How do Tomato types grow?

[pigletwillie]

This is for those beginners who are not sure what type of tomato plant they may have and how they grow.

INDETERMINATE
Or cordon varieties, these are plants that should be trained up a cane or string and have side shoots pinched out leaving one main central stem. These plants can grow very tall and should be stopped by pinching out the tip when they have produced around five trusses of fruit.

Indeterminate varieties include

Shirley
Romana
Alicante
Aisa Craig

Plus many more

DETERMINATE

Or bush type, these are plants that are grown as a bush and as such they may need mulching underneath to keep the fruit free from mud as they tend to sprawl but are fairly self supporting. They have many branched stems and are lower gowing than cordons. Just let them get on with it. Trailing varieties are just a trailing bush types that form a few stems suitable for growing in baskets or troughs.

Varieties include

San Marzano
Roma

Plus many more

SEMI DETERMINATE

These plants swing both ways and are basically a bush that grows a bit more upright and may need tying to a cane to give it a bit of support. In all other respects they are pretty much treated like bush varieties but can be pruned to keep under control.

Varieties include

Marmande amongst others.


Cordons lend themselves for greenhouse growing although this is not exclusive and they may be grown outside.

Bush and Semi bush types are best grown outside as their sprawling growth can encouage botrytus if grown in a greenhouse with less than adequate ventilation although again, this is not exclusive and they can be grown under cover.

[shirlthegirl43]

Cheers for that Pigletwillie. I have two brandywine seedlings which popped their heads through the soil this morning. Which category are they please?

[Lesley Jay]

Thanks Piglet. I shall put a sticky on it so the information is available this summer.

[Lesley Jay]

Shirl Brandywine grow like a cordon but can be left as a bush so that would make them Semi Determinate.

[pigletwillie]

Brandywine are a cordon Shirl.

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks folks, would have treated them as cordon as that is the only way I ever saw toms growing!!!

[Alison]

First year my bruv grew tomatoes he had cordon type but didn't realise you had to remove the side shoots - had a very over crowded greenhouse that year but at least it was an occaision when I could advise my supposedly older and more knowledgeable brother and he learnt pretty quickly.

[kirsty b]

Piglet.
I'm growing supersteak this year and if I am successful and I get fruit, am I right in thinking they are going to need a fair bit of support as the fruits can get pretty heavy? I've never grown a big variety before

Kirsty

[pigletwillie]

Its always a good idea to support any plant with a weighty crop Kirsty. Keep an eye on them when they start to swell and you will be able to decide if they warrant extra support or not.

[kirsty b]

Thanks Piglet.

[JennieAtkinson]

I noticed the other night PW on the Victoria Veg Garden programme, they had their tomato canes angled in over the path, just as you recommended in another post.

Do I get a gold star for noticing that ?

[pigletwillie]

Two stars Jennie, The old ideas are still sometimes the best.

[Geordie]

If you have kids you might like to try this, put a small box (about the size of a red nose box if you buy one) around the fruit, when its really small. The tomato will grow square!