Tomatoes are among the most rewarding plants to grow in any edible garden. They don’t require much upkeep, yet they provide generous harvests that can be enjoyed fresh or added to countless recipes. Before you get started, though, it’s important to choose the right type of tomatoes for your space and needs. This is where the debate of Determinate vs Indeterminate Tomatoes comes in. Each variety has a distinct growth pattern—one produces its entire crop within a short window, while the other continues setting fruit all season long. To better understand these differences, here are some insights from our gardening experts.
Indeterminate Tomatoes
Unlike bush varieties, indeterminate tomatoes keep growing taller and producing new flowers and fruits all season long. They won’t stop until the first frost arrives and ends their cycle.
Supporting
Indeterminate tomatoes may grow up to 12 feet tall, though most average around six feet. Because of their vigorous growth, they need strong, oversized cages or sturdy stakes for proper support. Some varieties grow so aggressively that regular tomato cages collapse under their weight.
Look for cages at least four feet high and reinforce them with wood or bamboo stakes for stability. Wooden stakes, metal rebar, and additional twine or twist ties also work well to keep tall vines upright.
Pruning
Prune suckers regularly on indeterminate tomatoes to keep plants manageable. Never remove a sucker located directly beneath a blossom, as this disrupts growth and lowers your overall harvest.
Cut back heavy foliage when necessary so the fruit gets enough direct sunlight to ripen evenly.
Harvesting
These plants usually ripen later than determinate types, since they spend more time reaching height before setting fruit. Once they begin producing, though, they deliver a consistent harvest over the entire season.
Monitor nightly temperatures carefully as the season ends. If frost is expected, harvest all fruit, including green tomatoes. Place them in brown paper bags or on a sunny windowsill to finish ripening indoors.
Varieties
Many tomato varieties in the garden trade are indeterminate, including popular types like heirloom, cherry, and dwarf tomatoes. Well-known choices include ‘Beefsteak,’ ‘Big Boy,’ ‘Brandywine,’ ‘Sungold,’ and ‘Sweet Million.’
Some early producers, such as ‘Early Girl,’ also fall under the indeterminate category. Because this variety matures sooner and dies back earlier, gardeners often call it semi-determinate.
Here are a few more indeterminate hybrids worth growing:
- Better Boy: A beefsteak variety producing 10- to 16-ounce fruits about 75 days after planting.
- Big Beef: Another beefsteak tomato, yielding 10- to 12-ounce fruits in roughly 73 days.
- Big Boy: Produces 10- to 16-ounce fruits around 78 days after planting.
- Juliet: An elongated cherry tomato that delivers 1-ounce fruits in about 60 days.
- Sun Sugar: A cherry tomato producing 1-ounce golden-orange fruits about 62 days after planting.
Determinate Tomatoes
Determinate tomatoes ripen all at once, and once harvested, the plant won’t produce more fruit. They usually grow about four feet tall, making them perfect for smaller gardens or containers. Compact and dwarf varieties are also available.
Many sauce tomatoes fall into this category. Since the entire crop ripens together, they’re ideal for cooking or canning in large batches.
Supporting
Determinate plants still need stakes for stability, especially during heavy summer storms. Unlike indeterminate vines that require ongoing adjustments, determinate tomatoes usually do fine with the initial support you provide.
Because the branches can get weighed down with fruit, proper staking prevents plants from toppling over or snapping under the load.
Pruning
Pruning isn’t necessary for determinate varieties since they naturally stop growing once they reach their set size. Removing suckers actually reduces the yield, so it’s best to leave them intact.
Harvesting
These tomatoes ripen their entire crop within a short window, often just two weeks. After that, the plants lose strength and rarely set more fruit.
Varieties
- Celebrity: A semi-determinate hybrid globe tomato that reaches 3 to 4 feet tall. It produces 8- to 10-ounce fruits about 70 days after planting and continues until frost.
- San Marzano Nano: A compact version of the traditional San Marzano, this Roma-style heirloom plum tomato stays small but delivers juicy, flavorful fruits perfect for cooking.
- Amish Paste: A medium pear-shaped heirloom tomato weighing 8 to 12 ounces. Its sweet flavor makes it great for canning, cooking, or slicing. You can also save seeds after harvest for replanting.
- Marglobe: An heirloom variety that ripens in about 75 days and has firm flesh resistant to cracking and bruising.
- Rutgers: A determinate plant that starts with a heavy early crop of flavorful, disease-resistant fruits and often produces a few more flushes later in the season.
The Best Type to Grow
The tomatoes you choose will depend on your space and what kind of harvest you prefer. If you have a small garden or want one big crop for preserving, determinate varieties are the better fit. If you’d rather enjoy a steady supply of fresh tomatoes all season, indeterminate types are the way to go. Many gardeners plant both to enjoy the best of each, especially when learning how to grow tomato plants+ successfully.
