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Tomatoes have already taken their place in the diet of Russians several centuries ago, having passed from the stage of "poisonous" plants to a favorite (and healthy) vegetable. Those who have been breeding them for a long time know what criteria should be used to select varieties for planting. Beginners are only trying to understand what this is an indeterminate tomato variety (as well as determinant).
About the features of the varieties
Numerous varieties of the Solanaceous culture are divided into classes according to various characteristics:
- zoning;
- growing in open or closed ground;
- ripening time;
- consumer purpose;
- type of stem;
- the height of the bush.
It is in the latter classification that the concept of "determinancy" is used, which refers to plants that independently stop their growth at a certain stage of development. In contrast to them, varieties with unlimited growth have been bred in culture. They are called indeterminate tomatoes, or vines.
There is also an intermediate variety of tomatoes - semi-determinant. These are tall varieties that at some point stop their upward movement.
Knowing what is the difference between determinant and indeterminate tomatoes, it is easier to navigate in choosing the right variety for the conditions of your own dacha. Therefore, it is worth considering the features of each variety in order to be able to distinguish them later.
Determinant tomato variety
Determinants
Determinant tomatoes are classified as low-growing bushes with weak branching. Having formed 4-7 fruiting brushes on the stem, the plant stops growing. In this case, the first brush is formed after the 5th leaf, and all subsequent ones every 2 leaves.
The varieties are fruitful, with a friendly return of fruits. So that the bush is not overloaded with tomatoes, it should be pinned, forming a plant of 2-3 stems. But sometimes this does not help either, so it is recommended to tie up the determinants, despite the fact that the bushes are not high.
In this category of varieties, there are subspecies that can be determined by:
- superdeterminant (also called bush) - they are lower, do not require pinching and give 2-3 brushes on each stem;
- standard - stand out with a dense strong stem, therefore they do not need tying, but with large yields, it is recommended to strengthen the brushes on pegs; this type of tomato is not stepchild.
In these varieties, the first brush can be seen after the 4th leaf. Subsequent - are formed through 1-2 plates.
Stamp
Realizing what this means determinant tomatoes, the gardener asks the following question: where is it better to grow them? This type of tomato is usually planted in open ground, but there are varieties for cultivation in greenhouses.
All determinants are early in terms of maturation. Therefore, they can be grown in almost all regions of the country of Russia. But for areas with a short warm season, it is more rational to use a covering regime for the development of tomatoes.
Advantages and disadvantages of determinants
| pros | Minuses |
|---|---|
| · Early ripening of tomatoes; · Excellent taste of fruits; · A large number of ovaries and a high yield; Tying multiple hands together | · Limited growth of the bush; · Requires a lot of fertilizers; Congestion with ovaries reduces resistance to infection and makes care more difficult |
Despite the disadvantages, almost every determinant tomato variety is popular with summer residents.The compactness of the bushes allows you to allocate less space for the beds than for high growth, which is very beneficial from an economic point of view.
Liana-like
Now we should discuss the indeterminate variety of tomato, what it is, what are the features. This type of bushes is not just long - the height of the vines is not limited. Therefore, it is necessary to artificially stop the growth of tomatoes by pinching. One stem is left on the bushes, making timely full pinching.
Up to 50 brushes can form on the stem. The first one grows after 9-12 leaves, all the next ones appear after 2-3 plates.
Tomato brush
Indeterminate tomatoes prefer to grow at high temperatures, so they thrive in the open field of the southern regions. In the middle lane, and even more so in the Siberian latitudes, liana-shaped tomatoes are grown exclusively in greenhouses, because they belong to late-ripening varieties.
With proper care indoors, indeterminants can develop over a year. An extended crop can produce up to 45 kg of tomatoes per square meter of greenhouse.
Vines need a trellis garter. This procedure is carried out as the bush grows. The gardener himself directs the development of the stem. After pinching, it is recommended to braid the top of the shoot around the wire of the upper level of the trellis.
Features of indeterminate varieties
| Features: | Explanations |
|---|---|
| Fruiting period | Stretched - crops can be harvested until late autumn |
| Fertility | High yield, on average from one bush you can get up to 10 kg per season |
| Convenience in growing | Easy maintenance of the beds. The presence of one stem makes the bush "transparent" for inspection and convenient for harvesting |
| Immunity | Due to the lack of bottom sheets and good ventilation, these varieties are more resistant to diseases |
Among the disadvantages can be noted the need for plant formation and a garter on a trellis. But these procedures are difficult only for beginners. Experienced farmers do not consider them disadvantages and treat them as routine work.
Semi-determinants
These tomatoes have the features of the two varieties already described, but they will certainly differ from them. Bushes are tall and have no tendency to bend. But unexpectedly, under the influence of a number of factors, the plant ends its growth. The summer resident should not wait for this moment, but independently limit the height of the bush, making a pinch of the stem ends.
Sometimes gardeners stepchild a semi-determinant tomato into one shoot, but it is better to form 2 full-fledged stems, on which from 8 to 10 brushes are formed. To get good fruits, an additional shoot should be formed under the first brush, choosing the most viable stepson.
Southerners can safely grow this type of tomato in garden beds. In other regions, the most suitable place for these varieties is a greenhouse. Although in central Russia they reproduce well in film shelters.
Tomato in film shelters
Features of agricultural technology
Despite the difference in the growth of bushes, all tomatoes are grown in seedlings. The difference lies in the timing of planting seeds in a box. The interdeterminant and intermediate varieties begin to be sown in mid-February, and low-growing plants in March.
The preparation of the site for planting seedlings is identical in all cases, but the method of planting in the ground itself is different:
- low bushes are planted vertically in the hole, deepening to the cotyledons;
- it is better to plant seedlings of high varieties in furrows, 15 cm deep, laying at an angle; sprinkling the lower part of the stem with earth, capture 2-3 leaves;
- the distance in the row between the determinants is kept 30 cm, the rest are placed in increments of 0.5 m.
The gap between the rows is the same - 70 cm. The average planting density should be no more than 4 bushes per square meter of the garden.
The stages of caring for each variety are identical and boil down to watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, weeding, and combating diseases and pests.The features of these works are not determined by determinism, but by the place of cultivation - in the garden or in the greenhouse.
Popular varieties of tomatoes
Breeders have developed tens of thousands of varieties and hybrids of tomatoes. All of them are strictly zoned for certain climatic conditions, which must be taken into account when buying seeds or seedlings.
As for the growth of the bushes, here you should know which variety is more suitable for the requirements of the farmer. Newly made summer residents, studying seed bags, do not understand the determinant tomato variety what it is. But if you know the name of the undersized species, it will be easier to navigate in the choice.
Determinant varieties
| Name | Features: | Pros, cons |
|---|---|---|
| Dubok | Gives bright red fruits with an average weight of up to 150 g. From one bush you can take up to 6 kg of fleshy tomatoes per season | · It matures early, procreates amicably, does not need tying; · Fruit pulp is tasty, sugary; The variety is resistant to late blight |
| Ground Gribovsky 1180 | · Forms small, smooth, round-flat fruits of intense red color; The mass of tomatoes is 55-90 g. From one square meter of planting, on average, you can take 1.7 kg of fruits, and with good agricultural technology - up to 4.2 kg | · Suitable for any growing conditions (soil and greenhouse); Resistant to both temporary drought and cold |
| Liang | The bright red tomatoes are medium-sized (65-80 g) and have a smooth, rounded shape. From 1 sq.m. you can get up to 3.5 kg of fruits | · Early ripening - even in the Central Region, the crop can be harvested 3 months after sowing. Fruit ripening is amicable; · Tomatoes have a presentation and are suitable for long-term transportation; The plant is resistant to macrosporiosis, bacterial spotting, apical rot |
Among determinant tomatoes, the following varieties are also popular:
- White filling - with orange-red fruits;
- Cherry - very early, with numerous small tomatoes;
- Siberian early ripening - high-yielding both in the greenhouse and in the open field.
White filling
The gardener, knowing that this is a determinant tomato variety, in search of undersized bushes will surely find the most interesting options for growing in the country. If you want to purchase an indeterminate bush, then you should pay attention to other varieties.
Liana-like tomatoes
| Name | Features: | Pros, cons |
|---|---|---|
| Cow heart | · The height of the bush is formed according to the size of the film greenhouse; · Average weight of deep pink fruits - 300-400 g; Productivity reaches 7 kg per square | · Produces tasty juicy fruits; · Has an average resistance to diseases; Poorly adapted for outdoor cultivation in the central and northern regions |
| Russian size | The average weight of tomatoes is 630-650 g, which makes it possible to get from 1 sq.m. up to 8 kg of juicy fruits | · Resistant to cladosporium, fusarium, tobacco mosaic virus; Grown in film shelters |
| Hybrid New Year | On a fairly high bush, many small, slightly ribbed fruits (65-75 g in weight) are formed | Tomatoes have a marketable appearance and are perfectly stored fresh until the New Year (which is why the variety got its name) |
The described varieties in warm areas can be safely planted in the open air. But for the northerners, greenhouse hybrids are more acceptable, among which it is worth highlighting Annabelle, Tango, Swallow, Fontana, Figaro. They are resistant to many diseases and root-knot nematodes, and thrive in poor light conditions.
Those who want to grow something in between low bushes and vines should look for the PD mark on the seed bags, which should mean a semi-determinant.
Tomato varieties semi-determinate
| Name | Features: | Pros, cons |
|---|---|---|
| Richiai | The bush branches well, gives rounded small fruits (weighing up to 90 g), orange-red | · Variety of medium early ripening. Recommended for film greenhouses; Appreciated for its excellent tasting qualities |
| Adonis (hybrid) | Smooth, round red fruits reach a ripe weight of 102 g 115-120 days after the first shoots appear | · Well tolerates low temperatures and low light; · Suitable for long-term storage, high-yielding; Selected for protected ground, but weakly resistant to diseases and nematodes |
| Associate Professor F1 | The bush of medium ripening gives a large (up to 120 g) rounded red fruit | · The yield is uniform and stable. Even in the winter-spring turnover, you can get up to 20 kg per 1 sq. M .; Good resistance to fusarium, cladosporium and TMV |
It is also worth paying attention to the variety Energo, which gives large yields and is grown for mass sale (although it is too susceptible to nematodes).
Having found out what kind of determinant tomato it is, understanding how it can differ, how to choose and shape it correctly, the summer resident will certainly grow a large number of delicious juicy tomatoes on his site.
