sewmammabear
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:23 am
Location: North Dakota

Er..... how do you know if its determinate or indeterminate?

Hey, everyone!! I'm new here... never grown anything, at least since I was a kid but since we finally moved somewhere with a YARD I've started. I also have a "garden plot" here on base which is nice except for having to drag two kids and drive to the garden. But I digress.....

I've been reading posts voraciously and I'm confused. How do I know if my tomato is determinate or indeterminate? I don't remember seeing that information on any plants or seeds I was looking at. (BTW, I purchased all my starter plants this year as we were too busy moving and getting ready for dh's deployment. Can't wait to start from seeds next year!)

TIA!

sewmammabear
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:23 am
Location: North Dakota

OK, never mind. I figured it out. Looks like I might need taller cages....

Inamon
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Posts: 59
Joined: Wed May 16, 2007 8:30 am
Location: PA, USA

Good job, well done :D There is nothing like the internet for figuring out what is what eh. :D I've learned alot from being here but there is nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when you figure it out yourself.

What helped?

opabinia51
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Posts: 4659
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

Cages done really work for Semi determinate or indeterminate tomatoe plants. Really, I don't like them for determinate plants either. What I have found works really well for all three is a 6 foot cedar stake with used nylons to tie the plants to the stakes.

(This is a trick shown to me by our local proprietor of an organic nursery.)

sewmammabear
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:23 am
Location: North Dakota

opabinia51 wrote:Cages done really work for Semi determinate or indeterminate tomatoe plants. Really, I don't like them for determinate plants either. What I have found works really well for all three is a 6 foot cedar stake with used nylons to tie the plants to the stakes.

(This is a trick shown to me by our local proprietor of an organic nursery.)
That sounds like a great idea!! I'll have to try it (my plants are still relatively small) This is my first year gardening and I started late so I didn't do much research until after. From everything we've read, I haven't felt good about the cheapo cages I bought but the only alternatives I've seen get $$$ pretty fast. I'll try the cedar stakes!

opabinia51
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Posts: 4659
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

Great! Well have lots of fun. Tomatoe leaves are nice in a salad too. Also, be sure to sucker your tomatoe plants as they grow; this will increase the yield of tomatoes that you recieve.

SUCKERING

Between the stem and main branches you will see new branches emerging (in the form of small leaflets) pinch these off or any new branches that have got away from you in the same region. This is called suckering.

Also, you can use liquid fish or liquid seaweed fertilizer diluted as per the instructions on the bottle to help your plants along.

Don't use synthetic plant fertilizers as they will actually kill beneficial soil biota and won't replace any nutrients lost from the soil that the plants have removed.

lovely_star
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Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Long Island, NY Zone 7B

I'm thinking about using 5-6' cedar stakes for both my determinate and indeterminate varieties this season. I will be using raised beds. Do I put stakes in the soil at the time of sowing seeds or do I wait for plants to germinate?

gumbo2176
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Posts: 3065
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 2:01 am
Location: New Orleans

lovely_star wrote:I'm thinking about using 5-6' cedar stakes for both my determinate and indeterminate varieties this season. I will be using raised beds. Do I put stakes in the soil at the time of sowing seeds or do I wait for plants to germinate?
Start your seeds in those 4 or 6 pack plastic cells in good potting soil. Once they get big enough to transplant into the garden, put your stakes in first then plant the tomato next to it. If done the other way around you may damage the plant roots.

Depending on how many plants you want, it may just be easier and a lot less trouble to go to a local nursery and get the tomato plants already started. Down here in New Orleans, I can buy a 6 pack of tomatoes for just under $2 with plants that are about 6 inches tall. I did sow some tomato seeds this year that I got as a gift from a neighbor but they sure are taking their time getting big enough to transplant.

DeborahL
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Posts: 543
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2010 11:40 pm
Location: Coastal Southern California

Sewmammabear, please thank your DH for his service to our country. God bless !



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