long season if I set them out in April they will run 6 to 8 ft in either direction on my trellis. I usually don't set out any Big Beefs til late June or July since it is one of the most heat tolerant plants and most will survive that mid summer planting. When I set them out in mid summer they usually get about 7 to 8 ft tall.

[geeboss]

Some Pics from Bingsters 2010 Big Beef Containers

[b54red]

That is exactly why I always try to get some Big Beefs out each year. They are absolute tomato machines and they are very good tasting for a hybrid with good fusarium tolerance.

[brismith70]

Good grief! Those things are huge and just loaded with tomatoes. That just blows me away.

I haven't grown Big Beef in the past but grew some seedlings this past winter. The seedlings were killed in a frost. I purchased four Big Beef seedlings from a vendor. The growth habit of the purchased seedlings is more like a bush variety. While most of my plants grow straight up and I simply need to tuck the heads into the ropes of the trellis, the "Big Beef" plants bend their branches toward the ground. I have to lift the branches in order to train them to the trellis. They remind me of the Goliath Bush hybrid. They are producing abundantly with large tomatoes, but they are not what I expected the Big Beef to be in growth habit. They are on an eight foot trellis and I expect them to reach the top and possibly drape over it some. I think someone mixed some seed up when mine were planted or a vendor had only Goliath Bush and all his customers were asking for Big Beef. I don't care because whatever I have, they are growing and producing great.

Ted

[coronabarb]

Big Beef is an awesome tomato machine with flavor. And what a great idea! Make a hedge out of them! Anyway, mine went up one side and down the other of the CRW cage and kept right on going...so that makes it 10'?