How To Grow Beefsteak Tomatoes In A Pot + Growing Tips! [2022] -

As I sat there munching on my cheeseburger with a juicy slab of beefsteak tomato one afternoon, I thought to myself, how to grow beefsteak tomatoes in a pot?

After all, tomatoes are relatively easy to grow, especially in the summer.

Sure, growing beefsteak tomatoes in grow bags are an option, but if you’ve seen how big some beefsteak tomatoes can grow, you might agree that starting them off in their own beefsteak tomato container might be a wiser choice.

If you’ve been searching high and low for a beefsteak tomato growing guide, then you’ve absolutely come to the right place!

Not only will I share with you my learnings on how to plant beefsteak tomatoes in a pot, but I’ll also tell you what pots you should use, how big of a pot do beefsteak tomatoes need and little tips and tricks so you can grow the juiciest beefsteak tomatoes out there!

Read on to find out more about how to grow beefsteak tomatoes in pots!

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Your Guide On How To Grow Beefsteak Tomatoes In A Pot In Five Steps

Step 1: Pick Your Pot

I know you’re thinking, the pot?

But look, if you’re curious about how to plant beefsteak tomatoes in a pot, then I’m here to tell you the type of pot and size of the pot is important, so it has to be the first thing you think about.

Beefsteak tomatoes are big, so the bigger the pot you wish to use, the better so that the tomato plant has space to grow and not topple over.

When I say big pot, you must be wondering how big of a pot for beefsteak tomatoes, aren’t you?

A pot of about 1 to 2 square feet, with holes for drainage, is best.

Ensure that the pot is elevated, allowing for excess water to drain, and also protect the roots from being scorched or dried out on those extremely warm days.

Step 2: Select Your Soil

Akin to how you’d plan your meals and nutrition when embarking on a fitness program, what you surround your beefsteak tomatoes with and nourish them with is paramount for its growth!

If you want to know how to grow beef tomatoes, then knowing the right soil is very important.

You should use well-draining soil that is rich in minerals and organic matter and has a pH level between 6.0 to 6.8.

Step 3: Plant Those Beefsteak Tomatoes

Now that you’ve laid out the ideal conditions, the next step would be to plant those baby seeds.

Growing beefsteak tomatoes from seed is one way and you should get them from a reliable garden shop that you frequent to ensure that your seeds germinate and grow well.

Another way would be to use seedlings if you want more assurance that your plant will grow well – this is a more common method.

If you’re using seedlings then make sure they are planted deep into the soil so they can get all the water they need as they find their footing in the soil and get bigger.

Spacing-wise, you should always plant them relatively far apart – 18 to 36 inches if possible.

If you don’t have space in your pot, opt to just grow one seedling in one pot. Don’t be greedy! Your plant needs the space to grow well. I find this clay pot to be extremely sturdy for growing tomatoes!

Step 4: Provide The Necessary – Support, Space, Water, Fertilizers, Pest Control, Pruning, And Plenty Of Sunlight

Now that those little babies are in the soil, you’ll need to wait a bit for them to germinate, about 6 to 12 days to be exact.

During that time, you want to make sure that you give them the best conditions they can have to grow.

Support – It’s good to provide your growing plants with adequate support (those tomatoes are going to be heavy, and we definitely want them to be!). There are many ways to do this – staking them, fencing them, caging them or using a trellis to provide support.

Space – Make sure you give them plenty of space of 18 to 36 inches apart, else pot the seedlings separately. One for each pot.

Water – Water them regularly to ensure the soil stays moist, but in order to prevent root, ensure you water the plant in daylight and to ensure there is sufficient drainage for your plant. Also, direct your water towards the soil instead of its stem and leaves.

Fertilizers – Use organic manure right before planting and mix it with the soil. Tomatoes are nutrient-dense food and it is only right that they require lots of fertilizers to grow into the plump fruits that you hope to receive.

Sunlight – In terms of sunlight, your plants should have strong, direct sunlight for about 6 to 8 hours daily. If you’re not able to provide direct sunlight for this time period or at all, you can always use LED lights to supplement it or rely on it completely.

Pest Control – This shouldn’t be a big issue if you’re growing beefsteak tomatoes in a pot, but in general, you want to make sure you’re using fresh soil to avoid passing pests from old soil. You can also use organic pest spray for extra insurance against those pests!

Pruning – Your plants will take a while to bear fruit (about 85 days), so it’s important that you keep your plant healthy by pruning it regularly. Prune tiny branches and drooping leaves, or anything that looks like it isn’t growing well. If you’re looking for pruning gear, I have just the list for you!

Step 5: Harvest Your Tomatoes

After they’ve grown to a good size, you can harvest your beefsteak tomatoes when they’re pink or on the cusp of turning red, and have smooth, waxy skin.

You can choose to pluck them as they are about to ripe or allow them to ripen on the stem, depending on your availability to harvest the plant.

Remember to consume ripe tomatoes within 2-3 days after harvesting them for the best taste!

Types Of Beefsteak Tomatoes

Beefsteak tomatoes are usually known for being bigger-sized and meaty, hence their name. They also have smaller seed cavities, so in a way, you get more bang for your buck as they have more flesh to juice and seeds than other types of tomatoes.

Some of the more common beefsteak tomato types include:

Big Beef – Known for its meaty texture, robust flavour and for holding up well when sliced or cut.

Cherokee Purple – Typically dusky red or purple in colour with a bit of smokiness and a sweet aftertaste.

Brandywine – A pink heirloom type with a sweet flavour profile.

Black Krim – Maroon look with a slightly salty yet intense flavour.

German Johnson – Big beefsteak tomatoes that are reddish-pink have a meaty fresh and very few seeds.

Types Of Pots To Use To Grow Beefsteak Tomatoes

Part of knowing how to grow beefsteak tomatoes in a pot is knowing just what type of pot to use.

While you can use almost all types of pots as long as they are sturdy, big enough and well-draining, most people use clay pots to grow tomatoes.

If you’re growing beefsteak tomatoes in a pot, you’d want a pot that is heavy and sturdy.

A clay pot fulfils those requirements while looking great as the green leaves and red fruits grow, complementing the colour of the clay pot.

I recommend this clay pot – it is incredibly sturdy, looks like beauty with its tapered shape and sits nicely on the floor.

Advantages Of Growing Beefsteak Tomatoes In A Pot

Growing beefsteak tomatoes indoors in a pot isn’t the easiest, but there are clear advantages:

You can move the pots easily to modify the growing conditions. Not enough sunlight in one spot of the house? Just move your pot. Watered it too much? Just place it above somewhere that drains easily.

Supports the plant and stops it from toppling over as it grows bigger.
Better drainage because you can control the amount of water your plant is getting, preventing root rot.
Ability to isolate from potential pests and competition from other plants.

Disadvantages Of Growing Beefsteak Tomatoes In Pots

Honestly, once you learn how to grow beef tomatoes in pots, you’re unlikely to want to opt for otherwise.

But I’ll be honest there are some disadvantages of growing beefsteak tomatoes in pots and these typically also apply to other plants that you grow in pots as opposed to letting them grow outside. The issues are:

You need to water them frequently. If you grow them outside, the weather takes care of it for you.
Bees are less likely to pollinate the plant naturally.
They are still open to airborne spores that carry diseases.
They might not get enough sunlight if you don’t have an artificial LED light.
You might choose the wrong type and size of pot resulting in improper growth than if they were to have grown in the ground.

FAQs on How To Grow Beefsteak Tomatoes In A Pot

How Long Do Beefsteak Tomatoes Take To Grow?

Beefsteak tomatoes take about eighty-five days to grow and be ready for harvest.

Aside from taking notice of the number of days, you can also look out for its colour (but do note this may differ slightly according to the type of tomato).

You can harvest the tomato when it is pinkish or on the cusp of turning red.

If you happen to harvest the tomato too early, then just let it ripen naturally at room temperature over a few days.

Do Beefsteak Tomatoes Do Well In Pots?

Yes, beefsteak tomatoes do well in pots and you can grow almost any tomato variety in a container. You just need to ensure that it has the right conditions and that the container is large enough for the plant’s needs.

Beefsteak tomato plants can thrive in pots, if the right conditions are adhered to, as with most other indoor plants.

What Is The Best Way To Grow Beefsteak Tomatoes?

A pot is the best way to grow beefsteak tomatoes but if you don’t have access to pots, then a sunny, well-drained garden bed is a good alternative for growing beefsteak tomatoes. But as we know, if you have a pot, you can much more easily engineer these conditions than in a garden bed.

How Much Space Do Beefsteak Tomatoes Need?

Beefsteak tomatoes need at least eighteen inches of space from the next plant. The beefsteak tomato plant spacing could even go up to thirty-six inches of space between plants should there be sufficient space.

In doing so your plants will have enough space for proper growth. Do remember that apart from providing enough space, you should provide stakes, a cage or a trellis to help support your tomato plant as it grows.

How do you grow large beef tomatoes in a pot?

Apart from the steps above, the most important part of growing large beef tomatoes in a pot would be to ensure that the pot is well-draining, if not you should insert a tube filled with holes into the soil.

Another way to ensure that you have large beefsteak tomatoes would be to time the period that you choose to grow your beefsteak tomatoes. Most people opt to do this in the beginning of March and target temperatures of 60 to 90 degrees F as tomatoes grow better and faster in warm soil.

Conclusion

In general, as you probably would have realised by now, knowing how to grow beefsteak tomatoes in a pot is not at all difficult.

Beefsteak tomatoes may be bigger but they’re not very different from regular tomatoes nor regular plants that you might attempt to grow in pots.

Granted that beefsteak tomatoes do grow to quite a large size, it is important to ensure that as your plant grows, you continually give it the best conditions there could be to ensure that it continues to grow well.

This includes modifying conditions as it grows and also pruning it – things that are a lot easier to do if the beefsteak tomatoes were growing in a pot.

How to grow beefsteak tomatoes in a container isn’t as hard as you think and I hope we’ve inspired some confidence in you to go forth, get the right pots or containers and get your hands dirty growing some juicy, meaty beefsteak tomatoes!

Now you’ve got me thinking about making pasta sauce with some succulent tomatoes in the pantry! Spaghetti, anyone?

How To Grow Beefsteak Tomatoes In A Pot + Growing Tips! [2022]