Bobcat versus Big Beef?

[Cole_Robbie]

The new Territorial catalog has Bobcat. I was looking at it and wondering if anyone has grown both Bobcat and Big Beef together and can compare them? I don't like most hybrids, so I'm skeptical of new ones, but I do like Big Beef. Both it and Bobcat were developed by the same company, Syngenta.

If Bobcat has the flavor of Big Beef, it looks very promising. But if it tastes like a typical market grower hybrid, I don't want it.

[MikeInCypress]

Bobcat is determinate or semi determinate while Big Beef is indeterminate.

MikeInCypress

[Cole_Robbie]

And that's largely why I'm interested in it. I'm thinking it would be good for early and late plantings. My Big Beef keep setting fruit all year, but they get tiny by the end of the season.

I just wonder if Bobcat tastes similar to Big Beef. I hate growing varieties that I don't think taste good.

[zero244]

I cant answer your question since I have not grown ether one. I was considering getting some Big Beef seeds myself and decided to order some Grandaddy seeds.
It is a Det Hybrid as well. But I thought is looked promising and it is a Det.
Grandaddy seems very close to Big Beef without the indeterminate growth habit.

[Cole_Robbie]

Someone on the gardenweb forums told me they grew Bobcat and did not like the flavor at all. They said it was not anything like Big Beef. I will probably pass.

[Salsacharley]

Why not grow one or two Bobcat just to see how it works for you? That wouldn't be much risk.

[RJGlew]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

...but I do like Big Beef. Both it and Bobcat were developed by the same company, Syngenta.

Big Beef Hybrid was Colen Wyatt from Seminis Seed.

[Cole_Robbie]

sorry. I get Seminis and Syngenta mixed up.

[RJGlew]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

sorry. I get Seminis and Syngenta mixed up.

NP - credit where credit is due for a fantastic product. I always grow Big Beef F1, even though in some years I am lucky to ripen even a single one on the vine. 3A gardening sure stinks.

Can't be that bad, eh? Check out Jeff Casey's record of the 2014 growing season in photos/video at the very bottom of his page (he is also 3A, a few miles north of where I am):

http://www.caseysheirloomtomatoes.ca...Catalogue.html

[Cole_Robbie]

I like it a lot, too. I order 500 or so Big Beef seeds every spring. I tell market customers that it is the tomato to grow if they only grow one variety.

[RJGlew]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I like it a lot, too. I order 500 or so Big Beef seeds every spring. I tell market customers that it is the tomato to grow if they only grow one variety.

That would be good advice - you are certainly doing them a favour. Are you a commercial grower, or selling as an individual at the market?

[Cole_Robbie]

I'm just a market vendor with my family. My grandparents started going when I was a kid, thirty years ago. One of these days, maybe I will get to call myself a commercial grower. I'm getting there...slowly.

[Tapout]

I to would like to find a non Monsanto big beef alternative with the same taste and resistances, but to this date I have found none. A few were on par with taste but not as resistant. I despise Monsanto and all they stand for, if Satan were to own a seed company it would be called Monsanto.

[Cole_Robbie]

I received some Big Beef OP seeds a few weeks ago in a swap. I look forward to trying them.

[Tapout]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I received some Big Beef OP seeds a few weeks ago in a swap. I look forward to trying them.

I am going to go with the hybrid Big Beef this year, but I am interested in how well your OP variety turns out. Are you going to do a side by side comparison of the plants?