Volunteer tomato: indeterminate or determinate?

Roseinarosecity on 2/10/2012, 7:38 pm

Is there a plant length of a newly sprouted volunteer tomato when I can determine if it is indeterminate or determinate? Yup, it came up in a community garden compost and I have two which look very healthy. Or maybe another method? Or wait until it fruits?

Lavender Debs on 2/11/2012, 9:17 am

My experience is limited. Generally my indeterminate seedlings look just like my determinant babies. Indeterminate tend to grow fruit in clusters BUT that is not a hard rule. Some of the large fruited indeterminate (or vine) tomatoes grow single fruit just like determinant (bush) tomatoes.

Often the problem with compost volunteer tomatoes have more to do with the parent tomato being a hybrid, which means fruit will be a throwback to the dominant parent plant OR that there will not be any fruit. I used to let volunteers grow, but they end up being weeds that take away from the plants I want. I see you are in 10a, maybe someone in your area can give you a better idea of what this little sprout is.

All the best!


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Volunteer tomato: indeterminate or determinate?

Volunteer tomato: indeterminate or determinate?

Re: Volunteer tomato: indeterminate or determinate?