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!

“Indeterminate”

The majority of plants sold at garden centres and supermarkets are indeterminate; much like the once-popular teacup pig, they look all cute and manageable when you first get them, but in reality, they are big sprawling plants that don't know when to stop. They require pruning, careful management, without which they can easily take over your garden! But the wrong pruning can lead to a lack of fruit, incorrect growth, poor flavour, sickness and infection. This can definitely be confusing and sometimes offputting. But I am here to tell you that it doesn't have to be like this!!

As the name suggests, an indeterminate plant does not have a pre-determined end point. If allowed to, it will grow on and on, in every direction. These plants need serious control in a British garden, firstly because of space-management, and secondly because we live in a climate where fungal diseases thrive - it's damp here (usually!) so maintaining airflow is very important. Allow every sideshoot to grow, and you have a plant as dense as a hedge, a lot of foliage and the fruit will suffer as a result. In other countries, especially those with hotter, drier climates, you often see tomatoes grown outdoors, allowed to grow to their full, wild potential, usually supported on large trellises. These plants will bear masses of fruit, and it can be very tempting to allow them to grow this way in the UK if you have the space.

Rows of indeterminate tomatoes trained as single-leader cordons

A good example of indeterminate growth without pruning - 9ft tall Cherokee Purple Cherry, grown by Ruth Wagner, USA.

However, most of us choose to grow indeterminates as "cordon" plants. This means religious and sometimes ruthless pruning of side shoots (extra stems which can appear in the space between the main stem and a leaf stem, or even on the end of a flower truss) and suckers (extra main stems which grow from ground level at the base of the plant). Allowing these extra stems to grow in our damp, cool climate, will reduce airflow around the plant. This risks the growth of the many fungal diseases that afflict tomatoes - botrytis, septoria, fusarium, early blight, and the dreaded late blight. Another side-effect of allowing the plant to "grow wild" is the liklihood of smaller, less tasty fruits. This has more to do with insufficient feeding for the size of the plant, which is partly our responsibility but actually, more crucially, is often the result of the limited sunshine of British summer!

Read more about pruning indeterminate plants here.