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Top Picks: Best Large Tomatoes for Your Garden
3 December 2024
Are you looking for big tomatoes to grow in your garden? In this post we'll cover top varieties like Brandywine and Mortgage Lifter, known for size, yield and taste. Read about these standouts and get tips to get the most from your tomato harvest.
Big Tomatoes for Your Vegetable Garden
Choosing big tomatoes for your vegetable garden is all about flavour, yield and ease of growth. Beefsteak tomatoes are the way to go for size and meatiness. They produce beautiful fruits and rich, complex flavour for many uses.
Burlesque are among the top picks for flavour and size and meatiness for sandwiches and salads. Bountiful is another favourite for flavour and high yields for sauces and slicing. These amongst others, provide different flavours and very good flavour and standout in the home garden.
Lets check out some big tomato varieties for your garden, starting with Brandy Boy a modern hybrid that has both quality and quantity.
Brandy Boy
Brandy Boy combines the flavour of Brandywine with the vigour of modern hybrids. This variety is known for its great taste and smooth texture for slicing, sandwiches or to eat fresh as it is. Gardeners love Brandy Boy for its high yields of big, pink fruits with plenty of juice for all your needs.
Brandy Boy is a great choice for a big harvest of big tomatoes. Its strong growth and high production makes it a favourite among gardeners who want both quality and quantity.
Beefmaster
Beefmaster is a favourite among gardeners for its many good qualities. Known for its strong flavour and meatiness, Beefmaster is great to eat sliced, in sandwiches, as part of your English breakfast or as a side dish on the BBQ. Big, heavy fruits and high yields make it a great choice for eating all season.
Beefmaster tomatoes have a rich, savoury flavour and are great for many uses, from fresh salads to cooked dishes, beefmaster tomatoes are versatile for a variety of recipes.
Bountiful
Bountiful lives up to its name with an abundance of fruit for the gardener. Balanced flavour and smooth texture make it great for fresh and cooking. This variety is vigorous and consistent in production, a favourite for home gardens and allotments.
Bountifuls sweet flavour and thick flesh makes it a great addition to your vegetable garden. Whether you eat them fresh off the vine or in your favourite recipe, these tomatoes will impress with flavour.
Buffalosun
Buffalosun shines with its bright colour and sweet flavour, a must have for tomato lovers. This variety combines the beauty of heirloom tomatoes with the toughness of hybrids, a taste and hardiness combination. Buffalosun is high production, big, golden-streaked fruits for salads, sandwiches or cooking.
Buffalosun with thin skin and robust flavour grows in full sun and is a great addition to any garden for many uses.
Burlesque
Burlesque is known for its great flavour and showy appearance. This variety produces round, smooth fruits with rich flavour for fresh, cooking or to add a touch of class to salads. Reliable and high production, Burlesque is a great choice for gardeners who want quality and performance in every harvest.
Burlesque has great flavour that stands out in salad tomato dishes or sauces. Their big show and good yields make them a great addition to your vegetable garden.
£1.59
Tomato Beefmaster produces extra large red fruit.....
Growth Habit - Short Cordon.
Average Packet Contents : 10 seeds
£1.79
A versatile cordon beefsteak variety perfect.....
Growth Habit - Indeterminate.
Average Packet Contents : 10 seeds
£1.79
Brandy Boy is a newly released hybrid version of the heirloom tomato - Brandywine.....
Growth Habit - Cordon.
Average Packet Contents : 10 seeds
£2.29
Buffalosun combines all the cherished qualities of heirlooms with the benefits of blight resistance!.....
Growth Habit - Cordon.
Average Packet Contents : 10 seeds
£1.99
Tomato Burlesque produces large vibrant red fruits.....
Growth Habit - Short Cordon.
Average Packet Contents : 10 seeds
£1.59
Produces good yields of 350g orange fruits.....
Growth Habit - Cordon.
Av. Packet Contents : 10 seeds
Growing Tips for Big Beefsteak Tomatoes
Growing beefsteak tomatoes can be fun but challenging. Big tomatoes need better conditions than smaller varieties because of their size and higher nutrient requirements. For areas with long season, Brandywine and Mortgage Lifter are great choices because of their strong growth and flavour. Choosing disease resistant varieties can also mean healthier plants and easier to maintain in areas where blight is common.
Success depends on several things: soil preparation and planting, watering and fertilising, and pruning and support. These are crucial for big yields of tomatoes.
Soil Preparation and Planting
Soil preparation and planting is the foundation of a good tomato crop. Choose a sunny spot in your vegetable garden, add compost or organic matter to make the soil rich and well draining.
Plant your seeds or seedlings with enough space, leave room for growth and air circulation. Remember, big tomato varieties like beefsteak tomatoes need lots of space to develop their root system.
Getting it right from the start sets you up for a big harvest.
Watering and Fertilising
Consistent watering is important for healthy beefsteak tomatoes, about one to two inches of water a week especially during fruiting. Keep the soil even moist to prevent cracking and other problems. Adding compost or organic matter before planting will enhance nutrient availability and support strong growth.
Fertilise every three weeks with an NPK of 6-24-24 or 8-32-16. Water at the base of the plants not overhead to minimise fungal diseases and keep your tomato plants healthy and productive.
Pruning and Support
Pruning and support is important for big tomatoes. Limit the number of flowers to three or four per truss for better fruiting. These tomatoes can grow up to 2 metres tall so they need strong support to stay upright and healthy.
If the tomato plant loses its leader, train a lower axillary shoot to be the new leader. Regular pruning will help maximise yield and keep the plant healthy so you get the best out of your tomato plants.
Disease Resistance in Big Tomato Varieties
Choosing disease resistant tomato varieties means big yields and healthy plants. Higher nutrient levels especially calcium and potassium is important for big tomato varieties. Consistent water supply will prevent blossom end rot and skin cracking.
Choosing vigorous varieties, especially F1 hybrids will enhance disease resistance and overall plant health. Bigger pots may be needed to accommodate the root system of these plants to support their growth and resilience.
Diseases and Prevention
Common diseases that affect tomato plants are blight and blossom end rot. Blight is characterised by wilting and dark spots on leaves which can spread fast and destroy your crop. To prevent these problems, good soil management and crop rotation is key.
Disease resistant tomato varieties will reduce the risk of blight and other diseases, and a healthier and more productive garden. Regular monitoring and optimal growing conditions will keep your tomato plants disease free.
Tomatoes for Greenhouse Growing
Big tomatoes love controlled greenhouse conditions, they will grow and produce more and extend the harvesting season. Heavy cropping cordon varieties will produce more and are suitable for greenhouse growing.
Greenhouses give you a stable environment to protect your plants from extreme weather and pests, making it easier to maintain consistent growing conditions. By choosing the right varieties for greenhouse growing you can have a continuous supply of tasty tomatoes all season.
Big Tomato Varieties
Adding big tomato varieties to your garden will add diversity and culinary interest. The Black Russian tomato is a late ripening variety with a smoky and sweet flavour. Having such unique varieties will add visual appeal to your garden and gourmet options for your meals.
Unique varieties like Black Russian will give you exceptional flavour and a talking point in your garden. Their different looks and tastes will be a valuable addition, with multiple uses and enjoyment.
Harvesting and Using Big Tomatoes
When to Pick
Pick tomatoes when they are full colour and slightly soft to the touch. They should be uniform in colour and yield to gentle pressure for best flavour. Morning picking is recommended to preserve the flavour and texture as it’s cooler.
By following these signs you will pick your tomatoes at their best and get the most flavour and nutrition.
Culinary Uses
Big tomatoes are very versatile in the kitchen, good for salads, grilling and sauces. Mortgage Lifter is high yielding and full of flavour perfect for pasta sauces or will add zest to your chicken dish. Costoluto Fiorentino tomatoes are great for slicing and using in sauces, they are great for many cooked dishes. Harvested tomatoes can be turned into delicious pizza sauces and show off their flavour.
Whether you eat them raw, slice them for sandwiches or cook them into soups and sauces big tomatoes will add flavour to any dish. They are a kitchen staple so you can enjoy them many ways.
Conclusion
In short growing big tomatoes can be a fun experience that will add to your garden and your culinary journey. From choosing the right varieties like Brandy Boy, Beefmaster and Bountiful to mastering soil preparation, watering and pruning you can get big yields of tasty tomatoes. Don’t forget to choose disease resistant varieties and consider greenhouse growing for best results.
We hope you try growing big tomatoes in your garden. With a little care and attention you’ll be rewarded with plenty of tasty, juicy tomatoes to add to your meals and impress your family and friends.
FAQs
What are the best big tomato varieties for a home garden?
- For a home garden Brandy Boy, Beefmaster and Bountiful are big tomato varieties that will give you amazing flavour and great yields. You’ll love the big growth and results!
What are the common diseases that affect big tomato varieties and how can I prevent them?
- To keep big tomato varieties healthy watch out for blight and blossom end rot. You can prevent these by good soil management, crop rotation, choosing disease resistant varieties and consistent watering with adequate calcium and potassium.
When to pick big tomatoes?
- Best time to pick big tomatoes is when they are full colour and slightly soft. Morning picking will preserve the flavour and texture.
Can I grow large tomatoes in a greenhouse?
- Absolutely, growing large tomatoes in a greenhouse is a great idea! The controlled environment helps them thrive, leading to better growth and more fruit.
