The Gardening Secret I Never Knew

I grew up with a gardening dad, but he kept a secret I never discovered until it came time for me to plant my own tomato plants.  

I had to admit the sad truth that I didn't know that I would have to choose between a determinate or an indeterminate tomato plant. Who knew? And what the heck is the difference! 

Well, there's quite a bit of difference and, for me, it boils down to how you use them. So, in case there's anyone else out there in the gardening world who has yet to discover that they too will have to make a choice, let me give you a heads up. (You can thank me with a big Beefsteak tomato sandwich later.) 

Determinate tomato plants, or "bush" tomatoes, grow to about 4 feet tall and produce their crop all at once. Think of it this way: they grow to a determined height, for a determined amount of time. 

Photo Credit: pippalou, Morguefile

(Tomatoes from a determinate plant ripen at the same time.)

Indeterminate tomato plants, or "vining" tomatoes, will grow 6 - 10 feet tall and continue producing until killed off by frost. All season long they grow, you harvest, they grow some more, you harvest again, etc. You will probably need to prop them up for support and even prune them or remove their suckers to keep them growing. 

Photo Credit: lauramusikanski, Morguefile

(Tomatoes from an indeterminate plant ripen at different times.)

Which One Should You Choose?

In choosing which tomato plants to grow, my advice to you is to first decide HOW you want to use the tomatoes you are growing. 

If you are into food preservation such as canning and dehydrating your tomatoes, then determinate plants are a good choice. They produce all at once and that's it. They're gone. You can get your canning done and over with, out of the way for the summer. 

If you like to have tomatoes fresh off the vine all summer and early fall before the first frost, then go for indeterminate plants. They will continue to produce and you will be a happy camper with all of these incredibly fresh tomatoes for salads, sandwiches, soups, and snacks. 

Whichever you choose (or both), give them plenty of air and space to grow. They don't like to be bunched up too much. Check often for disease and pests and use organic mulch and compost to keep them well hydrated and healthy. Plant them a bit away from each other so the indeterminate tomato plants don't block the sun from the shorter determinate plants. 

Tomatoes are a garden favorite because grocery store tomatoes don't have much--or any--flavor or nutrients. They are often picked weeks before they are ripe. A ripe tomato will have the most vitamin impact and certainly tastes its absolute BEST right off the vine. 

So, which will you choose? 

Happy tomato gardening!