If you found this video helpful, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😀TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 You've Been Lied To About Determinate Tomatoes! 1:14 Lie #1 2:48 4 Great Tasting Determinate Tomato Varieties 4:08 Lie #2 9:18 Lie #3 11:43 Lie #4 13:22 Square Foot Gardening Tomato Growing Tips 16:20 Adventures With Dale
I'm glad to hear it! I recommend growing both types of tomatoes. The determinate tomatoes make fantastic foundational workhorses for solid protection. They're the "food tomatoes." Indeterminate tomatoes, to me, are "fun tomatoes" and go well in salads since they have more 'interesting' varieties.
AGREE 💯 my friend! I have grown Rutgers, Celebrity, Bush Early Girl and Ace 55 for the past 3 years and they ALWAYS outperform my indeterminates 👍🏼 And, my determinate tomato plants consistently produce for MONTHS. All I have to do is keep the fertilizer going and they will keep producing until disease takes them. I love the way you keep it REAL about the struggles with gardening. I live in Hot, Humid Georgia and frankly it’s a pain in the ass to grow tomatoes.
It’s about the same, here. Really hard to grow tomatoes past Memorial Day. Determinates have changed my life by making the impossible possible. I have no idea how they’ve developed such a negative reputation. They should be the FOUNDATION of our tomato garden, and the indeterminates should be considered the fun play things for kicks and excitement.
@@TheMillennialGardener So true! My Cherry and Determinate tomatoes are most of what I grow, then about 4 Indeterminates. And every year I cuss them and pull them out by mid-July. Growing in heat & humidity is a whole different ball game. It’s a constant battle
@@amyk6028 I've found the same thing. The cherry and roma-type indeterminates will still grow. However, the determinate roma types are just as good. It's really only the cherry indeterminates that are worth the trouble. Honestly, if I were growing strictly for production, I wouldn't grow another indeterminate tomato, but I grow them out of love for the variety. Determinates are just so much more productive and lower maintenance!
@@TheMillennialGardener The Tommie Toe Indeterminate is one that I've grown here in North Central Florida for 4 years now. It's a vigorous and giving plant. Basically my only one still fruiting right now! I haven't grown determinates due to the "myths" so thanks and I'll start adding them as we have a second summer here starting real soon and rainy season will end in Sept plus weather beginning to get cooler as we head to winter. Thanls for the awesome content!
Back before I got really into gardening I grew determinant tomatoes. Threw miracle gro on them once a week, did everything "wrong" according to the Internet, and they produced all season until frost. I swear, sometimes ignorance is better.
Isn't it wonderful we all have choices? For anyone to say that determinant or indeterminate is the only way to go is just plain being uninformed. Great video to educate.
@@TheMillennialGardener I think the fact that you grow both types and seemingly know the pros and cons of both lends A LOT of credibility to your video. I will be trying one of the favorite varieties you mentioned in my Wisconsin garden next year. Thanks again!
That’s excellent. There are two types of people: those that love determinate tomatoes, and those that haven’t grown them yet 😂 After many years of wrestling vines, it is nice to have something easy to manage.
@@jmaalona you won't regret it! Just make sure you DO NOT prune them. The only foliage that can be removed from determinates are the lowest leaf nodes underneath the first sucker. Anything above that can't stay. Determinates thrive on neglect. Stake them up with Florida weave or a short, strong stake and they'll flourish.
@@area51z63 My indeterminates have been through h3ll this season. Thrips and extremely high UV Index levels. Only my determinates are thriving. And we eat them to fast to freeze any because we now live in an apartment. Can't grow too many at a time. 😔
@@TheMillennialGardener I never even knew there was a difference... I just plant tomatoes, either seed or plant. Nice to finally know that there IS a difference and now know what to look for.
InDeterminate grower here! It’s what I’ve always grown! Roma to be specific. I love how fast they grow, I love how they taste even in a sandwich and so much more, and for me I get great harvests! I grew just two plants in a raised bed this year, planted them end of April. They are still producing! I’ve had the most beautiful fruit this year despite this horrible heat, humidity and drought! Every time I try growing indeterminate, including this year, I’m disappointed. Low yields, problems with pests or disease, And way more upkeep than my faithful Romas! So I am so glad you are making this video!!!
Love how true this is! My first ever tomato plants were Tiny Tim (determinant) and they did so well in a large grow bag. Certainly not that “tiny” if you provide sufficiently nutrients and space for the roots to spread. They got me hooked on growing more tomatoes. So the year after, I decided to try out ALL indeterminate varieties (on a proper garden bed this time). After watching all successful stories on the Internet I was so inspired by the strings/ lower&lean method. The plants were pruned to only one main vine each so only one cluster of fruits set at a time. Being heirlooms and all, each clusters gave me 2-3 good size fruits (a few were huge). What I didn’t account for was the limitation of the growing season. By the time the 4-5th flower clusters started setting, rain season hit, hard! The first fruits started ripening up but their flavours were washed away by the excessive rain. Leaves eventually became rotten and the plants started to die back with green fruits still on them. So my hope of having a long lasting tomatoes harvest were shattered. The truth is it doesn’t matter which variety you plant, they will only last as long as the weather/season allows it. I’ve realised that Indeterminate varieties are best suited for a controlled environment like a greenhouse or poly tunnel. Trying out bush varieties this year. Wish me luck!
Tried determinate this year and never going back- delicious 😋-productive - space saving -and no pruning Best thing I ever did in the garden! I only tried this because of your earlier video, thanks you soooo much for the helpful info 🍅🍅🍅🍅
Darling you are a Cutie-pie!!!!!😂👵🏻. Love that you live in my State bc I can count on when to plant something since our climate is the same…..this old lady planted green beans, limas, bell peppers, oh and in containers…Oriental Eggplant….it’s a lot of work for me but I do what I can….my green beans developed a bacterial something and I can’t find where I put my Neem Oil” 🤷🏻♀️….🤣 I direct sowed Tomato Seeds (Romas and Red Delicious) and put too many in the container!!!!! Will never do that again……I tried….Love all your informative videos…..keep up the good work….Gram
Wow! I am def. going to try growing determinant tomatoes! Thank you! This year (my first garden) I found that I can grow a garden and get produce from it. Lots of mistakes along the way, and it still grew. I honestly didn't think it would. But I tried. I hoped. I prayed. It grew. 😊 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ There is So much to learn about gardening, and it's so much fun. Hard work at first, but def. A lot of fun. Thank you for sharing your love of gardening, and teaching us how to garden.
Great job starting a garden! That's excellent. I've been in the garden since diapers, and I still make mistakes all the time. When I moved from the Northeast to the South, I had to learn all over again! Just remember, there are no such thing as failures, only learning experiences. You only fail if you give up and quit. Every year, things go wrong. Learn from them, and try another angle next year. Every year, they'll get better and better. Start slow, and every year, add a few more things. Don't forget to try a fruit tree or two. They grow themselves and produce for a lifetime!
I grew up in NW PA and my grandparents grew a huge garden every year, which I helped to plant and harvest. I moved to south TX a very long time ago but haven't grown a garden. Last fall, I decided to grow a container garden in my small backyard using vertical planters. Planted mid-Oct expecting to grow a fairly decent garden. It was a bust. This past spring I added grow bags and planted mid-April. Seeds germinated well and everything was growing. Then the 100°+ temps started early May, and my garden just didn't do well with the heat. I learned the hot TX sun can scorch the leaves quickly. I am definitely going to use 50% shade cloth next summer. I found good planting schedules for my area and am going to use them to plan next year's container garden. Hopefully, I will be more successful. I always enjoy watching your channel and have learned many beneficial gardening tips. Thanks for sharing with us.
In north AL, we planted our tomatoes on the east side of the house--- right up against the wall. It was shaded after 2pm and we had a very very good harvest and healthy plants. That was in 2007
I live in AZ and it’s very difficult to grow tomatoes here because they don’t set fruit in the heat. I’m using 40% shade cloth, but next year I’ll install drip irrigation, and hopefully, it’ll help.
Celebrity was one of the first tomatoes I ever grew. It had just come out as an AAS winner and I read about it in the old Organic Gardening magazine and ordered some seeds. It performed fantastically.
I worked on a farm from Age 11-17 back in the late 90's/early 2000's. All the farmer grew was Celebrity. No other varieties. They were split-proof, produced like crazy, every one was picture-perfect. People would drive from Pennsylvania to our farm in NJ to buy them.
Last year (2022) my Determinate Romas were going strong all summer, with less disease. As the nights were getting down to the 40s and everything from our summer sowing had died, Romas were still producing fruit. I pulled all the large green ones before pulling the plant (so I could seed my fall garden). The green Romas were still nice, firm & red sitting on my kitchen counter. We ate the last one in January!! I always grow Rutgers, Romas & Celebrities. Thanks for another great video!
Amen. Your deterinate posts have confermed my lived xperience. I am 64 yrs. Old and have just recently been converted to this message. Hoping your info will help up and comming gardeners alongthelearning curve sooner. GOOD JOB
Thank you for the video brother. I will grow more determinates this season. I can argue with your data because you present honest truth IMHO. I only grew early girls in memory of my ex-wife grandfather , who massive plants.
I am enjoying all of your videos. "It pays to have a Dale" just made me smile. I have an Ollie, (a rescue from a reservation) and we feel the same. Our Ollie is our cherished king of his castle. Thank you for all of your great videos!
I have never grown determinate tomatoes. I thought the production would not be worth it. You have convinced me to try a few determinate tomatoes next spring here in southern Texas. Hopefully I can find some plants.
I agree, I had determinate tomatoes planted in September, highly productive through two freezes, removed them in March to replaced with new ones. I love determinate.
I've learned so much from you. Like that you can't leave a cucumber to turn yellow. As for tomatoes, I keep hearing that they're full of lectins? Only the peel and seeds... I thought determinate meant it doesn't get leggie and indeterminate grow and grow all over the place. Anyway it's a crap shoot here, I feed my chickens tomatoes and I have tomatoes growing everywhere. 😌 I have so many roots,to see something growing in the ground..I sometimes top off my indeterminate, pick the suckers( if I see them) it's hard to find determinate tomatoes I look at the tag. But I didn't know to not prune them.. a BIG Thankyou to you!
For the past 3+ decades I lived and grew indeterminate tomatoes in northern California a few miles outside Napa in near-perfect conditions. I'd start seeds in our sunroom in January, transplant in March, shade in June, and harvest beautiful tomatoes until November's or December's frosts. It was like a textbook case for indeterminates. Then I retired to the Piedmont of North Carolina and tried the same varieties. Oops, big mistake...HUGE! Now I'm looking for some Celebrity starts so I'm not hopelessly behind, and succession plant them. Thanks and keep up the good work!
Thank you for this video! I have grown several determinate cherry tomato varieties indoors in a hydroponic setting, and in my experience they can continue to produce indefinitely in the absence of disease and environmental pressures. They kind of look like they’re about to die after each harvest, but as soon as you pick all the fruits they go right back into foliage and flower production.
I live in Winston-Salem, NC. Last year I grew some tiny treats tomatoes and I had a great harvest. I also grew some beefsteak tomatoes the last two years, I did not have a great harvest. The tiny treats was not much work and they were great for my environment. I glad I watched this video. This year I will be growing determined tomatoes this year.
Amazing information for your area!! You do a great service by making these videos. I’m in Newfoundland and indeterminate tomatoes are much more productive where I live. Our summers hit 30 degrees Celsius fairly consistently and we have a humidity that hovers around 75%. My tomatoes last from May to late September with disease starting to happen in late September. Determinate tomatoes don’t nearly yield as much here (maybe about 1/3). This video is giving me some great knowledge even though it doesn’t apply to us. But I imagine this is incredibly helpful to everyone in your zone.
They're definitely amazing tomatoes. Are they as good as Brandywine Sudduth? Of course now, but you'll get 3 times the tomatoes on that little 36 inch tall bush than you'll get on a 7' Brandywine vine and they'll all be perfect and never crack. I'll say they're 80% as good as a Brandywine and on par with Big Beef without the trouble.
Thank you for debunking these myths. Of the tomatoes I have grown from seed the determinate plants have done best. The heat this year has been brutal on all crops but especially my tomatoes. I learn alot from you,thanks.
This is exactly what im looking for. I grow tomatoes in pots on the deck. I think I have a new plan next year. Get a determine plant and once it gets big enough clone a sucker or 2 every few weeks in spring. Thank you for this.
Thank you for this good video. I am in the Northern NJ, and I am very happy with my indeterminate tomatoes. I grow three varieties: indeterminate (60%), determinate (30%) and dwarf (10). Together there always between 60-70 plants. Well, by the end of summer the latest, all my determinate and dwarfs are gone. However, most of my indeterminate tomatoes last until November with green lash plants and lots and lots of tomatoes. After that, I cut them with branches and store them in the basement to help them with ripening, and enjoy them until the end of year. I need to say that every year I buy new varieties of tomatoes and don't repeat those that under-performed the previous season. Yet, I agree with you to grow both - indeterminate and determinate for better crops. All of my determinate tomatoes are going into canning, so I will continue doing what's working for me. Thanks again.
Thank you for this! I am tired of chasing the tips and trying to keep indeterminates balanced in my deck pots! No more tomato jungle! I was well pleased with the determinate I had last year. This year only a few plus a few cherries. More varieties of veg and flowers instead.
Hi from the SanFrancisco east Bay Area. I have a couple of 8x4 ft raised beds that are fully enclosed so I have been trying dwarf tomatoes with only moderate success. This year I planted Siltez, Stupice, Patio, and Super Bush. I am happy to hear your endorsement of Siltez. I learned a lot from your video and I’m glad I have pruned my plants yet.
This year I am only growing determinant and dwarf tomatoes. I NEVER was able to keep up with prunning and staking and now that I'm losing my sight it's almost impossible. I grew one determinant and 6 dwarfs last year and I'm hooked! No more "jungle" tomatoes that I can't tame and keep where they are supposed to be! I'm glad I.saw your video from last fall showing how good the determinants did. That along with seeing how good my one plant was doing convinced me.
I love, Love, LOVE my deterinants and dwarf tomatoes". I'll never go back to the jungle tomatoes. They are hardy, the plants are smaller, but not the tomatoes, NO prunning and they are delicious! And I don't have to have a 6 foot cage for them. This year I had 8 determinant and dwarf plants plants in containers (and 2 volunteer dwargs in my raised bed). Now I'm trying to find out if I can clone them and keep in the house over the winter to get a head start in May when I can plant them. Don't see any info on that so I will just try it and see.
Great info. I always planted indeterminate San Marzano just because I loved the flavor and they're great for sauces. Then I couldn't find seeds, so I opted for a determinate Roma. Later, I found the seeds and now will grow both.
Dwarf determinates are amazing, you can plant 3 together and get a really nice bush full of tomatoes and it grows to a maximum hight of 50 cm, outside of some small support they dont require any work.
This year I grew four types of indeterminates. We have enough to eat and I have frozen four quarts. I really wanted to can lots of tomatoes and spaghetti sauce. I do have green foliage and some blossoms but who knows if we’ll get much more fruit. One San Mariano gigante 3 has two small tomatoes on it. You don’t believe how hard I have worked and how diligent I have been spraying baking soda, hydrogen peroxide etc to keep the disease and insects at bay. I had already decided to grow determinates next year for sauce and limit my indeterminates to German strawberry. That’s my favorite tomato of all time. Your video is very helpful. Thank you
I have been growing determinate tomatoes and other crops this year. I also have found that hybrid versions are much more rewarding too. I enjoy the videos.
Thank you! You may also be interested in looking at Dwarf Tomato Project varieties. They are not particularly disease resistant, but they're fun to mess with early in the season. The fruits are fantastic.
Love the video...I too grow both determinate and indeterminate tomato plants and my determinate tomato plants outperform my indeterminate tomato plants funny thing both in my garden beds and amazing in 25 gallon buckets...so really appreciate your videos and I am willing to try some of your tomato variety recommendations! All the best to you and Dale!
My yard doesn't get great sunlight because a next door building casts a shadow on it for several hours a day. The indeterminates that I grow barely produce fruit (except for the indeterminate cherry tomatoes which does produce some). The determines that I grow produce so many more tomatoes that I probably won't grow indeterminates again (except for the cherry varieties). Thanks a lot for the Siletz variety recommendation - I tried them this year and I am really happy that I did! I finally have a tomato harvest (despite the lower amount of sunlight)! Next year I am going to grow some Red Deuce determinates to see how they do as well.
This makes me feel better about my current tomato situation. Several determinate, 5 or so “big boy ” indeterminate and only I think 2 super sweet 100 indeterminate. And now I have bought more seeds I’ll start now for later season or in pots if I want to use shade
I think the myth of "all at once" comes from farmers who HAVE to harvest all at once with machines. Not all of their tomatoes ripen all at once either they only keep the ripe ones and spread the green ones back onto the field to compost. Thanks for suggesting Siletz earlier in the year. Just picked the first ripe one and it was very good. 👍🏻
Well, now I’m really intrigued. I’m not much of a tomato gardener but decided to try three varieties of determinant tomatoes for the first time this year. Since I didn’t get them started until mid-June, I’m still waiting for the results. I decided to try determinant varieties for the first time in the hopes that the smaller plant size would help make me more successful. Your video has made me look forward to trying the actual tomatoes. Thanks for your info. I’ve subscribed and will go back and watch other videos. I’ve got a lot to learn.
I live in Salem Oregon now for eight years and was raised in San Diego, in Cali you can grow tomatoes because of the weather, but here it’s a little more challenging I have grown indeterminate Tom’s and labored endlessly cutting them back and vining them and not getting much harvest! This year I’m growing way more determinate tomatoes! Thanks so much for your advice. You can’t buy a good tomato here during the season not like in Cali So I’m looking forward to changing with your experience thanks again! Tommy G.
This year I tried few determined tomatoes and most of them are very productive, where I have indetermined tomates with less than they have. So I will check their taste and in case I like it they will find a place in my garden next year.
First time gardener this year and I bought several indeterminate and 1 Roma determinate and so far the Roma has been the easiest! So good to know foe next year!
I'm just getting started in this planting journey so I'm totally open minded. I realy don't understand someone getting upset about diverse opinions. I take the advise for what it is worth to me and say thank you then do my thing with or without the advise. Thanks to ALL the channels that guide me with my best Interest at heart. They share with no requirement of payment . God bless you all❤
You are spot on. I am from southeastern Pennsylvania in Bucks County and this year the heat has really done a job on my tomatoes but the only ones standing now are the determinant tomatoes which are thriving still. I think I’m going to start growing a lot more determinate and cut down on the indeterminate because I have much more success with the determinate tomatoes. Thanks again for a terrific video!
This is my 1st year of adding determinate varieties, and they have been healthier and more productive than the indeterminate tomatoes I planted. Already planning for next year with more determinates that I’m going to add.
I agree with you 500%! I am a gardener that observes the plants behavior rather than listen to every gardener and all you are talking about is what I learned.
Here in CT, I've only had success with Determinate, Inds have produced, but poorly. The Determinates give me sooo many that I freeze & can a ton & still give away a bunch. 1 determinate will produce MORE than 3 Inds.
Our local deer really love my determinant to my tomatoes. I am devastated they stole my first real red tomato the night before my planned pick! I’m so determined I dug them up and moved inside my lanai in 5 gal buckets to save fruit for us. From Tampa Fl thanks for your advice, I’ve learned a ton
My indeterminate varieties did great this year, but the determinate variety not so much. I believe the mistake I made, other than getting a bit of a late start, was buying plants that had fruit on them already.
I kept indeterminate over the winter here in Charleston, SC in a small green house I built but I have to listen to a tomato grower from Jersey. I'm going to try some 👍deternimate right now. I have just enough time.
I am adding in determinates at this point in the season shooting for mid-Sept ripening. I added this video to my Tomato Playlist. You didn't have to sell me, but you did a good job of sell the point.
I recommend giving them a shot, but with the understanding that they must be treated very differently than indeterminates. They must be staked and not pruned. Never remove suckers, or you won't get a good harvest. Determinates thrive on neglect. You'll still want to do some due diligence with fungicides and pesticides if you have that issue in your climate, but the less you touch the plants, the better in general.
I love Roma and Rutgers, both determinate. I also love indeterminate Early Girl, Cherokee Purple, Carmello, and Brandywine Red tomatoes, not to mention Sweet 100 and Sun Gold Cherry tomatoes. I try Beefsteak every year but only get a couple unless we are having El Nino. I live in Seattle. Usually my determinates stop fruiting first. Cherokee Purple would be perfect for Millennial Gardener.
This is my first year with determinate. I'm growing several dwarf varias well. This was great, I had heard those myths as well, and wasn't interested in determinate because of that. I'm in Southern Ontario and the dwarfs have worked great, I can start them indfs in January and they're manageable until April when they grow in the greenhouse. I'm growing marglobe for the first time this year, I've only gotten so far, but it was tasty. Thanks for the info.
Just gotta let you know that here in nw Arkansas as well as when we lived in sw Missouri, our indeterminate tomatoes run rampant every year with only water and decent soil! Our vines grow up a 6ft fence and usually back to the ground on the other side and we have both heat and humidity! Not downing any of the other good points you've made about determinates, mind you, and we are growing some determinates, this year after seeing your video, last year! Keep up the good work and God bless ❤️
So true. I have both determinate and indeterminate tomatoes and some are doing FANTASTIC this year while others are not. It's all about trial and error to see which varieties of each grow best in your climate and soil type. And of course ones that taste good to you. Thanks for the informative video.
Think of the length of your growing season relative to the tomato's age. You likely don't plant your tomato transplants until May 30, and you get frost around, maybe, October 10? That would make your tomato growing season 133 days long. Your plants simply die before they can develop problems. 133 days after I transplant tomatoes is July 31. My tomatoes are as old as yours are at the end of your season in the middle of the year, and I get more 90 degree days in a summer than Ohio gets in a decade 😁The point I'm trying to make is that in order to see the limitations of the tomato plant, you need to live in a location where the growing season is long and hard enough to beat the plant up. When you live in a location like that, you can see how weak indeterminate plants are relative to determinates. If you grow determinates, even in your climate, you'll get more food.
100% agree. For the first 3 years of my gardening career, I've gone for indeterminate only growing one determinate (Carolina Gold) which had blossom end rot issues (potted plant) each time I grew that variety and it turned me off vs indeterminate. However, last year I grew a Mountain Merit hybrid that was super productive, allowed me to succession plant up here in Southern Ontario, and was resistant to the "early" late blight that hit and eventual took out my indeterminate by late August. The yield was better, the plant was far more compact, and the taste was sensational. Obviously, I still like growing indeterminate predominantly for the funky varieties/specific cherry tomatoes that do exceptionally well, but your video definitely persuaded me to grow more of a 50/50 split of indeterminate and determinate and thus far when we've been dealing with 100% humidity nights in the 60s and upwards of 110F sticky spells, the determinate varieties are far more stable and productive. Thanks for the advice on the topic and for all the videos you put out, it's a wealth of knowledge.
Thank you so much you just ancered all my problems with growing tomatoes. My Mom and Dad have been gone a long time . I remember they just planted the tomatoes in a row no stakes just some kind of line and let them grow so many tomatoes clear up till frost they were the best tasting. Now thanks to you. I know what to do. I am learning a lot from you. Thanks again!
You're welcome! I'm glad the video was helpful! Determinate tomatoes still benefit from some support. However, it's a lot simpler than indeterminate types.
It’s been the reverse for us this year, low production on the determinates but huge continuing harvests for the indeterminates. Slowing a bit now but plants are still going strong! I have been spraying weekly with a diluted baking soda solution and disease has been kept under control. One interesting variety we are growing is “Candyland” which is a currant type, hundreds of very small sweet fruits. Give this a try. On your suggestion I have started some tomatoes for (hopefully) a late fall harvest. Wish us luck!
Awesome update & I agree 100%. I tried siletz this year because you suggested it & thank you. Enjoying them. Good boy Dale. Hope he got an extra treat for finding the critters. 😉
You're on a roll! Love it! Truth be told! I am in Central Florida and I am harvesting sun golds right now and they are pushing seven feet, and just getting started. Who wants to get on a ladder to pick that high anyway? So, if I pinch the top of these plants, will they grow more fruit sets lower down on the horizontal branches?
Wow, another great video. You are such a wealth of information😊👍. This is the first year I have had a garden and I ended up getting both kinds of tomatoes. I must say, the determinants are much easier for his senior citizen to handle. Honestly, when I bought the starts (not brave enough to try seeds yet) I didn’t understand the difference between the two…but I’ve learned so much from your videos that have helped along the way. Thank you!
I only grow determinant tomatoes due to space limitations. Thanks for the list of varieties you like. I'm growing Celebriry here in Georgia, but I'll try some of the others next year.
I agree. Celebrity tomatoes are fantastic and do well here in Houston. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any plants early enough for this area. By July tomatoes are pretty much done here but Sun Golds will last the longest.
I live in Jersey and just pulled out my indeterminate plants and planted Tiny Tim determinate seeds. I plant only in containers and it's my first year gardening, so everything is an experiment for me. I hope I have more success with the Tiny Tim determinates than I had with the beefsteak indeterminates. Thanks for another very informative video!
I agree as well! I grew both determinates and indeterminates this year and they have been just as productive and still going. The determinates were a little smaller plants but other than that they produce just as long as the indeterminates in Georgia . Red Snapper has big beautiful beefsteak size tomatoes and the plants are still going.
I’m growing determinant tomatoes for the first time this year because a friend highly suggested them. Patio Choice. Then I bought a Celebrity plant to try also. They are both doing fantastically
Thanks for this information, former Jersey girl here now in Tennessee and you are so right about the ease of growing tomatoes up there, I haven't had a garden in years so I decided to do containers before I go all out with raised beds, all of my determinant Roma and San Marzano seeds are growing strong so Im looking forward to harvesting them for sauce ...Where did you get your seeds from I would like to try them. I purchased 7 gallon containers hope they're large enough Thank you in advance.
Great video, thank you! We've sold our house and are moving in a month so couldn't plant my tomatoes in the yard this year. I have 2 plots in a community garden that I want to put tomatoes in but can't provide the proper vining trellis that I usually use for indeterminate tomatoes. I want to try determinite tomotoes for the first time. You've given me confidence that I can and might actually do better (here in southern Ontario we end up with humidity issues, and it sounds like the determinite might do better for us anyway.) It's going to be a great experiment!
Zone 7b North Carolina , October 1st . I have a Roma with 20 fruits and still flowering . If you can keep disease away , these things keep growing until frost takes them.
Dale is a good boy! My brindle mix boy Leo checks the perimeter of my yard too. Loves to chase away the rabbits! Thanks for the info on the determinate type of tomato. I looked through my seeds and I only have 2 varieties. Will be growing them next year!
i've finally overcome earlier failure and grew a bumper crop of determinate/bush tomato. the variety matters, as does your climate and microclimate. the ones i grew were less than foot tall and required zero staking. very dense plant that produced lots. no matter which types of tomatoes, as early fall starts, all my summer crops finish, and i plant out a fall crop of cooler weather veggies. other places around town can grow tomatoes right up to winter, but production is much reduced. i get a full crop of other veggies. i can do three or four crops of veggies into a year, as i live in a frost free climate but, summer are hot and dry, usually.
I ordered a bunch more of the Dwarf tomato project varieties earlier this season. Bella Rosa was definitely a winner for me last year. I forgot to sow any this year. Red Snapper was very similar to Bella Rosa.
I had no idea what I was growing my wife brought home a tomato from the grocery store and I just decided to try and grow the seeds, well 2 months later and I have 30 plants and no idea what they are except I would say they are determinate because they look like a bush not a vine. I'm just now getting some tiny fruit on them. I did the same thing with a cherry tomato she brought home. I have everything in fabric pots and they are doing fabulous along with Jalapenos, Ghost pepper, Dragon's breath, Carolina reapers and some kind of Thai peppers and oh yea Hot Hungarian banana wax peppers, can't wait to try the tomatoes and your right if everything you say is true I was lied to. I live in East Texas where it gets mighty hot around June to August. We shall see, great video.
You've convinced me to try determinates because I'm really getting tired of all that pruning!. I live in NW Arkansas and it's HOT and HUMID! I've been growing the Cherokee Purple and the Arkansas Traveler for years, both indeterminate. The Cherokee's are not for the faint of heart so I grow them in a hoop house under plastic sheeting until the weather settles and then replace it with a sun screen. I pick off most of the suckers , keep the leaves at least a foot off the ground and water with irrigation tubing to prevent water getting on the lowest leaves. In the Fall I replace the plastic sheeting. They seldom develop any disease this way and will continue to produce until cold weather kills them. The Arkansas Traveler doesn't grow as tall or have as much foliage or as many suckers so you can grow them close together. They don't produce as abundantly but they seem to love the heat and about the time the Cherokee are slowing down in mid-summer, the Arkansas Travelers get going. I'll keep growing the Cherokee because I love the flavor but I'm going to cut back and make room for some determinate tomatoes. Thank you for this. I am learning so much from your videos.
I have both, and I was planning next year to go all determinant. I love the fact that they stay smaller than my indeterminant and they are so much less work. I agree with every point you made. Thank you for the video.
I still grow mostly indeterminate, but that's because I'm a hobbyist/enthusiast. If I were growing strictly for production and food storage, I'd grow all determinates and not waste my time with indeterminates other than cherry types. Determinates just produce so much more food per square foot!
If you found this video helpful, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😀TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 You've Been Lied To About Determinate Tomatoes!
1:14 Lie #1
2:48 4 Great Tasting Determinate Tomato Varieties
4:08 Lie #2
9:18 Lie #3
11:43 Lie #4
13:22 Square Foot Gardening Tomato Growing Tips
16:20 Adventures With Dale
Curious where you got the huge Sun Shade/Cloth? Just built my own hoop house (sorta) which is an odd size.
You didn't convince everyone, but you convinced me. I have a whole new tomato plan for next year.
I'm glad to hear it! I recommend growing both types of tomatoes. The determinate tomatoes make fantastic foundational workhorses for solid protection. They're the "food tomatoes." Indeterminate tomatoes, to me, are "fun tomatoes" and go well in salads since they have more 'interesting' varieties.
AGREE 💯 my friend! I have grown Rutgers, Celebrity, Bush Early Girl and Ace 55 for the past 3 years and they ALWAYS outperform my indeterminates 👍🏼 And, my determinate tomato plants consistently produce for MONTHS. All I have to do is keep the fertilizer going and they will keep producing until disease takes them. I love the way you keep it REAL about the struggles with gardening. I live in Hot, Humid Georgia and frankly it’s a pain in the ass to grow tomatoes.
Had no idea....
It’s about the same, here. Really hard to grow tomatoes past Memorial Day. Determinates have changed my life by making the impossible possible. I have no idea how they’ve developed such a negative reputation. They should be the FOUNDATION of our tomato garden, and the indeterminates should be considered the fun play things for kicks and excitement.
@@TheMillennialGardener So true! My Cherry and Determinate tomatoes are most of what I grow, then about 4 Indeterminates. And every year I cuss them and pull them out by mid-July. Growing in heat & humidity is a whole different ball game. It’s a constant battle
@@amyk6028 I've found the same thing. The cherry and roma-type indeterminates will still grow. However, the determinate roma types are just as good. It's really only the cherry indeterminates that are worth the trouble. Honestly, if I were growing strictly for production, I wouldn't grow another indeterminate tomato, but I grow them out of love for the variety. Determinates are just so much more productive and lower maintenance!
@@TheMillennialGardener The Tommie Toe Indeterminate is one that I've grown here in North Central Florida for 4 years now. It's a vigorous and giving plant. Basically my only one still fruiting right now! I haven't grown determinates due to the "myths" so thanks and I'll start adding them as we have a second summer here starting real soon and rainy season will end in Sept plus weather beginning to get cooler as we head to winter. Thanls for the awesome content!
Back before I got really into gardening I grew determinant tomatoes. Threw miracle gro on them once a week, did everything "wrong" according to the Internet, and they produced all season until frost. I swear, sometimes ignorance is better.
Isn't it wonderful we all have choices? For anyone to say that determinant or indeterminate is the only way to go is just plain being uninformed. Great video to educate.
I haven’t met anyone that mastered how to grow determinate tomatoes and quit growing them! Once you get it, they’re tough to exclude.
@@TheMillennialGardener I think the fact that you grow both types and seemingly know the pros and cons of both lends A LOT of credibility to your video. I will be trying one of the favorite varieties you mentioned in my Wisconsin garden next year. Thanks again!
Very diplomatic. 😊
YOU are literally the reason I'm hooked on growing determinates. I succession plant them constantly.
That’s excellent. There are two types of people: those that love determinate tomatoes, and those that haven’t grown them yet 😂 After many years of wrestling vines, it is nice to have something easy to manage.
I’m going to try this strategy next time.
@@jmaalona you won't regret it! Just make sure you DO NOT prune them. The only foliage that can be removed from determinates are the lowest leaf nodes underneath the first sucker. Anything above that can't stay. Determinates thrive on neglect. Stake them up with Florida weave or a short, strong stake and they'll flourish.
@@area51z63 My indeterminates have been through h3ll this season. Thrips and extremely high UV Index levels.
Only my determinates are thriving. And we eat them to fast to freeze any because we now live in an apartment. Can't grow too many at a time. 😔
@@TheMillennialGardener I never even knew there was a difference... I just plant tomatoes, either seed or plant. Nice to finally know that there IS a difference and now know what to look for.
InDeterminate grower here! It’s what I’ve always grown! Roma to be specific. I love how fast they grow, I love how they taste even in a sandwich and so much more, and for me I get great harvests! I grew just two plants in a raised bed this year, planted them end of April. They are still producing! I’ve had the most beautiful fruit this year despite this horrible heat, humidity and drought! Every time I try growing indeterminate, including this year, I’m disappointed. Low yields, problems with pests or disease, And way more upkeep than my faithful Romas! So I am so glad you are making this video!!!
What variety of Roma's are they? I didn't know there were determinate ones. I've only found indeterminate ones.
@@lorr.jones8887
Most Romas are determinate. I think Gail was a little cryptic with the first word of her post.
Love how true this is! My first ever tomato plants were Tiny Tim (determinant) and they did so well in a large grow bag. Certainly not that “tiny” if you provide sufficiently nutrients and space for the roots to spread. They got me hooked on growing more tomatoes. So the year after, I decided to try out ALL indeterminate varieties (on a proper garden bed this time). After watching all successful stories on the Internet I was so inspired by the strings/ lower&lean method. The plants were pruned to only one main vine each so only one cluster of fruits set at a time. Being heirlooms and all, each clusters gave me 2-3 good size fruits (a few were huge). What I didn’t account for was the limitation of the growing season. By the time the 4-5th flower clusters started setting, rain season hit, hard! The first fruits started ripening up but their flavours were washed away by the excessive rain. Leaves eventually became rotten and the plants started to die back with green fruits still on them. So my hope of having a long lasting tomatoes harvest were shattered. The truth is it doesn’t matter which variety you plant, they will only last as long as the weather/season allows it. I’ve realised that Indeterminate varieties are best suited for a controlled environment like a greenhouse or poly tunnel. Trying out bush varieties this year. Wish me luck!
I tried determinate one year. They were very prolific. You convinced me to raise determinates next year!
Tried determinate this year and never going back- delicious 😋-productive - space saving -and no pruning
Best thing I ever did in the garden!
I only tried this because of your earlier video, thanks you soooo much for the helpful info 🍅🍅🍅🍅
Darling you are a Cutie-pie!!!!!😂👵🏻. Love that you live in my State bc I can count on when to plant something since our climate is the same…..this old lady planted green beans, limas, bell peppers, oh and in containers…Oriental Eggplant….it’s a lot of work for me but I do what I can….my green beans developed a bacterial something and I can’t find where I put my Neem Oil” 🤷🏻♀️….🤣 I direct sowed Tomato Seeds (Romas and Red Delicious) and put too many in the container!!!!! Will never do that again……I tried….Love all your informative videos…..keep up the good work….Gram
Wow! I am def. going to try growing determinant tomatoes! Thank you! This year (my first garden) I found that I can grow a garden and get produce from it. Lots of mistakes along the way, and it still grew. I honestly didn't think it would. But I tried. I hoped. I prayed. It grew. 😊 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ There is So much to learn about gardening, and it's so much fun. Hard work at first, but def. A lot of fun. Thank you for sharing your love of gardening, and teaching us how to garden.
Great job starting a garden! That's excellent. I've been in the garden since diapers, and I still make mistakes all the time. When I moved from the Northeast to the South, I had to learn all over again! Just remember, there are no such thing as failures, only learning experiences. You only fail if you give up and quit. Every year, things go wrong. Learn from them, and try another angle next year. Every year, they'll get better and better. Start slow, and every year, add a few more things. Don't forget to try a fruit tree or two. They grow themselves and produce for a lifetime!
that hard work never goes away..just gets (hopefully) more efficient. plus hard work feels good. Great job on your first garden and happy gardening!
Great advice. It validated my experience with tomatoes. You rock. I appreciate how informative you are my dude! Thank you! From TX
I grew up in NW PA and my grandparents grew a huge garden every year, which I helped to plant and harvest. I moved to south TX a very long time ago but haven't grown a garden. Last fall, I decided to grow a container garden in my small backyard using vertical planters. Planted mid-Oct expecting to grow a fairly decent garden. It was a bust. This past spring I added grow bags and planted mid-April. Seeds germinated well and everything was growing. Then the 100°+ temps started early May, and my garden just didn't do well with the heat. I learned the hot TX sun can scorch the leaves quickly. I am definitely going to use 50% shade cloth next summer. I found good planting schedules for my area and am going to use them to plan next year's container garden. Hopefully, I will be more successful. I always enjoy watching your channel and have learned many beneficial gardening tips. Thanks for sharing with us.
In north AL, we planted our tomatoes on the east side of the house--- right up against the wall.
It was shaded after 2pm and we had a very very good harvest and healthy plants. That was in 2007
I live in AZ and it’s very difficult to grow tomatoes here because they don’t set fruit in the heat. I’m using 40% shade cloth, but next year I’ll install drip irrigation, and hopefully, it’ll help.
Celebrity was one of the first tomatoes I ever grew. It had just come out as an AAS winner and I read about it in the old Organic Gardening magazine and ordered some seeds. It performed fantastically.
I worked on a farm from Age 11-17 back in the late 90's/early 2000's. All the farmer grew was Celebrity. No other varieties. They were split-proof, produced like crazy, every one was picture-perfect. People would drive from Pennsylvania to our farm in NJ to buy them.
Last year (2022) my Determinate Romas were going strong all summer, with less disease. As the nights were getting down to the 40s and everything from our summer sowing had died, Romas were still producing fruit. I pulled all the large green ones before pulling the plant (so I could seed my fall garden).
The green Romas were still nice, firm & red sitting on my kitchen counter. We ate the last one in January!!
I always grow Rutgers, Romas & Celebrities.
Thanks for another great video!
Amen. Your deterinate posts have confermed my lived xperience. I am 64 yrs. Old and have just recently been converted to this message. Hoping your info will help up and comming gardeners alongthelearning curve sooner. GOOD JOB
Thank you for the video brother. I will grow more determinates this season. I can argue with your data because you present honest truth IMHO. I only grew early girls in memory of my ex-wife grandfather , who massive plants.
I am enjoying all of your videos. "It pays to have a Dale" just made me smile. I have an Ollie, (a rescue from a reservation) and we feel the same. Our Ollie is our cherished king of his castle. Thank you for all of your great videos!
This year 2024 I went determinate all the way they seem to be easier to grow here in Georgia thanks for this video it made a lot of sense
I have never grown determinate tomatoes. I thought the production would not be worth it. You have convinced me to try a few determinate tomatoes next spring here in southern Texas. Hopefully I can find some plants.
I agree, I had determinate tomatoes planted in September, highly productive through two freezes, removed them in March to replaced with new ones. I love determinate.
I've learned so much from you. Like that you can't leave a cucumber to turn yellow. As for tomatoes, I keep hearing that they're full of lectins? Only the peel and seeds... I thought determinate meant it doesn't get leggie and indeterminate grow and grow all over the place. Anyway it's a crap shoot here, I feed my chickens tomatoes and I have tomatoes growing everywhere. 😌 I have so many roots,to see something growing in the ground..I sometimes top off my indeterminate, pick the suckers( if I see them) it's hard to find determinate tomatoes I look at the tag. But I didn't know to not prune them.. a BIG Thankyou to you!
For the past 3+ decades I lived and grew indeterminate tomatoes in northern California a few miles outside Napa in near-perfect conditions. I'd start seeds in our sunroom in January, transplant in March, shade in June, and harvest beautiful tomatoes until November's or December's frosts. It was like a textbook case for indeterminates. Then I retired to the Piedmont of North Carolina and tried the same varieties. Oops, big mistake...HUGE! Now I'm looking for some Celebrity starts so I'm not hopelessly behind, and succession plant them. Thanks and keep up the good work!
Thank you for this video! I have grown several determinate cherry tomato varieties indoors in a hydroponic setting, and in my experience they can continue to produce indefinitely in the absence of disease and environmental pressures. They kind of look like they’re about to die after each harvest, but as soon as you pick all the fruits they go right back into foliage and flower production.
I agree a person should grow both. Look at your climate and your growing season. If you plan carefully you can have a very long harvest season
I live in Winston-Salem, NC. Last year I grew some tiny treats tomatoes and I had a great harvest. I also grew some beefsteak tomatoes the last two years, I did not have a great harvest. The tiny treats was not much work and they were great for my environment. I glad I watched this video. This year I will be growing determined tomatoes this year.
Amazing information for your area!! You do a great service by making these videos. I’m in Newfoundland and indeterminate tomatoes are much more productive where I live. Our summers hit 30 degrees Celsius fairly consistently and we have a humidity that hovers around 75%. My tomatoes last from May to late September with disease starting to happen in late September. Determinate tomatoes don’t nearly yield as much here (maybe about 1/3). This video is giving me some great knowledge even though it doesn’t apply to us. But I imagine this is incredibly helpful to everyone in your zone.
I grew Bella Rosa determinate tomatoes this year and they produced abundantly I was very pleased with the flavor and crack resistance.
They're definitely amazing tomatoes. Are they as good as Brandywine Sudduth? Of course now, but you'll get 3 times the tomatoes on that little 36 inch tall bush than you'll get on a 7' Brandywine vine and they'll all be perfect and never crack. I'll say they're 80% as good as a Brandywine and on par with Big Beef without the trouble.
Thank you for debunking these myths. Of the tomatoes I have grown from seed the determinate plants have done best. The heat this year has been brutal on all crops but especially my tomatoes.
I learn alot from you,thanks.
Really appreciate how you stack your vids like your garden -- no wasted time or space. High yield vids!
This is exactly what im looking for. I grow tomatoes in pots on the deck. I think I have a new plan next year. Get a determine plant and once it gets big enough clone a sucker or 2 every few weeks in spring. Thank you for this.
Thank you for this good video. I am in the Northern NJ, and I am very happy with my indeterminate tomatoes. I grow three varieties: indeterminate (60%), determinate (30%) and dwarf (10). Together there always between 60-70 plants. Well, by the end of summer the latest, all my determinate and dwarfs are gone. However, most of my indeterminate tomatoes last until November with green lash plants and lots and lots of tomatoes. After that, I cut them with branches and store them in the basement to help them with ripening, and enjoy them until the end of year. I need to say that every year I buy new varieties of tomatoes and don't repeat those that under-performed the previous season. Yet, I agree with you to grow both - indeterminate and determinate for better crops. All of my determinate tomatoes are going into canning, so I will continue doing what's working for me. Thanks again.
Thank you for this! I am tired of chasing the tips and trying to keep indeterminates balanced in my deck pots! No more tomato jungle! I was well pleased with the determinate I had last year. This year only a few plus a few cherries. More varieties of veg and flowers instead.
Hi from the SanFrancisco east Bay Area. I have a couple of 8x4 ft raised beds that are fully enclosed so I have been trying dwarf tomatoes with only moderate success. This year I planted Siltez, Stupice, Patio, and Super Bush. I am happy to hear your endorsement of Siltez. I learned a lot from your video and I’m glad I have pruned my plants yet.
This year I am only growing determinant and dwarf tomatoes. I NEVER was able to keep up with prunning and staking and now that I'm losing my sight it's almost impossible. I grew one determinant and 6 dwarfs last year and I'm hooked! No more "jungle" tomatoes that I can't tame and keep where they are supposed to be! I'm glad I.saw your video from last fall showing how good the determinants did. That along with seeing how good my one plant was doing convinced me.
I love, Love, LOVE my deterinants and dwarf tomatoes". I'll never go back to the jungle tomatoes. They are hardy, the plants are smaller, but not the tomatoes, NO prunning and they are delicious! And I don't have to have a 6 foot cage for them. This year I had 8 determinant and dwarf plants plants in containers (and 2 volunteer dwargs in my raised bed). Now I'm trying to find out if I can clone them and keep in the house over the winter to get a head start in May when I can plant them. Don't see any info on that so I will just try it and see.
Great info. I always planted indeterminate San Marzano just because I loved the flavor and they're great for sauces. Then I couldn't find seeds, so I opted for a determinate Roma. Later, I found the seeds and now will grow both.
Dwarf determinates are amazing, you can plant 3 together and get a really nice bush full of tomatoes and it grows to a maximum hight of 50 cm, outside of some small support they dont require any work.
This year I grew four types of indeterminates. We have enough to eat and I have frozen four quarts. I really wanted to can lots of tomatoes and spaghetti sauce. I do have green foliage and some blossoms but who knows if we’ll get much more fruit. One San Mariano gigante 3 has two small tomatoes on it. You don’t believe how hard I have worked and how diligent I have been spraying baking soda, hydrogen peroxide etc to keep the disease and insects at bay. I had already decided to grow determinates next year for sauce and limit my indeterminates to German strawberry. That’s my favorite tomato of all time. Your video is very helpful. Thank you
I have been growing determinate tomatoes and other crops this year. I also have found that hybrid versions are much more rewarding too. I enjoy the videos.
Thank you! You may also be interested in looking at Dwarf Tomato Project varieties. They are not particularly disease resistant, but they're fun to mess with early in the season. The fruits are fantastic.
Love the video...I too grow both determinate and indeterminate tomato plants and my determinate tomato plants outperform my indeterminate tomato plants funny thing both in my garden beds and amazing in 25 gallon buckets...so really appreciate your videos and I am willing to try some of your tomato variety recommendations! All the best to you and Dale!
My yard doesn't get great sunlight because a next door building casts a shadow on it for several hours a day. The indeterminates that I grow barely produce fruit (except for the indeterminate cherry tomatoes which does produce some). The determines that I grow produce so many more tomatoes that I probably won't grow indeterminates again (except for the cherry varieties). Thanks a lot for the Siletz variety recommendation - I tried them this year and I am really happy that I did! I finally have a tomato harvest (despite the lower amount of sunlight)! Next year I am going to grow some Red Deuce determinates to see how they do as well.
This makes me feel better about my current tomato situation. Several determinate, 5 or so “big boy ” indeterminate and only I think 2 super sweet 100 indeterminate. And now I have bought more seeds I’ll start now for later season or in pots if I want to use shade
I think the myth of "all at once" comes from farmers who HAVE to harvest all at once with machines. Not all of their tomatoes ripen all at once either they only keep the ripe ones and spread the green ones back onto the field to compost.
Thanks for suggesting Siletz earlier in the year. Just picked the first ripe one and it was very good. 👍🏻
I'm glad you enjoyed Siletz! It's a very special tomato.
Well, now I’m really intrigued. I’m not much of a tomato gardener but decided to try three varieties of determinant tomatoes for the first time this year. Since I didn’t get them started until mid-June, I’m still waiting for the results. I decided to try determinant varieties for the first time in the hopes that the smaller plant size would help make me more successful. Your video has made me look forward to trying the actual tomatoes. Thanks for your info. I’ve subscribed and will go back and watch other videos. I’ve got a lot to learn.
I live in Salem Oregon now for eight years and was raised in San Diego, in Cali you can grow tomatoes because of the weather, but here it’s a little more challenging I have grown indeterminate Tom’s and labored endlessly cutting them back and vining them and not getting much harvest! This year I’m growing way more determinate tomatoes! Thanks so much for your advice. You can’t buy a good tomato here during the season not like in Cali So I’m looking forward to changing with your experience thanks again! Tommy G.
This year I tried few determined tomatoes and most of them are very productive, where I have indetermined tomates with less than they have. So I will check their taste and in case I like it they will find a place in my garden next year.
First time gardener this year and I bought several indeterminate and 1 Roma determinate and so far the Roma has been the easiest! So good to know foe next year!
I'm just getting started in this planting journey so I'm totally open minded. I realy don't understand someone getting upset about diverse opinions. I take the advise for what it is worth to me and say thank you then do my thing with or without the advise. Thanks to ALL the channels that guide me with my best Interest at heart. They share with no requirement of payment . God bless you all❤
You are spot on. I am from southeastern Pennsylvania in Bucks County and this year the heat has really done a job on my tomatoes but the only ones standing now are the determinant tomatoes which are thriving still. I think I’m going to start growing a lot more determinate and cut down on the indeterminate because I have much more success with the determinate tomatoes. Thanks again for a terrific video!
This is my 1st year of adding determinate varieties, and they have been healthier and more productive than the indeterminate tomatoes I planted. Already planning for next year with more determinates that I’m going to add.
I agree with you 500%! I am a gardener that observes the plants behavior rather than listen to every gardener and all you are talking about is what I learned.
Here in CT, I've only had success with Determinate, Inds have produced, but poorly. The Determinates give me sooo many that I freeze & can a ton & still give away a bunch. 1 determinate will produce MORE than 3 Inds.
I am growing a bunch of determinants this year for the first time. So far so good.
Appreciate these words. Tried a few determinate tomatoes last year and found what you say to be true! Will be growing many more this year!
I really like determinate because the space savings. I tried the mini tomato plant this year and I enjoy that one also.
Our local deer really love my determinant to my tomatoes. I am devastated they stole my first real red tomato the night before my planned pick! I’m so determined I dug them up and moved inside my lanai in 5 gal buckets to save fruit for us. From Tampa Fl thanks for your advice, I’ve learned a ton
My indeterminate varieties did great this year, but the determinate variety not so much. I believe the mistake I made, other than getting a bit of a late start, was buying plants that had fruit on them already.
Great! I didn’t even know about these two types of tomatoes. Now I know what to plant. Thanks a lot!
I kept indeterminate over the winter here in Charleston, SC in a small green house I built but I have to listen to a tomato grower from Jersey. I'm going to try some 👍deternimate right now. I have just enough time.
I am adding in determinates at this point in the season shooting for mid-Sept ripening. I added this video to my Tomato Playlist. You didn't have to sell me, but you did a good job of sell the point.
You make a very convincing argument for having determinate tomatoes. I’m convinced!!
I recommend giving them a shot, but with the understanding that they must be treated very differently than indeterminates. They must be staked and not pruned. Never remove suckers, or you won't get a good harvest. Determinates thrive on neglect. You'll still want to do some due diligence with fungicides and pesticides if you have that issue in your climate, but the less you touch the plants, the better in general.
I love Roma and Rutgers, both determinate. I also love indeterminate Early Girl, Cherokee Purple, Carmello, and Brandywine Red tomatoes, not to mention Sweet 100 and Sun Gold Cherry tomatoes. I try Beefsteak every year but only get a couple unless we are having El Nino. I live in Seattle. Usually my determinates stop fruiting first. Cherokee Purple would be perfect for Millennial Gardener.
This is my first year with determinate. I'm growing several dwarf varias well. This was great, I had heard those myths as well, and wasn't interested in determinate because of that.
I'm in Southern Ontario and the dwarfs have worked great, I can start them indfs in January and they're manageable until April when they grow in the greenhouse.
I'm growing marglobe for the first time this year, I've only gotten so far, but it was tasty. Thanks for the info.
Just gotta let you know that here in nw Arkansas as well as when we lived in sw Missouri, our indeterminate tomatoes run rampant every year with only water and decent soil! Our vines grow up a 6ft fence and usually back to the ground on the other side and we have both heat and humidity! Not downing any of the other good points you've made about determinates, mind you, and we are growing some determinates, this year after seeing your video, last year! Keep up the good work and God bless ❤️
So true. I have both determinate and indeterminate tomatoes and some are doing FANTASTIC this year while others are not. It's all about trial and error to see which varieties of each grow best in your climate and soil type. And of course ones that taste good to you. Thanks for the informative video.
I live in Central Ohio and have always grown indeterminate tomatoes and they’ve always grew up until frost.
Think of the length of your growing season relative to the tomato's age. You likely don't plant your tomato transplants until May 30, and you get frost around, maybe, October 10? That would make your tomato growing season 133 days long. Your plants simply die before they can develop problems.
133 days after I transplant tomatoes is July 31. My tomatoes are as old as yours are at the end of your season in the middle of the year, and I get more 90 degree days in a summer than Ohio gets in a decade 😁The point I'm trying to make is that in order to see the limitations of the tomato plant, you need to live in a location where the growing season is long and hard enough to beat the plant up. When you live in a location like that, you can see how weak indeterminate plants are relative to determinates. If you grow determinates, even in your climate, you'll get more food.
You convinced me. I'll try determinates this upcoming season for the first time.
They're much easier to manage and grow. Just remember that determinate varieties should *not* be pruned. Stake them when young and let them grow.
100% agree. For the first 3 years of my gardening career, I've gone for indeterminate only growing one determinate (Carolina Gold) which had blossom end rot issues (potted plant) each time I grew that variety and it turned me off vs indeterminate. However, last year I grew a Mountain Merit hybrid that was super productive, allowed me to succession plant up here in Southern Ontario, and was resistant to the "early" late blight that hit and eventual took out my indeterminate by late August. The yield was better, the plant was far more compact, and the taste was sensational. Obviously, I still like growing indeterminate predominantly for the funky varieties/specific cherry tomatoes that do exceptionally well, but your video definitely persuaded me to grow more of a 50/50 split of indeterminate and determinate and thus far when we've been dealing with 100% humidity nights in the 60s and upwards of 110F sticky spells, the determinate varieties are far more stable and productive. Thanks for the advice on the topic and for all the videos you put out, it's a wealth of knowledge.
Thank you so much you just ancered all my problems with growing tomatoes. My Mom and Dad have been gone a long time . I remember they just planted the tomatoes in a row no stakes just some kind of line and let them grow so many tomatoes clear up till frost they were the best tasting. Now thanks to you. I know what to do. I am learning a lot from you. Thanks again!
You're welcome! I'm glad the video was helpful! Determinate tomatoes still benefit from some support. However, it's a lot simpler than indeterminate types.
I’ve always hated growing bigger indeterminate tomatoes cause they die so fast. Will be trying determinate next year.
I think you'll enjoy them. They're a lot less work for the food.
It’s been the reverse for us this year, low production on the determinates but huge continuing harvests for the indeterminates. Slowing a bit now but plants are still going strong! I have been spraying weekly with a diluted baking soda solution and disease has been kept under control. One interesting variety we are growing is “Candyland” which is a currant type, hundreds of very small sweet fruits. Give this a try. On your suggestion I have started some tomatoes for (hopefully) a late fall harvest. Wish us luck!
Awesome update & I agree 100%. I tried siletz this year because you suggested it & thank you. Enjoying them. Good boy Dale. Hope he got an extra treat for finding the critters. 😉
You're on a roll! Love it! Truth be told! I am in Central Florida and I am harvesting sun golds right now and they are pushing seven feet, and just getting started. Who wants to get on a ladder to pick that high anyway? So, if I pinch the top of these plants, will they grow more fruit sets lower down on the horizontal branches?
👍, I didn't know my 2 determinate tomatoes were so, & I pruned😢 but, amazingly, still have a few product coming😊 thanks, love them!
I grew 8 determinate roma plants in 2023 and had nearly 85 lbs of romas.
Wow, another great video. You are such a wealth of information😊👍. This is the first year I have had a garden and I ended up getting both kinds of tomatoes. I must say, the determinants are much easier for his senior citizen to handle. Honestly, when I bought the starts (not brave enough to try seeds yet) I didn’t understand the difference between the two…but I’ve learned so much from your videos that have helped along the way. Thank you!
I only grow determinant tomatoes due to space limitations. Thanks for the list of varieties you like. I'm growing Celebriry here in Georgia, but I'll try some of the others next year.
I agree. Celebrity tomatoes are fantastic and do well here in Houston. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any plants early enough for this area. By July tomatoes are pretty much done here but Sun Golds will last the longest.
I live in Jersey and just pulled out my indeterminate plants and planted Tiny Tim determinate seeds. I plant only in containers and it's my first year gardening, so everything is an experiment for me. I hope I have more success with the Tiny Tim determinates than I had with the beefsteak indeterminates. Thanks for another very informative video!
You're welcome! I recommend looking into Celebrity and Bella Rosa if you want the "easiest to grow" beefsteaks. They are tough plants.
I agree as well! I grew both determinates and indeterminates this year and they have been just as productive and still going. The determinates were a little smaller plants but other than that they produce just as long as the indeterminates in Georgia
. Red Snapper has big beautiful beefsteak size tomatoes and the plants are still going.
Thanks so much for going over the differences. I never knew the difference so was not sure how to care for both.
Yes I like marglobe and I grew them last year and canned them. I have never heard of the other varieties mentioned in the video.
I’m growing determinant tomatoes for the first time this year because a friend highly suggested them. Patio Choice. Then I bought a Celebrity plant to try also. They are both doing fantastically
Nice work. I’m from Philadelphia trying to get used to Vero Beach growing. Gonna try the determinate.
Thanks for this information, former Jersey girl here now in Tennessee and you are so right about the ease of growing tomatoes up there, I haven't had a garden in years so I decided to do containers before I go all out with raised beds, all of my determinant Roma and San Marzano seeds are growing strong so Im looking forward to harvesting them for sauce ...Where did you get your seeds from I would like to try them. I purchased 7 gallon containers hope they're large enough
Thank you in advance.
Growing Siberian and Legend determinate tomatoes this year. Have 3 plants total and great yield so far.
Great video, thank you! We've sold our house and are moving in a month so couldn't plant my tomatoes in the yard this year. I have 2 plots in a community garden that I want to put tomatoes in but can't provide the proper vining trellis that I usually use for indeterminate tomatoes. I want to try determinite tomotoes for the first time. You've given me confidence that I can and might actually do better (here in southern Ontario we end up with humidity issues, and it sounds like the determinite might do better for us anyway.) It's going to be a great experiment!
Zone 7b North Carolina , October 1st . I have a Roma with 20 fruits and still flowering . If you can keep disease away , these things keep growing until frost takes them.
Dale is a good boy! My brindle mix boy Leo checks the perimeter of my yard too. Loves to chase away the rabbits! Thanks for the info on the determinate type of tomato. I looked through my seeds and I only have 2 varieties. Will be growing them next year!
Thank you so much, for the excellent points made. It will help a lot next growing season. Thanks also for sharing some of your favorite determinates.
You're welcome! I'm glad I can help point you in the right direction!
i've finally overcome earlier failure and grew a bumper crop of determinate/bush tomato. the variety matters, as does your climate and microclimate.
the ones i grew were less than foot tall and required zero staking. very dense plant that produced lots.
no matter which types of tomatoes, as early fall starts, all my summer crops finish, and i plant out a fall crop of cooler weather veggies. other places around town can grow tomatoes right up to winter, but production is much reduced. i get a full crop of other veggies. i can do three or four crops of veggies into a year, as i live in a frost free climate but, summer are hot and dry, usually.
I ordered a bunch more of the Dwarf tomato project varieties earlier this season. Bella Rosa was definitely a winner for me last year. I forgot to sow any this year. Red Snapper was very similar to Bella Rosa.
Everything Hoss recommends is tough. Their climate is just like mine, so if it grows for them, I know I can handle it 😀
I had no idea what I was growing my wife brought home a tomato from the grocery store and I just decided to try and grow the seeds, well 2 months later and I have 30 plants and no idea what they are except I would say they are determinate because they look like a bush not a vine. I'm just now getting some tiny fruit on them. I did the same thing with a cherry tomato she brought home. I have everything in fabric pots and they are doing fabulous along with Jalapenos, Ghost pepper, Dragon's breath, Carolina reapers and some kind of Thai peppers and oh yea Hot Hungarian banana wax peppers, can't wait to try the tomatoes and your right if everything you say is true I was lied to. I live in East Texas where it gets mighty hot around June to August. We shall see, great video.
A lot of tomatoes are hybrids and won't breed true. That just means that you aren't so much a gardener as a plant breeder. Should be fun.
I have been binge watching your tomato videos. Excited for the spring.
You've convinced me to try determinates because I'm really getting tired of all that pruning!. I live in NW Arkansas and it's HOT and HUMID! I've been growing the Cherokee Purple and the Arkansas Traveler for years, both indeterminate. The Cherokee's are not for the faint of heart so I grow them in a hoop house under plastic sheeting until the weather settles and then replace it with a sun screen. I pick off most of the suckers , keep the leaves at least a foot off the ground and water with irrigation tubing to prevent water getting on the lowest leaves. In the Fall I replace the plastic sheeting. They seldom develop any disease this way and will continue to produce until cold weather kills them. The Arkansas Traveler doesn't grow as tall or have as much foliage or as many suckers so you can grow them close together. They don't produce as abundantly but they seem to love the heat and about the time the Cherokee are slowing down in mid-summer, the Arkansas Travelers get going. I'll keep growing the Cherokee because I love the flavor but I'm going to cut back and make room for some determinate tomatoes. Thank you for this. I am learning so much from your videos.
Thanks for the pro and cons to both types. Good helpful video.
I have both, and I was planning next year to go all determinant. I love the fact that they stay smaller than my indeterminant and they are so much less work. I agree with every point you made. Thank you for the video.
I still grow mostly indeterminate, but that's because I'm a hobbyist/enthusiast. If I were growing strictly for production and food storage, I'd grow all determinates and not waste my time with indeterminates other than cherry types. Determinates just produce so much more food per square foot!
Couldn't agree more with this video. A smart take on reality when it comes to growing tomatoes. Thanks for sharing.