Size of plant?

[Black Krim]

Being new to tomaters and read several catalogs with descriptions, it is clear the natural habit of all the tomato varieties range from tiny to huge Bush to long long vines.

Is there a single resource that lists this info. Most seed pkg are vague at best......a few exceptions of course.

Purpose is to determine space and amount of pruning which is not my favorite activity. Well it is but I do need to get other chores done too .

[Black Krim]

Wow.....26 views but no suggestions.....will continue checking each of the sources/ vendors in sticky .....

[jmsieglaff]

A single place?

The one thing that comes to mind is:
http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Main_Page

Type in a variety and you should get good info about det/indet and often if it is a more compact indet.

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

A single place?

The one thing that comes to mind is:
http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Main_Page

Type in a variety and you should get good info about det/indet and often if it is a more compact indet.

THANK YOU

Spent more than a few minutes on this site. (OMG soooooo many tomatos!!!!) AND DEFINITELY helpful.

Looked thru a number of pages to see how plants are described; definitely more detail than the back of the typical seed packs!!



I is my shorthand for Indeterminant; and D is for determinant. So here is my summary of descriptions--

Descriptions of Indeterminants

I like black, black krim, black cherry

I vigorous likebrandywine cherry, Britian's Breakfast, Burgess Lemon

I very vigorous like Blue Angel, Cerise Orange

I very vigorous and spindly like Bolivianische Obsttomatic

I tall vigorous

I vigorous bushy like Calabacito Rojo ( need to try this one!)

I large like Brandywine

relatively compact I gave 4-5 foot height and another listing is Brown cherry, Black Hawk, Bychiy

I tall or tall I

I very rampant vines

I sprawling

I dwarf like Big Green Dwarf

I spreading like Bianca

I compact like Bing Cherry, Black Giant, Pink Berkley Tie-Dye

I compact and bushy like Cher nomor



Descriptions for Determinants

D vigorous bushy like Campbell 19

D bushy compact lists at 4 feet like Canadian Dwarf

D dwarf compact

compact semi-D like Budenovka, Pink

semi-D like Branscomb's Orange

D compact like Blue Fruit, Carree, and Bonte Tigret listed at 18"

D compact sprawling maybe a typo on my part

Large D



I do understand, or I think I do, lol, that Determinants are types which stop putting out flowers and the height of the plant ceases growing. ANd the Indeterminants are when the plants keeps growing height wise and keeps putting out flowers. HOWEVER, apparently these rules are made to be broken!!! or so it seems.


Then to muddy sizes further, I'm betting some indeterminants are smaller than some determinants.

dwarf---bet it is a gene that acts on the plant whether I or D, which is why both can have this.

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by Black Krim

THANK YOU

I do understand, or I think I do, lol, that Determinants are types which stop putting out flowers and the height of the plant ceases growing. ANd the Indeterminants are when the plants keeps growing height wise and keeps putting out flowers. HOWEVER, apparently these rules are made to be broken!!! or so it seems.


Then to muddy sizes further, I'm betting some indeterminants are smaller than some determinants.

dwarf---bet it is a gene that acts on the plant whether I or D, which is why both can have this.

Then throw in the Semi Determinates like Bradley

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Then throw in the Semi Determinates like Bradley

OMG, I read the section of thread that delved into this and my head was spinning trying to follow AND pick up the lingo at the same time. Semi I versus semi-D was the "discussion".......OVER MY HEAD!! lol

Bradley did sound like one I would like to try sooner rather than later!!! Even if it doesnt want to play by the rules.

[jmsieglaff]

This has plant height, but like anything I'm guessing YMMV:
https://njaes.rutgers.edu/tomato-varieties/

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

This has plant height, but like anything I'm guessing YMMV:
https://njaes.rutgers.edu/tomato-varieties/

Thank you. Combined with the above site, this will help tremendously!

Looked up a few varieties that I have grown, to get a feel for the data here.

Beam's Yellow Pear at 7 feet. My YP fit that, as it fell over the sides of the 5 foot cage.

Fourth of July listed at 5 feet, mine in poor soil were 4 feet at best. Would grow them again.

Red Pear, like the Astin's Red Pear, at 6 feet is an understatement in my good garden--vine jumped to next plant and kept on going!!! ( Of course the soil is WELL amended with manure.)

[AlittleSalt]

Black Krim,

I don't know of one site that can do that. There are plants that are smaller. IE Lime Green Salad and Pinky Blast can be planted 18 inches apart. Dwarf doesn't necessarily mean it's a small plant.

It also depends on how you prune the plant.

Here in Texas, I think the word, "Indeterminate" means it will most likely grow a huge plant.

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Black Krim,

I don't know of one site that can do that. There are plants that are smaller. IE Lime Green Salad and Pinky Blast can be planted 18 inches apart. Dwarf doesn't necessarily mean it's a small plant.

It also depends on how you prune the plant.

Here in Texas, I think the word, "Indeterminate" means it will most likely grow a huge plant.

ROFL Texas has a reputation to maintain after all!!

[Spartanburg123]

I agree with the previous posters- it really depends on how you prune the plant. And how resistantt to diseases. I routinely get plants that are 10-12 feet tall, primarily because I prune the first two levels of all suckers. I like to have my plants off the ground, away from the dirt splatter when watering. Here is a pic of a Cherokee Purple that was pruned that way:

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by Spartanburg123

I agree with the previous posters- it really depends on how you prune the plant. And how resistantt to diseases. I routinely get plants that are 10-12 feet tall, primarily because I prune the first two levels of all suckers. I like to have my plants off the ground, away from the dirt splatter when watering. Here is a pic of a Cherokee Purple that was pruned that way:

A perfect picture!!! Love it. We pruned two plants like that and liked air flow and reduced splashing. The vines reached the top of the cages then bent headed for the ground. This blocked picking fruit inside the cage. Our cages topped out at five feet. Need to reach 8 feet, the highest I can reach.

What support is under your Cherokee purple?

[Gardeneer]

There is no fixed numbers on plant height. For example they say "... it get 5 to 8 ft tall ..". It is like the weather forecast : "... there is a 40% chance of rain..." . Haha. what does that mean ? Will it rain or what ?
Same story about tomato plat size. There is a big difference between 5 ft and 8ft.
You want your plant short ? Top it early on and let it grow bushy with multiple stems, suckers and all.
JMO

[Black Krim]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

There is no fixed numbers on plant height. For example they say "... it get 5 to 8 ft tall ..". It is like the weather forecast : "... there is a 40% chance of rain..." . Haha. what does that mean ? Will it rain or what ?
Same story about tomato plat size. There is a big difference between 5 ft and 8ft.
You want your plant short ? Top it early on and let it grow bushy with multiple stems, suckers and all.
JMO

40% chance of rain is useless in my book!! Especially as most forecasters are very good at estimating the number of inches and when the storm is due. As a weather watcher ( have farm animals) I have learned which forecasters to listen to and to adjust the timing relative to the location of the TV station.

Figured many plants will alter height etc in a given plot, just needed a comparison in a side by side situation to grasp the tendencies of the plant.

Grew dwarf sugar snap peas in two gardens. Planted different times of the year as well, got 4 different heights. The pkg said 2 foot vines--- only one planting close to this and then the vines were closer to 2.5 feet and yanked over the support.

[Sydney Grower]

yes, we all grow in different ways which affect plant heights significantly on indeterminate plants. I single stem my plants on hanging strings and lower them as they reach my 8 foot top bar. By the end of the season the individual plant can be 10-15 feet tall/long. Others who grow multiple stems get more width and plants could be 3-4 feet wide but only 4 feet tall (maybe less).

I would guess that with indeterminate plants, the method of growing is going to affect plant height much more than the variety. However I will happily defer to those around here who have more experience than me on this issue