White Beefsteak tomato plant with ripe fruit

How to Grow White Beefsteak Tomato From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

White Beefsteak is a striking heirloom slicer that ripens to a soft, creamy ivory instead of the usual red. It is an indeterminate (vining) tomato that grows tall and keeps producing all season, so it needs staking or caging and plenty of room. The large, meaty beefsteak fruit is prized for its very mild, sweet, low-acid flavor, one of the gentlest-tasting tomatoes in the garden. Grow it for pale, tender slices and for a beautiful contrast on a mixed-color tomato platter.

This is the quick guide to White Beefsteak. For the full step-by-step on starting seeds, transplanting, feeding, and troubleshooting tomatoes, see our complete guide to growing tomatoes from seed.

Quick start

Start White Beefsteak seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost, keeping them warm at 70 to 80F until they sprout. Transplant only after all danger of frost has passed and the soil is at least 60F, setting each plant deep so two-thirds of the stem is buried. Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart and give every vine a sturdy stake or tall cage, since this is a tall, all-season indeterminate. Expect the first large, pale creamy ivory beefsteaks about 85 days after transplant.

Best tip

White Beefsteak is prized for its very mild, low-acid flavor, so let the fruit ripen fully to a soft ivory before picking for the sweetest taste. In cooler summers, choose your warmest, sunniest spot to help this later-maturing beefsteak finish before frost.

At a glance

Botanical nameSolanum lycopersicum

Plant typeWarm-season annual (indeterminate)

USDA zones3 to 12 (grown as an annual)

SunFull sun (6 to 8+ hours)

Days to maturity85 days from transplant

Height6 to 8+ feet (indeterminate)

Spacing24 to 36 inches apart

WaterDeep and even; 1 to 2 inches a week

Uses

White Beefsteak's mild, low-acid flesh makes gentle, pale slices for sandwiches and salads, and its soft color is striking on a mixed tomato platter. It is a good choice for anyone who finds standard tomatoes too tart.

Frequently asked questions

How long does White Beefsteak tomato take to grow?

White Beefsteak is ready to pick about 85 days after transplant. Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost, then set plants out once the soil is warm, and this later-maturing heirloom ripens through mid to late summer.

Is White Beefsteak determinate or indeterminate?

White Beefsteak is an indeterminate (vining) tomato that keeps growing and setting fruit all season until frost. Plants reach 6 to 8+ feet, so give each one a tall stake or sturdy cage and space them 24 to 36 inches apart.

What color and flavor is a White Beefsteak tomato?

White Beefsteak ripens to a pale, creamy ivory rather than true white, with large, meaty beefsteak fruit. The flavor is notably mild, sweet, and low in acid, making it one of the gentlest-tasting tomatoes you can grow.

What is White Beefsteak best used for?

Its mild, low-acid flesh makes pale, gentle slices for sandwiches and salads, and the soft ivory color is striking on a mixed tomato platter. It is a great pick for anyone who finds standard tomatoes too tart.

Ready to grow your own White Beefsteak? Start with a multi-variety tomato pack, then follow our complete guide to growing tomatoes from seed for every step from sowing to harvest.

Tomato White Beefsteak SeedsHeirloom, non-GMOHeirloom White Beefsteak — pale, mild, and remarkably low-acid slicers.$4.99

View product

Want more tomatoes? These value packs pair White Beefsteak with other varieties:

14 Unique Tomato and Tomatillo Variety Pack14 tomato & tomatillo varietiesFourteen heirloom tomatoes and tomatillos in one pack — the easiest way to grow a whole rainbow of varieties.$19.99$16.99

View product

14 Herbs & Veggies Salsa Mix Seeds Variety Pack14 salsa-garden varietiesEverything for homemade salsa in one pack: tomatoes, peppers, onion, cilantro, and more.$19.99$17.49

View product

20 Vegetable Seeds Variety Pack20 vegetable varietiesA full vegetable garden in one pack, tomatoes included, plus nineteen more garden staples.$21.99$17.99

View product

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.