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Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

It appears that all the tomatoe varieties that are going in my garden are indeterminate. Does this mean that the plant will keep producing fruit all season long right up until Fall? I'm trying to get the timing right for October.

4/1/2010 10:11:11 PM

Denver, Co.

Yes that's usually the case, determinate plants will ripen in a short period of time while indeterminates will spread the harvest over a month or more. With our short growing season here in Co. I still end up with lot's of green tomatoes, but I can get alot of them to ripen in my basement( spread them out on some newspaper). You can put a couple in a brown paper bag with an apple(which puts off a gas that ripens fruits & veggies)...But, I can't think of the name of it right now...but it does work. Good luck.

4/1/2010 10:49:17 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Yes, indeterminant means they will start producing and keep producing until you, disease, or frost, shuts them down.

Determinant means they will sort of hunker down after a while, bloom like there's no tomorrow, then set on fruit that will ripen in a 4-6 week window. Once the plant is done with that, take it out, it's done. Paste tomatoes especially do that, and I end up caging these, often end about 4' tall. Sometimes need a second ring around first cage to support fruit 'layer' mid plant.

Semi-determinant means it will produce a few before and after, but still sort of cluster main production of fruit around 4-6 weeks. I usually tall cage them. 4-7' tall.

Indeterminant, keep growing and fruiting, usually come in in early July and keep going to frost or I take the plant out. Some I stake, some I tallcage, and some I do both. For greatness these need training and bloom management!

Beefsteaks tend to be later season producers, which ones are you grooming for greatness? Nick said he started his in June for his biggun.

4/1/2010 10:49:40 PM

Colorado Springs, CO

That gas which aids ripening is....ethylene.

Employ some protective barrier like planting on the south side of a wall, or building, or fence. Likewise consider a few more ways to block cold winds from cooling the soil. With an improved local growing environment you can often get many more days and weeks of ripening on the vine.

You can also make the command decision to top-off your plants around September 1st, cut off that new green growth of the main stem and other secondary and tertiary stems, crimp over the ends and pinch closed with a clothes pin or rubber band. If you stop the flow of energy and fluids to making new tops and flowers that same energy can remain in lower levels of the plant and enhance ripening before average cold air temps do that automatically.

That day when the weatherman predicts a cold, hard freeze for the coming night......you remove the green ones and try the indoor, wrapped in newspaper method, in a location where the temps stay between 65 and 75.

4/1/2010 11:16:49 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

Thanks for the replies, this will be a learning year for me. I have lots of good seed but only going to plant 3-4 varieties. Couple of Duanes, one or two Timm seeds ( 4.29 I think ) Big Zac and something else, maybe Mortgage Lifter or Delicious.

4/2/2010 9:34:20 AM