Brewing Master

Question:

Help me out here, somebody. I had always thought that "determinate" tomatoes grow, bear and stop while "indeterminate" just keep on going and going and going until hot weather interferes with blossom set and fruit development. Is that not correct?? — Derald – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -snip<< A determinate plant reaches a certain ‘determined’ height (or length depending upon your perspective), whereas an indeterminate reaches an ‘undetermined’ height, i.e. grows without limit.

Response:

        As a rule, I mostly grow indeterminate varieties but, regardless, tomatoes in my garden are _always_ caged, corralled, staked or some combination of the three. DW and I share a very small raised-bed garden in which just about everything is growing much closer together than the gurus recommend, is relentlessly underplanted/interplanted, and it is important to limit sprawl. Squashes and cucumbers are caged, too. Home-brew from galvanized "hog-wire" fencing (5 ft) or black metal concrete fabric (6 ft). Both are nominally 6-inch mesh fabric.         I rarely, if ever, prune tomatoes except to take cuttings for propagation. As much as possible, new canes are directed to grow inside the cage but any leaves that happen to protrude are left, though, because they are more fully exposed to sunlight and provide some measure of shade for the fruit. I just don’t let new canes grow rampantly outside the cages. Confined as they are, the tomatoes have little tendency to shade out any underplanting that there may be, which is almost always basil, sage, peanuts, snap beans; sometimes a tomato(es) will share a cage with cucumber, or even an okra, too. — Derald Martin – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –           HI! I have always put those tomato cages over the little plants & as they grew, let the branches go out over the sides. Especially with cherry tomatoes. In BH & G this month, I read to nOT do this but push them upward, inside the cage. Is this for cherries, or all tomatoes? Thanks!

Response:

[snipped] …please tell me what the difference between determinate and indeterminate is?

A determinate plant reaches a certain ‘determined’ height (or length depending upon your perspective), whereas an indeterminate reaches an ‘undetermined’ height, i.e. grows without limit. HTH                                                    TQ

Response:

          HI! I have always put those tomato cages over the little plants & as they grew, let the branches go out over the sides. Especially with cherry tomatoes. In BH & G this month, I read to nOT do this but push them upward, inside the cage. Is this for cherries, or all tomatoes? Thanks! This is my bias, but i only use cages for determinate tomatoes.  That actually rules out the cherries.  I have fantasies about arranging the perfect support configuration for the branches, and then (of course) end up pushing them anywhere there’s daylight, as long as they’re up off the ground.

Would someone please tell me what the difference between determinate and indeterminate is? Spirit Explorer If you are looking for a great present…try giving some Chuck Wagaon Sourdough Starter! We also have recipes and other links of interest.              http://www.zianet.com/witchy/

Response:

I think this depends on the cages you use.  If ‘ya got the chicy ones (you know, about 3 feet high, made of lighter gage wire than a coat hanger) well than just grow determinates.

Those 3 foot cages are the perfect size, as long as you’re careful not weed or use any fertilizer.  I don’t know why they make them that small. Actually, only one of my varieties has been determinate: ‘La Roma’. I managed to locate some 54" high cages at the Home Depot in Tewksbury. (This was in 1993 or 1994.)  They were OK, except for being too narrow at the bottom.  I’m not a handyman, and i never tried building one of those concrete wire jobs. Larry Robertie Just Noth ov Bastin, zone 6

I used to live just nawth of Baastin, too.  My gaadin was in Burlington. —  |  Cousin Ricky            USDA zone 11, U.S. Virgin Islands  |  |  (Richard Callwood III)  previously zone 6, Massachusetts   |

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –           HI! I have always put those tomato cages over the little plants & as they grew, let the branches go out over the sides. Especially with cherry tomatoes. In BH & G this month, I read to nOT do this but push them upward, inside the cage. Is this for cherries, or all tomatoes? Thanks! This is my bias, but i only use cages for determinate tomatoes.  That actually rules out the cherries.  I have fantasies about arranging the perfect support configuration for the branches, and then (of course) end up pushing them anywhere there’s daylight, as long as they’re up off the ground. I use a trellis for cherries, and prune the vine to 2 main stems. — |  Cousin Ricky            USDA zone 11, U.S. Virgin Islands  | |  (Richard Callwood III)  previously zone 6, Massachusetts   |

I think this depends on the cages you use.  If ‘ya got the chicy ones (you know, about 3 feet high, made of lighter gage wire than a coat hanger) well than just grow determinates. Myself, all I grow are indeterminate.  Yes, I like ‘em tall! But these take a special cage.  You could use the concrete reinforcing stuff rolled up to form a cylinder.  That’s not bad, but I like to build stuff so I make my own.   Take a 3"x1"x8′ and rip it down the middle (feels good already, right?).  Get four of these strips.  Cut two 10 inch pieces from each.  Rip another 1×3 piece and make all of the pieces 10 inches.  Now…. at ten inch intervals on the uprights…. connect the ten inch cross pieces using 1.5" deck or drywall screws. The result should be a tight little tower.  Press it into your (of course) well prepared soil and wait. I like to put the cages up early, like when the tom. plants are about a foot tall.  This serves not purpose other than visual impact.  Yes life is sweet whet your brother-in-law declares early in the season that you are "dreaming" – only to have those tomato plants flow over the tops pf their cages in mid-August. In about three years, cut off the decade bottoms and replace with fresh two feet extensions. Nice stuff. Larry Robertie Just Noth ov Bastin, zone 6 BTW…  it’s not a Nor’ Easter it’s a Noth Easta

Response:

           HI! I have always put those tomato cages over the little plants & as they grew, let the branches go out over the sides. Especially with cherry tomatoes. In BH & G this month, I read to nOT do this but push them upward, inside the cage. Is this for cherries, or all tomatoes? Thanks!            Love caryn

I try to keep my tomatoes inside the cage for two reasons: 1. Tomatoes lying on damp soil have a tendency to rot. 2. Slugs and other critters find it easier to chew on tomatoes on or near the ground. John

Response:

          HI! I have always put those tomato cages over the little plants & as they grew, let the branches go out over the sides. Especially with cherry tomatoes. In BH & G this month, I read to nOT do this but push them upward, inside the cage. Is this for cherries, or all tomatoes? Thanks!

This is my bias, but i only use cages for determinate tomatoes.  That actually rules out the cherries.  I have fantasies about arranging the perfect support configuration for the branches, and then (of course) end up pushing them anywhere there’s daylight, as long as they’re up off the ground. I use a trellis for cherries, and prune the vine to 2 main stems. —  |  Cousin Ricky            USDA zone 11, U.S. Virgin Islands  |  |  (Richard Callwood III)  previously zone 6, Massachusetts   |

Response:

          HI! I have always put those tomato cages over the little plants & as they grew, let the branches go out over the sides. Especially with cherry tomatoes. In BH & G this month, I read to nOT do this but push them upward, inside the cage. Is this for cherries, or all tomatoes? Thanks!           Love caryn          "Come into my garden, my flowers want to meet you!" As long as the vines are supported off the ground it’s up to you.  Tall

growers can be trained to the top of the cage so that they can then go back down again on the outside but if you can handle any branches that stray outside the cage before reaching the top then that’s okay too.  Sometimes they jump from cage to cage and sometimes one may need some twine to bring some branches under control–as long as they get good support it’s not to worry. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

           HI! I have always put those tomato cages over the little plants & as they grew, let the branches go out over the sides. Especially with cherry tomatoes. In BH & G this month, I read to nOT do this but push them upward, inside the cage. Is this for cherries, or all tomatoes? Thanks!            Love caryn           "Come into my garden, my flowers want to meet you!"

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