Determinate vs Indeterminate Tomatoes: Which is Best for Your Garden?

If you’re new to growing tomatoes, understanding the differences between determinate vs. indeterminate tomatoes is paramount to your success.

Both have unique growth patterns and will be most productive when their precise needs are met. Join us for our top tips to help your tomato plants thrive — no matter which type you choose!

What are determinate tomatoes? Determinate tomatoes, including bush varieties, mature rapidly and remain compact. Let's examine these popular plants in detail:

How to grow determinate tomatoes ? Determinate tomatoes thrive in pots, ideal for container gardening. Smaller than indeterminate types, they can survive with a standard tomato cage but may need extra support when fruiting.

How to prune determinate tomatoes - Determinate tomatoes need minimal pruning. No need to remove suckers between stems as they stop growing after fruit production.

Harvesting determinate tomatoes

Expect a bountiful harvest with these tomatoes. Fruits ripen in 2-3 weeks, leading to plant decline. Consider determinate type for canning or preserving.

What are indeterminate tomatoes?

Unlike determinate tomatoes, indeterminate types keep growing, flowering, and bearing fruit until weather or frosts end their life cycle.These types of tomatoes can reach heights of 10 to 15 feet when left to grow freely. Let's explore these tomato varieties further:

How to grow indeterminate tomatoes

Indeterminate tomatoes prefer warm temperatures and need ample sunlight, and they can be cultivated from seeds or starter plants. When starting from seeds, position them horizontally or at a 45-degree angle in a well-lit, sunny location to promote upward growth towards the sun.

Indeterminate varieties can be started from seed, outside or indoors. Make sure to plant outdoors after the final frost of the season.(you can Find USDA plant hardiness zone here) You may also use a seed starter tray and transplant the seedlings once they’ve grown to an appropriate size. Because they can grow extremely tall, indeterminates will need robust trellises or wooden stakes for support. 

How to prune indeterminate tomatoes

Vining tomatoes require regular pruning. Pinch back suckers, trim stems and leaves for sunlight and airflow.

Harvesting indeterminate tomatoes

Indeterminate tomato plants provide growers with a consistent fruit supply throughout the entire season. These varieties ripen later in the season due to their growth patterns. Therefore, plants may produce fruit well into late summer or early autumn, necessitating attention to nightly temperatures.

Harvest fruits when fully ripe; in case of frost danger, pick even if green. You can always leave any green tomatoes you harvest on the windowsill or in a brown paper bag to continue ripening off the vine.

Selecting determinate tomatoes for your garden

 In planning your garden, consider these determinate tomato varieties:

San Marzano

San Marzano tomatoes are globally recognized for the robust flavor they bring to many traditional Italian dishes. Plum-shaped and approximately 4 inches in length, these fruits are ideal for making a hearty tomato sauce. Explore the various sub-varieties available to select the perfect one.

Celebrity

Celebrity tomatoes are known for their great taste and disease resistance. Common problems, like tobacco mosaic virus, fusarium wilt, and nematodes, are less likely to destroy your crop with this variety. 

Floridade

Floridade is an excellent choice for a determinate tomato that flourishes in hot, humid climates. This heirloom tomato is firm and flavorful, allowing it to succeed as both a backyard variety and a farmer’s market favorite. 

Homestead

Homestead tomatoes are another optimal choice for gardeners in the Deep South. These plants thrive in the summer heat and mature in about 80 days. Best of all, they resist wilt and cracking as they mature. You can enjoy the meaty fruits fresh or cooked. 

Selecting indeterminate tomato varieties

Gardeners hoping to reap the rewards of their labor all summer long might enjoy these indeterminate tomato varieties:

Beefsteak

Heirloom beefsteak tomatoes are popular for their large size, often weighing up to a pound. They have hearty fruits with only small seed pockets, so you get plenty of flesh in each bite. Be sure to provide substantial stakes to keep them happy. 

Cherokee Purple

Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes have long been revered for their bright, balanced flavor and deep color. The fruits can weigh up to a pound, so thorough support is necessary. 

Brandywine

Once thought to be extinct, Brandywine tomatoes are a juicy, flavorful, heirloom that thrives in spring and fall, at least in Florida. As open-pollinated plants, they depend on a healthy population of pollinators in order to fruit. 

Cherry tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are typically indeterminate. Despite that, many of these varieties differ greatly. Sweet, savory, tart, and nearly every color imaginable, cherry tomatoes cater to those with limited space but a craving for abundant fruits. We suggest trying Sun Gold, Sweetie, and Yellow Pear varieties to taste the rainbow.