Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) offer a wide range of fruit types, sizes, and colors, along with two fundamentally different growth patterns. Understanding this growth habit is necessary for any gardener, as it dictates the plant’s space requirements, support needs, and harvest timing. Choosing the right variety ensures gardening success, whether the goal is a concentrated harvest or a steady supply for fresh eating.
Defining Determinate and Indeterminate Growth Habits
Determinate varieties are often called “bush” tomatoes because their main stem stops growing once a flower cluster forms at the tip of the shoot. This genetic programming causes the plant to reach a compact, fixed height, typically three to five feet, resulting in a self-supporting structure that requires minimal caging or staking. Because the growth terminates, determinate plants set and ripen the majority of their fruit within a short, concentrated period, often two to three weeks.
Indeterminate tomatoes are known as “vining” types because their main stem continues to grow indefinitely. They do not set a terminal flower cluster, allowing them to continuously produce new leaves, flowers, and fruit until frost or disease kills the plant. These vigorous vines can reach heights of eight to twelve feet or more, demanding substantial support like tall stakes, cages, or trellises. The fruiting pattern is spread out over the entire season, offering a steady, prolonged harvest rather than a single large flush. A semi-determinate type grows taller than a bush variety but eventually stops its vertical growth.
Classification of Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are categorized across both growth habits, though they are most frequently indeterminate. The majority of popular, high-yielding varieties, such as ‘Sungold’ and ‘Sweet Million’, display the continuous vining trait. These plants keep growing and producing new fruit clusters throughout the summer, often reaching impressive heights that require strong, vertical support. This sustained production aligns naturally with the indeterminate growth pattern.
However, several varieties have been specifically developed for small spaces and container gardening, making them determinate or semi-determinate. These compact cherry tomatoes, like ‘Red Robin’ or ‘Tiny Tim’, grow as small, tidy bushes that rarely exceed two feet in height. Their fruit ripens in a concentrated burst, making them perfect for gardeners with limited space or those who prefer a single, quick harvest. Always check the seed packet or plant tag, as the growth habit is necessary for proper cultivation.
Managing Cherry Tomato Plants
Since most cherry tomatoes are indeterminate, they require robust support systems to keep the fruit load and long vines off the ground. Trellising methods, such as the Florida Weave or a strong stake-and-weave system, are often preferred over basic cages to manage their height and ensure good air circulation. Indeterminate varieties also benefit from pruning called suckering, which involves removing the small shoots that emerge in the crotch between the main stem and a leaf branch.
Pruning these suckers redirects the plant’s energy toward developing the existing fruit and main stem, rather than producing excessive foliage. This selective pruning helps prevent the plant from becoming a dense, tangled mess susceptible to disease. Determinate cherry varieties, in contrast, require little to no pruning due to their concentrated, simultaneous ripening, making them a low-maintenance option. Determinate types offer a single large harvest, while indeterminate types provide a steady stream of fresh cherry tomatoes from mid-summer until the first fall frost.