What are determinant and indeterminate tomato varieties, which are better
Winter is the best time to plan your summer cottage and choose tomato varieties for planting in your garden or greenhouse. When choosing vegetables, you can find determinate and indeterminate tomatoes. Many 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
It is quite difficult for beginners to understand what indeterminate and determinant varieties are. Therefore, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with 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 has excellent yields both in gardens and in greenhouses. However, most often grown indeterminate varieties of tomatoes for open ground, since it is quite difficult to grow such tall bushes in greenhouses.
It is very profitable to grow an indeterminate variety in greenhouses, since under such conditions the growing season increases several times. Sometimes its duration increases to one and a half years. The most famous and widespread greenhouse species are "De Barao" and "Bull heart».
When growing them, you will have to deal with the construction of special trellises for tying tall bushes. They will also have to be pinned periodically. 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 cultivation in greenhouses they can be formed into two.
Determinant
Every novice gardener should know what a determinant variety means.
Determinant tomatoes are very low - their average height is about 60-70 cm. During growth, no more than five clusters are formed. In this case, the first one begins to appear after six full-fledged leaves grow on the plant. Such a tomato grows until the fifth cluster appears, after which its growth completely stops. Such plants are in great demand, as they grow well in almost any conditions.However, determinant tomatoes grow best in temperate areas.
In regions with low temperatures, the best varieties of tomato for greenhouses are popular. In some cases, they are planted in greenhouses and in the southern regions. Determinant varieties of tomatoes for greenhouses are not pinned down, 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.
Differences of varieties
The determinant 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 at different times. It is thanks to this that the harvest is harvested within several months. At the same time, 15 kg of fruits can be obtained from one tomato bush.
It is known that the determinant tomato varieties bear fruit very early. All fruits ripen almost simultaneously, so the duration of fruiting is not very long. Even if all growing conditions are met, the yield does not exceed ten kilograms of fruit.
There is a list of signs by which these plants may differ in the first days of their life:
- The difference can be noticed within 5-7 days after the first shoots appear. In this case, the plant has a cotyledonous knee. In determinant tomatoes, it grows up to three centimeters, and in indeterminate ones - up to five.
- It is much easier to find the difference on mature bushes. 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 differences becomes more difficult after brushes appear on the bushes. To distinguish species standard tomatoes, you need to count how many leaves grow between the brushes. Determinant ones have less than three, and indeterminate ones have exactly three leaves.
You can also distinguish plants using a shoot. If it does not end after the brush, then it is a determinant tomato.
Types of determinant tomatoes
To fully understand what determinant tomatoes are, you need to find out what types of such tomatoes exist. There are three main types with different distinctive characteristics.
Semi-determinant
Quite often they are confused with indeterminate ones, since they have the same type of branching. This tomato is actively developing until the first ten clusters appear, after which growth begins to slow down. Ovaries in semi-determinant plants are laid every two leaves. In this case, the first appears after the seventh leaf.
Determinant
This variety differs from the others in that their shoot completely stops growing after the first six leaves appear. Shoot growth ends with the appearance of flower brushes. They are formed under the sixth true sheet.
Superdeterminant
They belong to the early maturing varieties, laying their flower clusters 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 the best 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 belongs to the superdeterminate species. The height of an adult bush reaches 40 cm. It is impossible to turn it into sons, since most of the fruits are formed on its stepsons. They are quite small - their weight is only 70 grams. However, you still need to tie up the bushes, since a lot of tomatoes are formed 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 the ripe crop can be harvested at the beginning of July. The main advantage is resistance to cold weather. This means that the determinant tomato variety gives a good yield in the middle lane. When grown in southern regions, leaves should not be torn off 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 planting in colder 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, the plants in the open field will begin to sing the fruits. In regions with warmer climates, tomatoes ripen better.
It has straight stems covered with leaves, which are very similar to potato leaves. Determinant tomato pickling is not carried out on the entire bush. It is recommended to remove stepsons only at the bottom of it.
The bush is covered with red small tomatoes weighing about 60 grams. You can get about seven kilograms of tomato from a bush. The fruits are often used for culinary purposes for preserving and making vegetable salads.
The determinant tomato variety is resistant to the most dangerous diseases. Its rapid ripening allows you to get a harvest before late blight and many other dangerous diseases.
For best yields, seeds are sown in a lighted area with fertile soil. When growing, you need to periodically spud young bushes and loosen the soil.
Valentine
This determinant variety of tomatoes for open ground was created. Its bush is covered with few leaves. This means that it can be grown in regions with cold climates. 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, when mature, are colored red with an orange tint. Each tomato weighs about 85 grams. The yield is not very high, but not too small. If 5-7 bushes grow on one square meter, then 15 kg of harvest can be obtained from them.
The main advantages of Valentina include:
- resistance to severe drought;
- ease of growing;
- transportability;
- disease resistance.
Explosion
Was created on the basis of a variety called White filling. It is cold-resistant, productive and easy to grow. You can plant an Explosion in greenhouses and vegetable gardens. In this case, it is not even necessary to fertilize the tomato.
An adult shrub can grow up to 60-70 cm. Within 100 days after planting, you can get the first crop weighing more than 200 grams. When grown in greenhouses, this value may increase. The explosion is actively used to create salads and preservation.
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.
