Definitions… What’s it all about?

When we first start to grow tomatoes, we all hear a bunch of terms thrown around - cordon, indeterminate, bush, cherry, beef, dwarf etc. And rarely do people take the time to explain these, let alone to tell us which type to grow where or when, in what environment, or how to get the best fruit for our space. Worse still, posts on social media platforms claiming to be from “experts” regularly mislead novice growers with inaccurate diagrams, poor explanations and misinformation. These issues contribute hugely to people losing heart with growing, due to the wrong type of care. My aim here is to demystify some common terms, and maybe dispel some common misconceptions along the way!

Picture of tightly rugose dwarf

Dwarf, Mini-Dwarf and Micros Dwarf plants

So what are “Dwarf” plants then? Well... there is a segment of genetic code that dictates growth patterns. Dwarf plants are the same as normal determinate or indeterminate plants, but with a piece of genetic coding which tells them to set their branches much closer together. There are no rules on how close they should be, which is why true dwarf plants can range from 20cm to 150cm. This gives us a huge range of growth habits to play with, especially for small gardens. Many dwarves are very compact in their growth, not requiring support or pruning. Some can be easily grown on windowsills, even through the winter!!

Regular indeterminates are great, if you have the space. There are SO MANY varieties, but they do take time and care to get right. Regular determinate plants have their place, they need a bit of organising because an unsupported tomato bush can get unruly, the fruit can drape on the ground, etc etc. Some of the smaller determinates can be grown in hanging baskets, and I will refer to these as cascading plants - these are fab for packing lots of varieties into a small space!

But if you ask me, dwarf plants, both determinate and indeterminate, are the best! Let me tell you why...

They are space saving - no more 8ft vines strung across the roof of your greenhouse!

They are beautiful to look at. Leaves can be any shade of green from chartreuse to very dark, with some showing purple hues too. Variagated varieties, with their striped stems, multicoloured leaves and often purple undersides are so pretty they wouldn't look out of place in a flower display. On top of this, regular leaved, potato leaved, and a small number of carrot leaved types are available, and the majority have beautiful rugose patterning, which adds to their decorative effect.

Indeterminate dwarfs will grow as many trusses as normal indeterminates but at a smaller height, and you can allow more leaders (main stems) to grow without sacrificing airflow

Dwarf plants are compact - the leaf and stem nodes are closer together. While some dwarf indeterminates will still need support, many of the dwarf determinates hold themselves up and often require little support when compared to determinate bush types

Micro Dwarf varieties growing well in a stackable tower

Something variagated with ripe fruit

You can grow lots of them in pots, so no need for a big garden or polytunnel. The smallest dwarfs - mini and micro dwarfs can be easily grown on window ledges indoors through the winter. They really are ideal for small gardens, patios, even in planters on balcony rails.

The smallest micro plants are fast growing, maturing fruit in half the time of a full sized indeterminate. So while you may not get as many fruit from a 20cm plant as you would from a 2m vine, you will get a quicker harvest and can grow more varieties in your space. They do especially well in tower planters, so you can stack 12+ different varieties into a footprint of only 2ft square.

Thanks to many incredible breeders out there, and collaberative projects like the Dwarf Tomato Project, there are now hundreds of stable varieties of dwarf for you to grow!