Tomato Beefmaster F1

The Beefmaster F1 Tomato with very large fruits is a variety of Beefsteak tomato, meaning it has dense, firm flesh without juice or seeds, resembling a slice of steak. This variety produces very large fruits weighing 500g or more, which are very red, round, and heavily ribbed.
This Beefmaster has a very sweet and flavorful taste, making it ideal for sauces, purees, or even salads. It is particularly suitable for stuffing as it holds its shape well due to its low water content.
It offers excellent yield and is easy to grow, even for novice gardeners. It is resistant to most tomato diseases such as fusarium and verticillium. It is recommended to stake or trellis this beautiful indeterminate variety from the moment it is transplanted into the ground, as the plants can reach a height of 2m (7ft).
Sow your seeds from February to May for a harvest from July to October.

The tomato is native to South America and Central America. Several varieties were already cultivated by the Incas long before the arrival of the Conquistadors. We are still amazed by the great variety of this nightshade plant. The term "tomato" comes from the Inca word "Tomatl" and refers to both the plant and the fruit it produces. There are tomatoes of all colors (red, of course, but also green, yellow, and even some very rare blue varieties), all shapes, and all sizes. Ancient varieties are indeterminate plants and can live for two years. More recent varieties are determinate, meaning they stop growing when they reach a bushy stage, so there is no need to stake or trellis them.

The tomato is one of the many foods that came to us from the New World, along with beans, corn, squash, potatoes, and chili peppers. It took longer for the tomato to become popular in Europe. For a long time, it was cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities. It was believed to be toxic because of its resemblance to the fruit of the Mandrake, another nightshade plant. It only became a regular part of our diets in the early 20th century.

The tomato plant is a perennial herbaceous plant in tropical climates, but it is cultivated as an annual in our latitudes. It becomes lignified over time and produces small, insignificant yellow flowers grouped in clusters that will turn into fruits.

It must be admitted that its fruit is very beautiful and adds a pleasant colour to the vegetable garden. It also has many nutritional benefits. Low in calories like most vegetables, rich in water, it contains a very interesting molecule: lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. And the longer the tomato is cooked, the more lycopene becomes available. It is also rich in vitamin C, provitamin A, and trace elements.

Today, its taste and nutritional qualities are well known. For gardeners, tomatoes are an essential summer vegetable. They only need to consider how they want to use them to guide their choice among the many existing varieties. Are they for salads, sauces, eating directly on the spot, cooked, etc. They should also consider when they want to harvest them. The answer will, of course, depend on the average summer sunshine in the region where their garden is located. Rest assured, the choice is vast, and there is a tomato for every situation! And even though tomatoes need a lot of sun and heat, they don't necessarily require a lot of space. That's why you shouldn't hesitate to grow them in containers on your balcony, where you can prefer varieties with small fruits. Be careful, immature fruits, stems, and leaves contain solanine and should not be consumed.

Harvest: Depending on the variety, it can take 50 to 100 days between transplanting and harvesting. There is no foolproof way to determine in advance when a tomato is fully ripe. Harvesting should be done when, at a minimum, it has fully developed the colour it was announced to have and when its texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better storage, be sure to pick the fruit with its calyx.

Storage: Tomatoes do not keep as long when they have a high water content. They can be stored well for a few days in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator or spread out in the open air. To keep them longer, consider culinary methods such as tomato confit, sun-dried tomatoes, sauces, frozen fruits, preserves, jams, or juices. Tomato confit is particularly simple and delicious: cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place the tomato halves face up on the baking tray of your oven. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least an hour. Remove the tomatoes and consume immediately, or store them in a glass jar and cover with olive oil.

Gardener's tip: It is recommended to grow several varieties of tomatoes each year to minimize the risk of complete crop loss due to climatic conditions or specific diseases.
To prevent the occurrence of "blossom end rot" - not a disease but a calcium deficiency - spray a comfrey maceration rich in calcium on your plants.
When transplanting, do not hesitate to bury the stem up to the first leaves. This will stimulate root growth, ensuring a bountiful fruit harvest.
Winning garden associations are often winning combinations on the plate as well. It's a good mnemonic to remember that tomatoes and basil go well together.