Beefsteak Pink Tomato

Begin seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in moist seed-starting mix, keep soil temperature between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and provide bright light once seedlings emerge. This timing ensures transplants are vigorous and ready to move outdoors when soil has warmed.

Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after the last frost date when soil temperature reaches at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally 65 degrees or warmer. Plant at the spacing noted (24 inches apart, 36 inches between rows), burying the stem deeper than it grew indoors to encourage a stronger root system. Install support structures at planting time to avoid disturbing roots later in the season.

Begin harvesting when fruits reach full size and show a deep pink color, typically 90 to 99 days from transplant. Tomatoes should yield slightly to gentle pressure but still feel firm. Harvest in the morning when temperatures are cool, cutting the stem just above the fruit rather than pulling. For the best flavor, allow fruits to fully ripen on the vine, but you can pick mature green tomatoes at season's end and ripen them indoors at room temperature.

As an indeterminate variety, Beefsteak Pink Tomato will continue growing tall and producing side shoots throughout the season. Selectively prune lower leaves once the plant is established and producing fruit to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure. Remove suckers (shoots that emerge between the main stem and branches) on the lower two-thirds of the plant to direct energy into fruit production, but leave the upper foliage intact to protect developing fruits from sunscald.