Dutch tomato “Big Beef F1”: what summer residents think about the Dutch hybrid and tips on growing

Big Beef f1 tomatoes are a product of Dutch breeding work that has received recognition in many countries. Ideal for growing in greenhouse conditions. The culture is characterized by early ripening, large fruits with fleshy and sugary pulp, and disease resistance.

In this material we will talk about the nuances of growing tomatoes in greenhouses, the advantages and disadvantages of the hybrid.

Description and characteristics

Indeterminate hybrid Big Beef f1 was developed by the Dutch company Monsanto for cultivation in greenhouses and greenhouses. It was included in the State Register of Russia in 2008.

Plants are spreading, powerful, with a lot of leaves.

In the photo there is a bush of tomatoes Beef Big f1.

Distinctive characteristics table.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of a hybrid:

• earlier maturation;
• Possibility of ripening in a cool room;
• excellent transportability;
• pleasant taste due to the large amount of sucrose;
• dense skin does not crack;
• long shelf life;
• resistance to nightshade diseases and low temperatures.

Among the disadvantages is the need for stepson for forming a bush into one stem and garter.

Growing seedlings

Sowing work begins in late February-early March 55-60 days before planting in the ground. Pre-prepare containers and soil.

Soil preparation and sowing

Hybrid seeds do not need to be treated with anything; the manufacturer has taken care of this.

For sowing, universal soil for seedlings or prepared with your own hands is suitable.. To do this take:

• 1 part peat;
• 1 part humus;
• 1 part turf;
• 1 part river sand;
• 1 tbsp. l. wood ash;
• 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate.

It is advisable to disinfect the soil by heating it in the oven or watering with a solution of potassium permanganate. Next, the substrate is moistened and filled into containers 5-7 cm high with drainage holes at the bottom to drain excess water.

Make grooves 1.5 cm deep in the soil and lay out the seeds at intervals of 2 cm. Sprinkle a 1 cm layer of soil on top, water with a syringe and cover with polyethylene. The containers are placed in a dark place, the film is removed daily for 15-20 minutes for ventilation. Shoots appear at a temperature of +22 °C after five days, at 25 °C after three days.

For sowing seeds, a method that does not involve picking is often used.. To do this, take special thick bags from gardening stores or tall plastic glasses. Fill the containers with soil and lay out two seeds. Cover with film and wait for shoots.

Seedling care

When sowing seeds in general containers, sprouts are dropped into peat cups or other containers after 4-5 true leaves appear. The seedlings are placed on a windowsill with sufficient lighting.

If the seed was immediately sown in separate glasses, from the two sprouts that appear, the strongest is selected and the weak is removed. The soil is replenished as the seedlings grow.

The optimal temperature for the growth of strong seedlings is +20 °C during the day, and +15 °C at night. If there is not enough light, install phytolamps. The longer the daylight hours, the better - the seedlings do not stretch out and gain strength faster.

The soil is moistened moderately using a syringe. or a syringe, pouring water under the root.

Before planting in the ground, tomatoes are hardened. Every day, the seedlings are taken out into fresh air and left for two hours. The time is gradually increased to 24 hours.

About other varieties of large-fruited tomatoes:

Why is the Beef Pink Brandy F1 tomato so good?

Large-fruited sweet tomatoes “Pink Giant”

Agricultural technology of tomatoes

Hybrid Big Beef grows best in loamy or sandy loam, breathable soil.. Tomatoes need constant care: pinching, watering, fertilizing, preventing diseases and pests.

Landing in the ground

Before “relocating” tomato seedlings to a permanent place, are preparing the soil in the greenhouse. The top layer is removed (5-10 cm), the remaining soil is disinfected with copper sulfate (1 tbsp per 10 liters of water). Next, the soil is loosened, the weeds are struck and 6 kg of humus per 1 m² is added.

Planting is done in cloudy weather or after sunset. Optimum soil temperature +12 °C +15 °C. Remember that tomatoes cannot be planted in cold soil. The roots do not develop and rot, which negatively affects the growth of the crop.Holes for seedlings are dug to a depth of 10-15 cm and filled with boiling water or a hot dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. The seedlings are carefully examined and the lower leaves are removed.

Advice. The ideal place for planting tomatoes is soil in which legumes, cabbage, carrots or beets were previously grown.

The distance between seedlings should not exceed 30 cm, between rows - 70 cm. The plants are watered abundantly and immediately tied into supports.

Watering and care

To water the plants, use warm, settled water and follow the:

• before the flowers appear - once a week (5 l);
• during flowering - every three days (3 l);
• when tomatoes appear - once every seven days.

After watering, the soil is loosened, the greenhouse is ventilated, but drafts are not allowed.

During the growing season of plants, fertilizing is applied 3-4 times, following the following scheme:

1. For the first time, prepare a solution of mullein in a ratio of 1:10, add nitrogen. This is necessary for intensive leaf growth.
2. The second portion of fertilizer is applied after 14-20 days. For 10 liters of water take 20 g of potassium salt and superphosphate. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers stimulate metabolism and improve the taste of tomatoes.
3. During the flowering period, fertilize with boric acid (take 2 g of substance per 2 liters of water). The leaves are irrigated with a solution to accelerate the formation of ovaries.
4. During fruiting, potassium-phosphorus fertilizer is re-applied.

Big Beef is formed into one stem by weekly pinching the stepsons growing from the leaf axils. Such manipulations allow you to obtain a bountiful harvest and prevent overcrowding. 7-8 brushes are left on the bushes, the tops are tied to supports.

Prevention of diseases and pests

The Dutch hybrid is immune to fusaoria, verticillium, cladosporiosis and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). But it is not always possible to protect tomatoes from late blight. This is all due to non-compliance with the rules of agricultural technology: excessive watering, high humidity in the greenhouse, excess nitrogen in the soil.

The disease can be recognized by these signs:

• brown spots on leaves, fruits and stems;
• whitish edge on the back of the leaf;
• deformation of tomatoes.

Proper care and preventive measures can prevent infection. To do this, in the fall, greenhouses are disinfected using sulfur bombs, and after planting the seedlings, the soil is mulched with sawdust, and the soil is disinfected with copper sulfate.

Fight with late blight help:

• microbiological preparations “Fitosporin”, “Trichodermin”;
• chemicals “Bravo”, “Ditan”, “Ridomil Gold”.

Folk remedies work no less effectively:

• ash (pour 300 g into 1.5 liters, bring to a boil, strain through cheesecloth, bring the volume to 10 liters and add 20 g of soap shavings);
• hay (1 kg of rotten raw materials and a handful of urea are soaked in 10 liters of water for 3 days);
• copper sulfate (2 g of substance, 200 g of soap shavings added to 10 liters of water).

Tomatoes attract pests: aphids, mole crickets, whiteflies, spider mites, slugs.

Get rid of from aphids, tick, whiteflies Flumite, Borneo, and Fitoverm products will help. Products based on onion peels, garlic, ash, and tobacco are highly effective.

Recipes for folk remedies:

• 400 g of chopped garlic, pour 1 liter of water, leave for 5 days;
• Pour 300-400 g of tobacco shag into 10 liters of boiling water, leave for two days;
• Grate 100 g of tar soap and dissolve in 10 liters of water;
• chop a bunch of celandine, pour in 5 liters of warm water, strain after 24 hours and bring the volume to 10 liters;
• Pour 50 g of ash, 25 ml of liquid soap into 10 liters of water and mix.

Slugs are collected manually or the plants are treated with ammonia solution (2 tbsp., l., ammonia per 5 liters of settled water).

Reviews from gardeners

Beef tomatoes require constant care, so not all gardeners, especially beginners, dare to grow them. But those who have already tried it are satisfied with the result.

Anna, Davydovka village, Voronezh region.: “I’ve been eyeing this Dutch miracle for a long time and last year I decided to plant several bushes in the greenhouse. The germination of the seeds is excellent, the sprouts hatched after 4 days. Fruiting is abundant, the tomatoes are large, juicy and aromatic. I once tried to grow it in open ground, but unfortunately, it didn’t work out. The summer turned out to be rainy and cold. The bushes were affected by late blight and had to be dug up and burned.”.

Victor, Gukovo, Rostov region.: “I have been growing Big Beef for four years in a row for my own consumption. The bushes are tall, reaching 2 m in a greenhouse, and require staking. The fruits are large, the pulp is fleshy and very sweet. The maximum weight reached 700 g. Tomatoes are delicious fresh; we also prepare sauces and juice from them.”.

Natalya, Bolshoye Kozino village, Nizhny Novgorod region.: “Big Beef is one of the favorites in my area. With proper care, fruiting continues until frost. Tomatoes can be harvested at the stage of technical ripeness, and they will ripen quietly in foam trays.”.

Conclusion

The characteristics and description of the hybrid from Holland attracts many gardeners.Reviews about Big Beef tomatoes are mostly positive - summer residents are satisfied with the keeping quality, excellent taste, high seed germination, and disease resistance.

Timely moderate watering, fertilizing, and proper formation of the bush into one stem allow you to harvest until the onset of frost.