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Beefsteak Tomatoes 🍅

Afternoon all,

I am the proud owner of 6 beefsteak tomato plants that I have raised from seedlings bought from a garden centre. I have nurtured them well and they are now producing huge glorious tomatoes. I am (was) brimming with excitement. I imagined munching on glorious tasty tomatoes like one does in the Algarve or Nice for example.

Imagine my shock then when I finally snipped one from the stalk to eat and found it to be a comparable experience to eating soggy wet cotton wool. None of the acidic tasty sweetness for me. Like sucking a tomato flavoured sock.

Gutted.

What have I done wrong and how can I improve this for next year?
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  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I would imagine it's the variety , not your care @DAN WILSON 
    Beef ones do take longer to ripen so try giving the next one a bit more until it is a little redder. If that doesn't help maybe try from seed next year. That way you can start them early ( March/April) inside and plant out late May , that way there will be time to get them finished before September. Hope this helps.
  • In the past, I found the same thing with beefsteaks so abandoned them.
    This year I have ended up growing two varieties, Big Mama and Ozark
    Sunrise both of which have excellent flavour, especially Ozark when roasted, is really sweet. It sounds ridiculous, but Ozark offends my eye, aesthetically. It is mis- shapen, lumpy and bumpy, with an almost black back, virtually no traditional tomato red colour, and difficult to tell when ripe. Big Mama on the other hand is a delightful large teardrop shape, Smooth, shapely and a good colour. I always leave mine on the vines until well ripened for full flavour before picking. I grew mine to make passata and soup, just made some tomato and chilli jam.
    You have done nothing wrong in cultivation, it is the variety.

  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    I have tried Roma a big variety,  but it takes up alot of room 3ft×3ft , and most of the fruit ripen together at the end. I found it a bit sweet, so had to mix in Tigerella and Golden sunrise to bring the flavour into line for sauces and soups.
    This year its Pomodoro, again large fruit, but very juicy and full of seed not flesh,  not impressed. 
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    These were nice,  Jersey Giants but I think with all large tomatoes you need to thin them out to get the best from them.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Because I live in Scotland I grow my tommies under glass, but Orange Queen is one beef steak we are enjoying, not huge fruit, but sweet and tasty.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Can’t grow them outside here either,  all grown in the GH. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DAN WILSONDAN WILSON Posts: 128
    Very useful thank you. I am a bit of a beginner and this was my first experience with Tomatoes. 

    Room no problem, but don't have a greenhouse so I'm on the hunt for a simple tasty large tomato that might replicate the beauties you get in continental european sunnier climes?
  • DAN WILSONDAN WILSON Posts: 128
    Lyn - That Jersey Giant looks fantastic!
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Do you live in a particularly warm sunny area?   I could never replicate continental sunny climes where I live. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DAN WILSONDAN WILSON Posts: 128
    No - the Midlands! But I want my tomatoes to taste like they come from Spain or Portugal  :dizzy:
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