They are often referred to as “vining” tomatoes, although they cannot wrap themselves around a trellis the gardener must tie their stems by hand. As a result, fruit is produced continually and ripens over an extended period. These types of tomatoes do not produce terminal clusters of flowers, so the stems continue to grow until they are killed by frost. Indeterminate tomatoes grow and produce flowers all season. So, these types of tomatoes grow well in containers and, because of their concentrated ripening, are well-suited for processing. Also, their compact growth habit makes them easier to protect from frost using techniques such as frost cloths and “walls of water” (see “Water rings and tepees,” page 7).īecause of their branching and flowering characteristics, determinate cultivars tend to be fairly short (3 to 4 feet tall) and bushy. This type of tomato is a good choice for a cold-climate area because it matures early. As a result, determinate plants tend to ripen their fruit over a short period, usually just a couple of weeks. The main shoots and branches grow vigorously and then produce flower clusters at their tips, which stop further stem growth and allow the plant to begin ripening the fruit. Determinateĭeterminate tomatoes have several main stems that produce side shoots freely.
Growth habit determines the size of the plant, the pattern of fruit ripening, and the type of plant support and pruning the plant requires. Tomatoes fall into three categories of growth habit: determinate, indeterminate, or semi-determinate.
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