VegetableTomato
Giant Red Beefsteak Tomato
Giant Red Beefsteak Tomato is an open-pollinated, indeterminate slicing tomato that delivers massive scarlet fruits weighing 12 to 32 ounces on vigorous vines reaching 6 to 8 feet tall. From transplant, these plants mature in 100 to 109 days, thriving in full sun across hardiness zones 2 through 11. The substantial size and classic beefsteak shape make this variety a showstopper in any garden, whether you're growing in beds, raised plots, or under glass.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-11
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
96 in
Height
TypeIndeterminate
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-11
Size
96in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
These brilliant scarlet fruits are genuine giants, ranging up to 32 ounces with the dense flesh and few seeds characteristic of true slicing tomatoes. The indeterminate growth habit means the plant keeps flowering and producing throughout the season, rewarding patient gardeners with a steady harvest from mid-summer onward. Non-GMO and open-pollinated, this variety lets you save seeds year after year, connecting you to centuries of tomato breeding tradition.
Common Uses
Giant Red Beefsteak Tomato excels as a slicing tomato for fresh eating, where its substantial size and meaty texture shine on sandwiches, salads, and serving boards. The low seed content and dense flesh make it well-suited for canning, sauces, and cooked applications where you want tomato substance rather than excess liquid.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in warm soil around 70 to 75°F, keeping the soil consistently moist until germination. Thin seedlings or transplant to individual containers once they develop their first true leaves.
Transplant Outdoors
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60°F, spacing plants 18 inches apart with 36 inches between rows. Bury the stem deeply; tomatoes will root along buried stem segments for stronger plants.
Harvesting
Pick fruits when they reach full scarlet color and feel slightly soft when gently squeezed; the largest specimens may weigh 32 ounces or more. Harvest in the morning when fruit is coolest for best flavor. Continue picking throughout the season as the indeterminate plant keeps producing until frost. For end-of-season harvest, pick mature green tomatoes and ripen them indoors at room temperature.
Pruning
As an indeterminate variety, this tomato will grow continuously throughout the season. Prune away lower leaves once the plant is established to improve air circulation and reduce disease pressure. Remove suckers (shoots that form between the main stem and branches) to direct energy into fruit production rather than excessive foliage, though some gardeners leave lower suckers for increased yield.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Solanum lycopersicum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Solanum
Growth Habit
Indeterminate
Native Status
L48 (I)AK (I)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)CAN (W)