Determinant and indeterminate tomato varieties: what is it, which are better

Winter is the most suitable time for planning the summer season and choosing varieties of tomatoes for planting in the garden or greenhouse. When choosing vegetables, you can find determinant and indeterminate tomatoes. Many vegetable growers get lost when they see these definitions. However, if you study these types of tomatoes, you can greatly simplify the process of choosing the most suitable varieties of tomatoes for planting.

Short description

For beginners, it is quite difficult to understand what indeterminate and determinant varieties are. Therefore, it is recommended to read their brief description in detail.

Indeterminate variety

Indeterminate tomatoes differ from other types of tall bushes that grow for a long time. During its development, the height of the plant can reach one and a half meters. However, some indeterminate tomato varieties can grow up to six meters. One of the tallest and most famous species is the Octopus.

Such a plant has a developed root system and good branching. It also produces excellent yields both in vegetable gardens and in greenhouses. However, indeterminate varieties of tomatoes are most often grown for open ground, since growing such tall bushes in greenhouses is quite difficult.

Growing an indeterminate variety in greenhouses is very profitable, since under such conditions the growing season increases several times. Sometimes its duration increases to one and a half years.The most famous and common greenhouse species are "De Barao" and "Bull's Heart".

When growing them, you will have to build special trellises for tying tall bushes. Also, they will have to periodically stepson. If this is not done, then many extra branches will appear on the main stem, due to which the number of ovaries will decrease.

Formation is carried out in several ways. Most often they are formed into one stem, but during greenhouse cultivation they can be formed into two.

Determinantal

Every beginner gardener should know what a determinate variety means.

Determinant tomatoes are very low - their average height is about 60-70 cm. During growth, no more than five brushes are formed. In this case, the first one begins to appear after six full leaves grow on the plant.Such a tomato grows until the fifth brush appears, after which its growth completely stops. Such plants are in great demand, as they grow well in almost any conditions. However, determinate tomatoes grow best in areas where the climate is temperate.

In regions with low temperatures, the best varieties of tomatoes for greenhouses are popular. In some cases, they are planted in greenhouses and in the southern regions. Determinate varieties of tomatoes for greenhouses are not stepchildren, as they are very compact. They are tied up only if the plant grows up to 80 cm and there are a lot of fruits on it, because of which the bush can break.

Variety differences

Determinate and indeterminate varieties of tomatoes differ from most others in the duration of their fruiting. The latter do not ripen at the same time, but in a different period. It is thanks to this that the harvest is collected within a few months.At the same time, 15 kg of fruits can be obtained from one tomato bush.

It is known that determinant tomato varieties bear fruit very early. All fruits ripen almost simultaneously, so the duration of fruiting is not very long. Even under all growing conditions, the yield does not exceed ten kilograms of fruit.

There is a list of signs by which these plants may differ already in the first days of their life:

The difference can be seen already 5-7 days after the appearance of the first sprouts. In this case, the plant is distinguished by the cotyledon knee. In determinate tomatoes, it grows up to three centimeters, and in indeterminate tomatoes, up to five.
On adult bushes, it is much easier to find the difference. To do this, just look at the location of the inflorescences. In determinant bushes, it is located under the seventh or sixth leaf. Inflorescences of other tomatoes are located under the ninth leaf.
Finding the differences becomes more difficult after brushes appear on the bushes. To distinguish the types of stem tomatoes, you need to count how many leaves grow between the brushes. Determinate ones have fewer than three, while indeterminate ones have exactly three leaves.

Also, plants can be distinguished using the shoot. If it doesn't end after the brush, then it's a determinate tomato.

Types of determinant tomatoes

To fully understand what determinate tomatoes are, you need to know what types of such tomatoes exist. There are three main types that have different distinctive features.

Semi-determinant

Quite often they are confused with indeterminate ones, since they have the same type of branching. This tomato actively develops until the first ten brushes appear, after which growth begins to slow down.The ovaries in semi-determinant plants are laid every two leaves. In this case, the first appears after the seventh leaf.

Determinantal

This variety differs from the rest in that their shoot completely stops growing after the appearance of the first six leaves. Shoot growth ends with the appearance of flower brushes. They form under the sixth true leaf.

Superdeterminant

Relate to early maturing varieties, laying their flower brushes every two leaves. After the formation of five leaves, a shoot begins to appear, at the end of which a peduncle is formed.

Determinant varieties

Before growing, you should understand that there are a lot of such determinant tomatoes. There are better varieties that many gardeners grow.

Turbojet

This hybrid was bred just a few years ago. Vegetable growers quickly buy it, so sometimes it is quite difficult to find it on sale.

The turbojet tomato is a super determinant species. The height of an adult bush reaches 40 cm. They are quite small - their weight is only 70 grams. However, you still need to tie up the bushes, since a lot of tomatoes form on the plant, which can break the bush.

Many do not know when to plant a turbojet variety for seedlings. It should be planted in mid-March, so that in early July it was possible to harvest a ripe crop. The main advantage is resistance to cold. This means that the determinant variety of tomatoes gives a good harvest in the middle lane. When grown in the southern regions, you can not cut off the leaves from the bushes, as they protect the fruits from the sun's rays.

Alpha

Hybrid refers to varieties that begin to ripen very early. Alpha is great for landing in cold areas of the country. The main difference is that such tomatoes can be immediately planted in the ground without greenhouses. Literally 90 days after planting, plants in the open field will begin to sing fruits. In regions with a warmer climate, tomatoes ripen better.

It has straight stems covered with leaves that are very similar to potato leaves. Pinching a determinant tomato is not carried out on the entire bush. It is recommended to remove stepchildren only in its lower part.

The bush is covered with red small tomatoes weighing about 60 grams. From a bush you can get about seven kilograms of a tomato. The fruit is often used for culinary purposes in preserves and in vegetable salads.

Determinant variety of tomato is resistant to the most dangerous diseases. Its rapid maturation allows you to get a crop before the onset of late blight and many other dangerous diseases.

For better yields, seeds are planted in a well-lit area with fertile soil. When growing, you need to periodically spud young bushes and loosen the soil.

Valentine

This determinant tomato variety was created for open ground. His bush is covered with a small number of leaves. This means that it can be grown in cold climate regions. The height of the bushes does not exceed 60 cm, which allows you to completely abandon the garter and pinching.

During cultivation, a large number of fruits appear on the bushes, which are red in color with an orange tint when mature. The weight of each tomato is about 85 grams.The yield is not very high, but not too small either. If 5-7 bushes grow on one square meter, then 15 kg of crop can be obtained from them.

The main benefits of Valentina include:

severe drought tolerance;
easy to grow;
transportability;
disease resistance.

Explosion

It was created from a variety called White Bulk. It is cold hardy, productive and easy to grow. Explosion can be planted in greenhouses and vegetable gardens. In this case, it is not even necessary to fertilize the tomato.

Adult bush can grow up to 60-70 cm. Within 100 days after planting, you can get the first crop weighing more than 200 grams. When growing in greenhouses, this value may increase. The explosion is actively used to create salads and preserves.

Conclusion

Understanding what a determinant variety is is quite simple. To do this, it is enough to study its main characteristics and other distinctive features.