How to Grow Red Beefsteak Tomatoes
- 1). Select a site for planting the tomatoes. Make your selection in the fall before the planting season. The site should receive full sun and have good drainage, meaning that it does not collect standing water after a rain. Do not select a site that held tomatoes, eggplant, peppers or any variety of potatoes within the last year because these plants share tomato diseases.
- 2). Spread a layer of wood ash over the site at a rate of 10 lbs. per 300 square feet. This will lift the potassium levels in the soil, as well as the pH. Spread a 2-inch layer of organic compost over the wood ash. Turn the amendments into the soil with a garden tiller at a depth of 6 inches.
- 3). Remove any weeds from the planting site with a garden hoe. Do your weeding in the early spring, after the last frost has passed and the soil begins to warm.
- 4). Insert the seeds into the soil in the early spring. The depth at which you sew red beefsteak tomatoes will depend on the variety you select, but in general you should sew seeds twice as deep as the seed is wide. Space the seeds 6 inches apart. Water until the soil settles. Place a 2-inch layer of organic mulch loosely over the soil to keep it warm.
- 5). Water frequently enough to keep the soil moist to the touch. Wait for the tomatoes to reach 6 inches in height, then insert a garden stake next to each seedling at a depth of 3 to 4 inches. Use a twist tie to loosely secure the plants to their stakes. Staking the tomatoes reduces pest and disease issues.
- 6). Continue watering regularly to keep the soil moist. Water in the early morning, and apply the water directly to the soil. Avoid wetting the leaves. The plants should produce fruit by late summer.
Source...