Delicious sandwich-sized slicing tomatoes are the reason many folks have a garden. Big Beef is one tomato that will produce large, round fruit perfect for slicing.
Do you like a sandwich whose tomato peeks out from the edges of the bread? If so, grow the big ones such as Big Beef, Better Boy, Parks Whopper, Brandywine, German Johnson, and Super Fantastic. Plant these deeply so that 80% of the plant is underground.
Big tomatoes get heavy as they grow, often weighing a pound or more, so tie up the stems to their supports as they grow–you’d hate to lose your prized tomato in a rainstorm because the stem holding it broke under its own weight. You can even use cheesecloth or a mesh nylon stocking to create a sling for extra-large fruit.
A second way to ensure success is consistent watering. Drip systems or soaker hoses are best for putting water at the root level without waste, evaporation, and wetting the leaves. Mulch the ground around the plants to keep moisture in, too.
In cold mountain regions where summer is short, employ tricks such as black plastic to warm the soil, early planting with protection, and continued use of row covers and items such as Wall o’ Water to keep tomatoes warmer on cool nights. The Extension service in mountain states is a good local resource for dealing with the weather.
Will you have the Homestead tomato plants available this season?
Hi Janice,
Yes, we’ll sell Homestead heirloom tomato this season. You must be in a Deep South market. It’s one of our most popular varieties in Florida, because it sets fruit even in high temperatures. Here is more info about Homestead: http://bonnieplants.com/products/vegetables/tomato-varieties/popular-regional-tomatoes/homestead-heirloom-tomato. If you’d like, you can be the first to review this product on our new site!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
Are the Juliet tomatoes available in the Stockton California area any more? The were two years ago at Home Depot.
Do you remove the lower branches from tomatoes before planting or just cover them.
Hi Gerald,
You can pinch off the lower leaves if you’d like but it’s not necessary. Learn more about how to plant tomatoes from these two articles:
How to Plant Tomatoes Step by Step
Plant Tomatoes Deep, Deep, Deep
Best of luck!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
Please tell me that you will have the German Queen plants. I purchased them last year at my local WalMart. They grew to over 7 feet and had huge fruits. Everyone loved them! Northern VA – Shenandoah Valley.
Thanks,
Patricia
Hi Patricia,
We’re so glad you’ve had success with German Queen tomato. It’s a favorite heirloom especially in your region of the country. In our trial garden last year, we grew German Queen tomatoes bigger than our hands! You should be able to find the German Queen plants from Bonnie again this year at your local store. Let us know how they grow.
Best,
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
Do you have any grafted heirloom plants? I love the heirloom taste, but have so much trouble with the spotted wilt in the Panhandle of FL.
Hi Tony,
We don’t carry grafted plants but we do offer several varieties that resist spotted wilt virus. You should have better luck with these!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants