What's The Difference Between Determinate and ...

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There are thousands of tomato varieties in seed catalogs and nursery stock that can boggle the mind of the gardener who is attempting to make the right choice of tomatoes for their garden this year.  Knowing some of the basics will help make your choice of variety much easier and more enjoyable to grow.  

There are two main classifications of tomato growth habit that one needs to understand in order to determine the most suitable variety for their particular garden.  Keeping in mind that cultural practices, fertilization, group prep and watering needs are generally the same.  

 Determinate Tomatoes  

Determinate tomatoes have a predetermined genetic quality the causes the plant to:

• Have a bush like habit, often called "bush" tomatoes 

• The plant will grow vertically at first, and then stop and the remainder of growth will take place on the side shoots  

• Growth habit is approximately 4" tall or less

• Crop bearing is over the course of four or five weeks and then it is done    

• The plant requires minimal staking

• Tend to be more compact and manageable, but not always 

• Suitable for container planting and will perform well in 5 gal pots  

• Determinate Tomatoes do not require heavy pruning or sucker removal for good crop yield

• Examples of determinate tomato varieties are:  Rutgers, Roma Celebrity 

   

 

Indeterminate Tomatoes

Indeterminate tomatoes are distinguished by having the following features

:

  

• Often Called "

  vining

  " tomatoes because they will continue to flower and bear fruit over the course of the season until the plant is killed by frost

• Can grow 6" or more

• They require staking or caging for support

• Require removal of suckers, wait until two leaves develop before removing 

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• Plants with two or more stems produce more tomatoes with better foliage

  protection from the sun than plants with one stem. However, tomatoes pruned to one leader will bear earlier but with less yield over 

  all. Choose the stems you want to keep and pinch out the others as they develop. A dense leaf canopy may reduce the incidence of black mold and cracking but may increase the incidence of other fruit molds such as gray mold. 

• Look for packaging that says IND or INDET, or Indeterminate 

• Remember that hairloom varieties are not as resistant to disease as other varieties 

  Examples of Indeterminate Varieties Include:  Beefsteak, Goldie, Cherry, Early some heirloom

Resistant Varieties for both Determinate and Indeterminate Tomatoes include some of the following: 

A  Alternia (early blight) stem canker;, "VFN" indicates the variety is resistant to Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt (generally both races of the Fusarium wilt fungus), and root-knot nematodes. Varieties which carry a "T" designation are also resistant to tobacco mosaic virus, a disease which often causes problems for tomato gardeners. Some of the listed varieties are also resistant to other disease pests. Varieties which carry the designation "VF" only are resistant to Verticillium and Fusarium wilts. FF- fusarium races 1 and 2; FFF fusarium races 1,2, and 3; ST, stemphyleum, gray leaf spot;   

 Some examples with Nematode resistance include:    Park's Whopper Improved VFNT, , Better Boy VFN, Celebrity VFN

Bibliography: 

• 
  

  http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/CULTURAL/tompruning.html

• Infobytes newsletter was written by the late Dr. Frank Killebrew, Extension Specialist. Mar , http://msucares.com/newsletters/pests/infobytes/.htm

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When describing a tomato plant as &#;Indeterminate&#;, it refers to the plant&#;s growth habit. Indeterminate tomatoes are most often called vine type or vining type. They are also known as cordon type, which means they are grown on a single stem with trusses of fruits at regular intervals. They need to be supported on a stake, cane or a vertical string or wire attached to a horizontal support and fixed top and bottom. An indeterminate tomato plant will keep growing until it is either stopped by removing the growing tip or climate conditions become unfavourable. 

Indeterminate tomatoes are more likely to be grown under cover, although they can be grown outdoors and restricted to about 4 trusses. There are many more varieties of indeterminate tomatoes than determinate varieties but just to add to any confusion, some tomato varieties can be classed as semi-determinate, having characteristics of both types. Then to complicate matters further, some cherry tomato varieties can be classed as determinate and some as indeterminate. However, generally it&#;s better, and easier, if we just think of indeterminate tomatoes as those that need supports and need to have their side shoots removed.

Why choose to grow indeterminate tomatoes? 

Determinate tomatoes, that is the smaller bush type, will provide quality tomatoes quite early in the growing season but usually, in much smaller quantities. Indeterminate plants however, can provide a succession of high quality tomatoes, over a longer period, which are larger and have a higher yield. With so many varieties to choose from, indeterminate tomatoes offer a wide range of sizes, colours and types such as plum, cherry, oxheart, beefsteak and grape. Colours can range from red, orange, yellow, striped and even black. 

Indeterminate tomatoes are best suited for slicing and adding to sandwiches or for salads. They can however, be used in a large range of dishes and served fresh, grilled, fried, added to soups and also made into ketchup. Whichever way you choose to cook and eat them, indeterminate tomatoes can be harvested and enjoyed right up until the first frosts and a little beyond providing they have sufficient protection such as a greenhouse. Those grown outdoors will take much longer to mature, hence the reason to restrict the number of trusses.

Best Indeterminate Tomato Seeds Varieties at SimplySeed.

Its easy to grow your own tomatoes from tomato seeds. We have selected a range of the best indeterminate tomatoes below:

Some disadvantages to growing indeterminate tomatoes

These can only be compared to the advantages of growing the determinate bush type tomatoes but for many growers, the main advantages of growing indeterminate far outweigh any disadvantages. Nevertheless, the disadvantages are having to regularly pinch out any side shoots. Also, having to tie the plants to their supports on a regular basis. With indeterminate plants growing so fast and so tall, they will also need regular feeding and watering. With greenhouse grown plants, there is the risk of attack from whitefly and red spider mite.

The main disadvantage of growing indeterminate tomatoes outdoors is that it can take a long time for the fruits to mature, especially if the summer months are cooler or wetter than normal. The longer the fruits take to mature the higher the risk of infection from mildew, blight and leafspot. Always try to ensure plants can benefit from full sun. Otherwise, all other requirements, such as watering and feeding are the same as any other tomatoes.

What's your favourite indeterminate tomato to grow, and why? Leave a comment below and let everyone know....

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