TOMATOES

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DETERMINATE TOMATO PLANTS:

Self Topping. Produce over a short period of time. Can be grown in large containers.

Determinate tomatoes are varieties that grow to a fixed mature size and ripen all their fruit in a short period. Once this first flush of fruit has ripened, the plant will begin to diminish in vigor and will set little to no new fruit. Determinate tomato varieties are often referred to as “bush” tomatoes because they do not continue extending in length throughout the growing season. They are generally smaller plants than indeterminate tomatoes, with most growing to a compact 4 to 5 feet tall.

INDETERMINATE TOMATO PLANTS:

Continues to grow and produce fruit over a long period of time. Must be staked or caged.

Unlike determinate tomatoes that hit their mature height and set all their fruit at once, indeterminate tomato varieties are vining plants that continue to extend in length throughout the growing season. This is why you will sometimes see them referred to as "vining" tomatoes. Indeterminate tomato varieties also continue to set and ripen fruit throughout the growing season until frost kills the plants. They will give you a slow and steady supply of tomatoes, rather than one large harvest. However, they tend to start ripening a little later in the season than determinate varieties because they first spend a good amount of time growing tall.