Black Cherry Tomato

Description

Determinate tomatoes are varieties that grow to a fixed mature size and ripen all their fruit in a short period (usually about two weeks). Once this first flush of fruit has ripened, the plant will begin to diminish in vigor and will set little to no new fruit.  This type of tomato is best for when you want all of the fruit to ripen at once for making juice, sauces, and canning.

Determinate tomato varieties are often called “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.  As determinate tomatoes generally stop growing on their own, pruning and suckering is not needed.  Determinate varieties need to be staked or caged to support the heavy load of fruit.

Indeterminate tomato plants, unlike Determinates, are vining plants that continue to grow throughout the growing season, often up to 10 feet or longer.  These varieties 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.   Indeterminate tomatoes need to have the suckers pinched back to manage growth.

Note that when temperatures are consistently above 90 degrees, both types of plants will not set fruit.  When the temperatures drop a bit, fruit set will resume on Indeterminate tomato plants.