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Big Beef Plus Tomato Seeds

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Big Beef Plus Tomato

SKU: TM915-20

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Country Of Origin: USA USA

Availability: In stock

Price: $4.00

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Overview
Planting instructions
Growing Calendar
Disease Resistant
Reviews
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72 days. Solanum lycopersicum. (F1) Big Beef Plus Tomato. The plant produces good yields of very flavorful 12 to 16 oz red beefsteak tomatoes. The best all around beefsteak tomato yet developed. Just like the Big Beef Tomato, it has improved its rich old fashioned tomato flavor. It is very juicy and sweeter than the original Big Beef Tomato. Perfect for sandwiches, salads, and slicing. One of the most disease resistant tomato varieties available. Crack Resistant. Heat Tolerant. An excellent choice for home gardens. A variety from the USA. Disease Resistant: V, F, FF, N, A, ALS, St, LB, TMV, TSWV. Indeterminate.

Lot No: 100270

Germination: 95%

Test Date: 08/2024

Seeds Per Pound: 128,000

Plant Height: 48 to 60” tall

Planting Season: Spring

Sunlight Requirement: Full Sun

Planting Method: Indoor Sow

Tomato Lycopersicon esculentum

Seed Depth

Soil Temp. for Germination

Days to Germination

Sunlight Requirements

Planting Time

1/4 to 1/2"

80 F to 85 F

7 to 14 days

Full Sun

Spring

USDA Hardiness Zone

Seed Spacing

Row Spacing

Space After Thinning

Days to Harvest

N/A

48"

60 - 90 days

Tomato Seed Planting Information:

Tomato plants should be grown in warm areas and receive plenty of sunlight, so choose a sunny spot in your garden. Relocate your tomato plants in different parts of your garden yearly to avoid diseases. The optimum temperatures for growing tomatoes from seeds are between 80 - 85 F. Plant your seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before setting them outside. Use Miracle Gro Seed Starting Material for best germination results. We have tested other Seed Starting mixes and experienced poor germination rates. Do not add any soil, fertilizers, and other chemicals to the seed starting material. Do not use jiffy peat pots, plugs, or potting soil, or use covers, as the soil may become too dry or too wet, which can lead to disease and fungus and poor germination results. Do not bottom water the seeds as this causes the seed starting material to become too wet and you will experience poor germination too. We have experienced disease and low germination when using these types of products and covering the pots and trays with covers. When seedlings are 4" tall, transplant them in larger pots. Plants should be at least 10" tall before transplanting outdoors. Plants should be planted outdoors in shady areas for several days before transplanting outdoors. Shelter the transplants to prevent sunburn, wilting, and rain damage. Spring planting should occur when the soil is warm, at least 3 weeks after the last frost, and when temperatures remain above 70 degrees F. You can plant early if you use water towers. To prevent branches from breaking from the weight of tomatoes, use 5 to 6 ft tall cages. To tie plants to stakes, use soft strips of cloth. Check indeterminate plants regularly and pinch off suckers and side branches where leaves join the stems. Plants can grow from 1 to 6 ft tall.

Soil Requirements:

Requires fertile slightly acidic soil in a well-drained location in the garden. Apply mulch, grass clippings, or straw around the base of the plant. Work the soil thoroughly before planting. Add well-rotted manure and compost.

Water Requirements:

Keep soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. Water well during dry and hot spells. Water in the morning only, on the side of the plants and not directly on the leaves.

Fertilizer Requirements:

Use Slow Release (6 Month) Fertilizer when transplanting outdoors. Apply Miracle Gro Liquid Fertilizer every two weeks.

Harvest Tips:

Harvest tomatoes when fully mature using garden scissors so you don't damage the plant. Pick them as they mature to encourage new fruit to form. Remove any decayed tomatoes from the plant.

Tomato
Growing Calendar

Indoor Germination Temperature: 80 to 85 F
Minimum Outdoor Temperature: Above 70 F

Start Indoors Transplant Start Outdoors Start Indoors Fall Transplant Fall Start Outdoors Fall Multiple Crops

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Seed Depth: ¼” to ½“

Days to Germination: 7 to 14 days

Plant Spacing: 48”

Row Spacing: 48”

Sunlight Requirement: Full sun

Days to Harvest after Planting Outdoors: Early Season Tomato: 60 to 65 days Mid-Season Tomato: 70 to 75 days Late Season Tomato: 85 to 90 days

USDA Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11

Use Miracle-Gro© Seed Starting Mix for best germination results.

A – Anthracnose

Scientific Name: Colletotrichum lagenarium

Type: Fungus

Anthracnose is a world-wide fungal disease that affects the growth of cucumbers, tomatoes, and watermelons. This disease is most common in the southern, mid-Atlantic, and mid-Western parts of the United States. Symptoms include lesions on the leaves and then yellowish circular spots begin appearing on the leaves. On watermelons the spots are irregular and turn dark brown or black. The most striking symptom is circular, black, sunken cankers appear on the fruit. When moisture is present, the black center of the lesion is covered with a gelatinous mass of salmon colored spores. With tomatoes, the disease mainly affects the tomato, but also can infect leaves, stems and roots. Sunken water soaked circular spots appear on the tomatoes. Leaves show symptoms of small circular spots with yellow halos. It can cause significant yield loss and even total crops losses. The diseased tomatoes are usually unmarketable. The infected plants should be removed to avoid further infestation. Increase space between the plants to maximize air flow and drying of the leaves. The disease is favorable when temperatures are 75-82 F and usually occur when moisture and humidity are very high. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in over winter on crop debris. Proper tillage practices may be helpful in managing the disease. Fungicides can help manage the disease. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

ALS – Alternaria Leaf Spot

Scientific Name: Alternaria brassicicola, Alternaria cucumerina, Alternaria dauci

Type: Fungus

Alternaria Leaf Spot, also known Alternaria Leaf Blight, is a world-wide fungal disease that affects the growth of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cantaloupes & melons, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, kale, kohlrabi, pumpkins, radishes, rutabaga, squash, tomatoes, turnips, and watermelons. Symptoms may first develop on young plants where leaf spots develop, plants become stunted, and damping off may occur. Greenish-brown lesions appear on the leaves, and turn from dark brown to black spots. The disease may appear on the leaves at any stage and start off as concentric circles and mature to lesions with a bulls eye appearance. The leaves curl, turn yellow, wither, and eventually die off, and heavy infestations may cause complete defoliation. The infected plants should be removed to avoid further infestation. Increase space between the plants to maximize air flow and drying of the leaves. The disease is favorable when temperatures are 75-82 F and usually occur when moisture and humidity are very high. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in the soil for 8 years. Fungicides can help manage the disease. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

F – Fusarium Wilt (Race 1)

Scientific Name: Fusarium oxysporum

Type: Fungus

Fusarium Wilt, Race 1, is a fungal disease that affects the growth of tomatoes. It is one of the most devastating of all soil-borne diseases. Race 1 is the most widely found throughout the United States, especially in warm regions of the country. It attacks the roots of the plants and moves up the stems. Symptoms include yellowing and browning of the older bottom leaves, stunting, and wilting. Often the entire plant will die. Usually little or no fruit develops. The infected plants will produce inferior and unmarketable tomatoes. It can cause significant yield loss and even total crops losses. If you stick with Fusarium Wilt Resistant tomato varieties you don’t have to worry. Many of the older heirlooms don’t have any resistance to the disease, so if you grow these then you should keep an eye out for it. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. Plan on using a 5 to 7 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in the soil up to 10 years. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

FF – Fusarium Wilt (Race 2)

Scientific Name: Fusarium oxysporum

Type: Fungus

Fusarium Wilt, Race 2, is a world-wide fungal disease that affects the growth of tomatoes. It is one of the most devastating of all soil-borne diseases. Race 2 is found in Arkansas, Florida, New Jersey, and Ohio in the United States. It attacks the roots of the plants and moves up the stems. Symptoms include yellowing and browning of the older bottom leaves, stunting, and wilting. Often the entire plant will die. Usually little or no fruit develops. The infected plants will produce inferior and unmarketable tomatoes. It can cause significant yield loss and even total crops losses. If you stick with Fusarium Wilt Resistant tomato varieties you don’t have to worry. Many of the older heirlooms don’t have any resistance to the disease, so if you grow these then you should keep an eye out for it. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. Plan on using a 5 to 7 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in the soil up to 10 years. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

LB – Late Blight

Scientific Name: Phytophthora infestans

Type: Oomycete

Late Blight is a fungal disease that affects the growth of potatoes and tomatoes. Symptoms include large dark brown blotches with a green gray edge on the leaves resulting in large sections of dry brown foliage. Stems become dark brown. Dark brown circular spots cover most of the tomato. The entire field turns brown and wilted as if it was hit by frost and die.It can cause significant yield loss and even total crops losses. The diseased tomatoes are usually unmarketable. Late blight was responsible for the Irish potato famine of the late 1840s. The air-borne disease can destroy an entire field in a short period of time. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. If you stick with Late Blight resistant tomato varieties you don’t have to worry. The disease is favorable when temperatures are 60-70 F and usually occur when moisture and humidity are very high. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in the soil for 7 years. Fungicides are available for management of late blight on tomatoes. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

N – Root-Knot Nematode

Scientific Name: Meloidogyne spp.

Type: Parasites

Nematodes are soil dwelling parasites that feed on plant roots and affect cucumbers, okra, peppers, squash, and tomatoes. Symptoms include yellowing of the leaves, wilting, and stunting of the plant. The plant will have galled and decayed roots. Nematodes are most active when soil temperatures are 85 - 95 F and usually occur when the soil is moisture. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year. Nematodes are most active in warm soils and they need water to thrive so take advantage of summer’s heat to wither them away. Withhold water from nematode infested areas of the garden and turn or till the soil every 7-10 days during the summer to expose nematodes to the drying effects of the sun. Proper tillage practices may be helpful in managing the disease. Certain types of marigolds work by excreting a substance that is damaging to nematodes as well as trapping them in their roots and preventing reproduction. Elbon rye is an effective nematode control that can be planted as a cool season cover crop that is turned under in early spring. The use of soil fumigants like Vapam has been helpful and a fungicide called Actinovate can also be helpful in managing the lowering of the nematode population. Using transparent plastic mulches for 4 to 6 weeks have been shown to kill nematodes. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

St – Stemphylium Gray Spot Leaf

Scientific Name: Stemphylium solani, Stemphylium floridanum, and Stemphylium botryosum

Type: Fungus

Stemphylium Gray Spot Leaf is a fungal disease that affects the growth of tomatoes. It is found in warm regions of the country, and is common in the Southeastern part of the United States. Symptoms include brown to black specks on leaves. As the lesions grow in size, they develop a gray center surrounded by a yellow area. The spots may dry and fall out, forming a shot hole in the leaf. The disease may cause the entire leaves to turn yellow, then brown, and drop off, and the plant may be stunted. The tomatoes are not usually affected unless there is severe defoliation, where sunburn damage can occur on the tomatoes. If you stick with Stemphylium Gray Spot Leaf Resistant tomato varieties you don’t have to worry. Many of the older heirlooms don’t have any resistance to the disease, so if you grow these then you should keep an eye out for it. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. Plan on using a 5 to 7 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in the soil for many years. Stake tomato plants for better circulation. Give plants extra space to allow air to move among leaves to keep leaves as dry as possible. Use soaker hoses and avoid overhead watering. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

TMV – Tobacco Mosaic Virus

Type: Virus - Potyvirus

Tobacco Mosaic Virus is a world-wide virus disease that affects the growth of eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes. Tobacco mosaic virus may cause significant losses in the field and in the greenhouse. The virus does not usually kill the plant, but it does cause damage to flowers, leaves, and the tomato. Symptoms include stunted or dwarfed plants, yellow-green mottling, blistering of the leaves, a light-green and dark-green mosaic pattern on the leaves, leaf distortion and curling of the leaves, fernleafing, and reduced growth rate and yields. Blooms may have brown streaks. Pepper plants may have yellow spotting on the leaves. Slightly sunken brown rings will appear on tomatoes. The virus is spread primarily by mechanical methods. The virus is not spread by aphids. Smokers can infect plants by handling them. Gardeners contaminate the plants when they touch tobacco products or infected plants or weeds and spread the virus to healthy plants. The virus can stay alive in dead plant material for long periods of time. It can survive on infected seeds, plant debris, and even clothing for months or years. Tobacco mosaic is one of the most highly persistent tomato diseases because it can remain viable for many years and is able to withstand high heat. The virus can survive for up to 50 years in dried plant debris. The infected plants should be removed and buried or burned to avoid further infestation. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year. Keep your garden weed free. Wash your hands thoroughly and disinfect tools. Try to avoid smoking while working in the garden. Spraying plants with 20 percent nonfat dry milk has been shown to be somewhat effective in preventing the spread of the virus. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

TSWV – Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus

Type: Virus - Tospovirus

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus is a world-wide virus disease that affects the growth of peppers and tomatoes. Symptoms include bronzing of the upper sides of young leaves, which later develop distinct yellow or brown rings. Leaves may curl inward. The plants will be stunted and have dark streaking on stems. The tomatoes will be deformed. There will be mottled light green rings with raised centers with orange and red discoloration patterns on mature tomatoes making them unmarketable. Infected plants usually wilt and die. It can cause significant yield loss and even total crops losses. The virus is spread by thrips. The disease can stay alive in dead plant material for long periods of time. The infected plants should be removed and destroyed to avoid further infestation. Plan on using a 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year. Insecticides for thrips have limited value in controlling the disease as thrips transmit the disease very quickly when they begin to feed on the plant. To control thrips, try setting out yellow or blue colored sticky traps and treat plants with insecticidal soaps. Keep your garden weed free. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.

V – Verticillium Wilt

Scientific Name: Verticillium dahliae

Type: Fungus

Verticillium Wilt is a soil-borne disease that affects the growth of lettuce, peppers, spinach, and tomatoes. This disease is most common in the United States and Europe. In lettuce symptoms include wilting of the lower leaves and then the outer leaves turn yellow, wilt and die. Brown and black streaks appear on the taproot and crown The disease can cause substantial yield loss and total crop loss. It is a seed-borne disease that is spread by farm equipment, wind, and water. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. The virus can live in weeds, so use weed management techniques. The fungus is very difficult to eradicate once it has been introduced into a field. Plan on using a 4 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, and can survive in the soil for 14 years. Keep the fields weed free. Deep tilling may be helpful in managing the disease. Thoroughly clean equipment after working in a field. Fumigate fields with methyl bromide. The best option is to use virus-free seeds and disease resistant varieties

2 review(s)

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From: Stan | Date: 9/25/2024 11:01 PM

2024 Results

I am tracking results for my tomatoes this year. Big Beef Plus has been one the the better varieties. I live near San Diego, CA, so cool nights till about mid-June. Average weight for 224 tomatoes is 6.14 oz, 48 were over 8 oz, and the largest weighed 18.94 oz. Very impressive variety, the most productive of the 24 varieties I grew this year.

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From: Stan | Date: 6/30/2024 11:07 AM

Great variey, strong vigorous plants, good production of fairly large fruits, some very slight cracking at stem. Will grow again next year.

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Reimer seeds has over 5,000 quality vegetable, flower, and herb seeds for the home gardener and market growers. We do not sell any Genetically Modified seeds. This year we reduced our prices on many items, added new items, and have added additional bulk items by the ounce and pounds! Take time to review our impressive Online Seed Catalog. Sorry, we do not have a printed catalog to mail you. Plan your garden, and then order your varieties for this upcoming season. Please check back often, as we add new items regularly. If you don’t see an item you want you can always email us and we’ll see if we can bring it into stock!