Big Beef is a determinate, no? That would explain why they all came on at once. Nice harvest!

This year, I am planting 45 plants in Spring and then another 25 plants 9 weeks later, so I can stagger my harvest. It also might help me beat the problem of the Spring crop getting so beat up and tired from the heat. My Fall crop will be going out into the garden in about 10 days.

Big beef is indeterminate. Growth, blooming, fruiting is compressed due to the climate. My selection of plants with similar maturation times compounded the problem . I have not solved the second planting riddle. Right now I would need to dig up more backyard, as I am out of planting space. Hard to justify with 325 tomatoes on the vines. I would hate to dig up and prepare space just to hand the second batch of tomatoes over to the stink bugs.

Do you start your fall crop from seed or from existing plant cuttings?

I start both crops from seed, as the Fall crop I select mainly early fruiting varieties. My Spring crop is made up of all types and all maturation rates.

Thanks. I have some late bloomers/fruiters from spring planting. Mortgage lifter has three small fruits, my lone Brandywine finally managed to set one fruit. I have a German stripe with one fruit, and a mr. Stripey that is the largest healthiest plant I have but without a single fruit. These plants are in danger. Conditions will transform in about three weeks into a hot humid bug infested mess. I doubt the fruit will make it. I may run an experiment to see what fall gardening is like.