Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

shishi66 5/18/2013, 12:59 pm

So, if I take the suckers off my established tomato plants (4 weeks now), will these suckers already "be" 4 weeks old or do I consider them "newborns"?

Does that question make sense?

Will the determinate rootings only last as long as the mother plant they were removed from? Will they get as big as the mother plant?

And if so, I guess I should then concentrate on rooting only indeterminates so they will bear fruit longer.

**Turan** 5/18/2013, 1:11 pm

First off, think of the cuttings as new plants that should grow to be just like the mother plant. Second, determinants do not reach a certain age and die or quit. They regroup look around for nutrients for a regrowth spurt and do then another flush of flowering fruiting. Whether they manage that in your season depends on its length etc. Last year with the help of a cold frame I had 3 flushes of ripe Roma tomatoes from their very determinate vines.

southern gardener 5/18/2013, 1:29 pm

I had the same question. Also, how can you tell if a tomato plant is determinate or indeterminate? I bought a 6 pack of tomatoes with no label...6 different varieties. They're all growing "suckers" and all are about the same height so far. I don't want to start "suckering" heavily if they're determinate. Thanks for any help! I've searched all over, and still can't figure it out Embarassed

boffer 5/18/2013, 1:38 pm

shishi66 wrote:So, if I take the suckers off my established tomato plants (4 weeks now), will these suckers already "be" 4 weeks old or do I consider them "newborns"?

The cuttings will have the same genetic makeup as the mother plant. Consider them newborns. They still have to go through the terrible twos and teenage years!

It's possible they could produce fruit close to the same time as the mother plant. But that would be a function of climate and temperature, where the cuttings accumulated GDDs at a faster rate than the mother during the growing phases, and were able to grow at a faster rate.

**walshevak** 5/20/2013, 6:14 pm

southern gardener wrote:I had the same question. Also, how can you tell if a tomato plant is determinate or indeterminate? I bought a 6 pack of tomatoes with no label...6 different varieties. They're all growing "suckers" and all are about the same height so far. I don't want to start "suckering" heavily if they're determinate. Thanks for any help! I've searched all over, and still can't figure it out

Google each variety and you should be able to get info on determanent or indetermanent.

Or check online seed catalogues.
Kay

southern gardener 5/20/2013, 10:07 pm

walshevak wrote:
southern gardener wrote:I had the same question. Also, how can you tell if a tomato plant is determinate or indeterminate? I bought a 6 pack of tomatoes with no label...6 different varieties. They're all growing "suckers" and all are about the same height so far. I don't want to start "suckering" heavily if they're determinate. Thanks for any help! I've searched all over, and still can't figure it out

Google each variety and you should be able to get info on determanent or indetermanent.

Or check online seed catalogues.
Kay

That's the problem. I don't know the variety. I bought them without a label on the 6 pack. So...I'm wondering if I can tell by the plant growth somehow? :scratch:

**Turan** 5/21/2013, 12:51 am

Why not raise them as bush varieties in cages? Indeterminates will do just fine that way. If they need higher cages they will tell you and you will lash some bamboo on to make the cages higher.

southern gardener 5/21/2013, 1:53 am

Turan wrote:Why not raise them as bush varieties in cages? Indeterminates will do just fine that way. If they need higher cages they will tell you and you will lash some bamboo on to make the cages higher.

I have them already planted up against my trellis. I'm not sure whether to prune them like determinates or let them go. I'd just like to know how to tell the difference, so I know what to do with them....

**Turan** 5/21/2013, 11:56 am

southern gardener wrote:
Turan wrote:Why not raise them as bush varieties in cages? Indeterminates will do just fine that way. If they need higher cages they will tell you and you will lash some bamboo on to make the cages higher.

I have them already planted up against my trellis. I'm not sure whether to prune them like determinates or let them go. I'd just like to know how to tell the difference, so I know what to do with them....

Remember that it is a fuzzy artificial line we created anyways. Time will tell you a particular plants characteristics. Generally speaking a young determinate is thicker stemmed and stockier while a young indeterminate looks more spindly and lankier. But then there are a lot in between that can probably be easily grown each way (I have seen Purple Cherokee listed as either way and I can see why when growing it) If you already planted them 1/sq along a trellis than it seems you better do at least some pruning as it seems needed.

It sounds like your mix is doing better this year cheers

southern gardener 5/21/2013, 12:22 pm

Turan wrote:
southern gardener wrote:
Turan wrote:Why not raise them as bush varieties in cages? Indeterminates will do just fine that way. If they need higher cages they will tell you and you will lash some bamboo on to make the cages higher.

I have them already planted up against my trellis. I'm not sure whether to prune them like determinates or let them go. I'd just like to know how to tell the difference, so I know what to do with them....

Remember that it is a fuzzy artificial line we created anyways. Time will tell you a particular plants characteristics. Generally speaking a young determinate is thicker stemmed and stockier while a young indeterminate looks more spindly and lankier. But then there are a lot in between that can probably be easily grown each way (I have seen Purple Cherokee listed as either way and I can see why when growing it) If you already planted them 1/sq along a trellis than it seems you better do at least some pruning as it seems needed.

It sounds like your mix is doing better this year

Ok...thank you. I have some that are sort of "thin" stemmed and bushy, so it falls in both categories! lol. I guess I'll just sort of trim and train? haha. Yes, we threw out all of the pre made mix, and made our own out of our own compost. The difference is night and day! We are actually getting to harvest this time! In fact, some of the boxes are on their second planting! wahooooo!! rock on

shishi66 6/12/2013, 10:20 pm

Thanks everyone.

I planted 50 "babies" in the garden beds this past weekend that I had rooting for 24 days. They had really good root growth (I put them in clear plastic cups to see the roots).

They look fine and seem to have taken well to being planted outside.

I am labeling them as I plant them so that I know which varieties do better than others.

I put 50 more suckers in cups with dirt this weekend (took them in the house and put them in a SE window) as well as I am experimenting with them to see just how many tomatoes/plants I can get and if I can extend my season.

It's just a fun home-schooling experiment we're doing here over the summer.

**walshevak** 6/13/2013, 1:31 am

Last year I tried the sungold cherry tomato and fell in love. This year I started extras but my success rate on these seedlings was less than stellar. I did manage to salvage 2 plants for my son and 2 for me. Well, one of mine is barely growing. Just kinda sits in the bucket and puts on a leaf or two when it feels like it. Stubborn!!! So when I trimmed up the plant that is growing and already blooming, I put the sucker into some water. After 2 weeks I managed another sungold for my garden. Yea. The sucker is already bigger and looking better than the plant put out a month ago. I may even see if another sucker will grow and replace the stubborn plant.

I also have a bunch of Eva Purple Ball and Purple Calabash suckers growing and no place to put them. I am tapped out of squares and buckets, But they are so healthy looking in their cups of water.

Kay

jazzycat 6/13/2013, 5:27 pm

shishi66 wrote:Thanks everyone.

I planted 50 "babies" in the garden beds this past weekend that I had rooting for 24 days. They had really good root growth (I put them in clear plastic cups to see the roots).

They look fine and seem to have taken well to being planted outside.

I am labeling them as I plant them so that I know which varieties do better than others.

I put 50 more suckers in cups with dirt this weekend (took them in the house and put them in a SE window) as well as I am experimenting with them to see just how many tomatoes/plants I can get and if I can extend my season.

It's just a fun home-schooling experiment we're doing here over the summer.

I have tried rooting some suckers with no success. How did you do it?

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Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

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Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

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Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings

Re: Rooting determinate VS. indeterminate tomato cuttings


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