Determinate vs Indeterminate Tomatoes

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Does anybody know how to tell if this is determinate or an indeterminate Tomato plant? It would be greatly appreciated if I could have some guidance. Background info: I planted a seed from a store-bought tomato sold as a slicer tomato. The tomato the seeds were planted from was about 2.5 inches wide by 1.5 inches tall. The tomato didn't have any bumps like heirlooms do.



2.jpg

Here is the plant.
1.jpg

A leaf.
3.jpg

The first set of flowers on this plant ever seen today! Has this been pollinated yet, how do I tell? If not, when should I use the electric toothbrush method?
4.0.jpg

Which breach of the three labeled 1, 2, and 3 is the sucker?

Thanks. I hope I'm able to get an answer to all of my questions. It's my first time growing tomatoes.
 
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My guess would be that it's indeterminate.

Determinate tomato plants are usually bushy, where as indeterminate plants grow lankier
 
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I agree it's indeterminate.

1596756653263.png


Take out number 2 and may I suggest tying in the main stem nearer the top or it will break. With the plant being outside insects should pollinate it. When the flower dies it will be replaced by a tiny tomato.
 
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I know this may sound like a silly question but which is the main stem? 1 or 3? 2 is the sucker I know. Thanks for the quick responses.
 
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@Sheal that is one very nice looking infographic for this

@Tommy89 I think what you have labeled as 1 up there is actually the leaf. The pic is zoomed really tight it is hard to tell though. Tomatoes send a sucker out at each leaf joint so you end up with a leaf and 2 stems at each joint. Between the two equally sized stems I would determine which has more leafs and flowers then cut the other one off. If they still look equal cut the one that is at a larger angle to the main stem and keep the one most aligned with the stem below. There really isn't a "wrong" one in this case.
 
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@Mr_Yan How is 1 a leaf? Isn't it a stem? What is a leaf joint? I really didn't understand your post since I'm a beginner gardener. Could you please explain in-depth? Thanks.
 
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Okay Tommy. :) Number 1 is a branch. Number 2 is what we call here in Britain a side shoot (sucker). These grow in between a branch and the main stem and normally would be removed as they start to grow. Yours not having been removed has developed into another branch but it's not a problem removing it. The main stem is what you would call the trunk on a tree, with branches growing all round and along it from top to bottom. The main stem is number 3 so follow that up to the right and it's this that needs tying in loosely so as not to cut into the stem. What we call suckers are any new unwanted shoots that grow from the base of the plant.

You can if you want to, remove the growing tip on the main stem when it gets to a certain height, I usually remove mine between 4- 5ft. This is done to stop the plant putting on more and more growth instead of concentrating on producing flowers and fruit (tomatoes).
 
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Thanks for your patient response @Sheal. Just a couple of more questions.
8.jpg

Every time I see something like this sucker should I remove it? How would I know before it shows leaves whether this vine would produce flowers or leaves?
7.jpg

This main stem is starting to get tiny flowers as you can see. How would I tie this to the stick without inhibiting fruit growth?


3.jpg

Will this flowering vine be able to support the weight of a full tomato? The vine seems weak. Are all the flowers I see now on this vine be the only ones there, or do tomatoes on the same vine ripen at different times?

The sucker (number 2) has started flowering, I can still remove it, right?


Lastly, what is the growing tip on the main stem? Once you cut it off, I'm guessing no more foliage growth will happen? Then where will there be room for more flowering vines?

Thanks for all of your help!
 
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You're welcome Tommy. :) Take a look at this diagram below it will help you to understand .

1596925166851.png


Every time I see something like this sucker should I remove it? How would I know before it shows leaves whether this vine would produce flowers or leaves?]

Yes, remove the suckers, the smaller they are the easier to remove, you can pinch them out with finger and thumb, larger ones will need to be cut out. All tomato plants by their nature will produce leaves and flowers if growing conditions are right, but there's no way of telling, you have to wait and see as they grow.

This main stem is starting to get tiny flowers as you can see. How would I tie this to the stick without inhibiting fruit growth?

Preferably pIck an area of the plant that isn't showing flowers. If you tie string or similar quite loosely with approximately a two inch loop, so it leaves growing room between stem and support, it shouldn't inhibit flower or tomato growth.

Will this flowering vine be able to support the weight of a full tomato? The vine seems weak. Are all the flowers I see now on this vine be the only ones there, or do tomatoes on the same vine ripen at different times?

Yes it will be able to support the weight. They won't necessarily be the only flowers that grow and produce tomatoes, indeterminate plants continue to produce through the growing season and ripen at different times.

The sucker (number 2) has started flowering, I can still remove it, right?

Yes.

Lastly, what is the growing tip on the main stem? Once you cut it off, I'm guessing no more foliage growth will happen? Then where will there be room for more flowering vines?

The diagram shows the growing tip at the top of the main stem, if you'd like to remove it pinch out or cut it off about three inches from the top of the stem. Once it's removed the plant's main stem won't grow any taller. I'm not sure what you mean by "room for more flowering vines?
 
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I understood everything except for one thing. You mentioned that I should pick an area that isn't showing flowers for tying my plant to the stick. I was thinking maybe an inch or two above the flower cluster. But, as all flower clusters do, this flower cluster coming out of the main stem. So even if I tie the main stem (in an area about an inch above the flower cluster) to the stick, won't the flowers be touching or super close to the stick (since that whole area of the stem where I tied moves closer to the stick), thus inhibiting tomato growth?
 
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It doesn't matter if anything touches, whether it's flowers fruit or leaves, they won't damage. You can see where I've tied in towards the top of the plant on my picture below....

019.JPG


I've marked your picture so you can see where to tie the stem to the cane.

2.jpg
 
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I usually don’t worry about suckers too much. I just don’t think it has a large effect on tomato plants and their production of fruit. The suckers on my San Marzano this year are actually huge producers. Topping it off is also not something I do for production purposes on a tomato plant. The only pruning I do is if it simply gets too tall I’m afraid it won’t have enough support or if side branches start to get too far from the support structure I’m afraid they will fall over. I just don’t think pruning is a big helper for production on a tomato. I have known many people who have side by side compared in a year and the production was similar or worse on the pruned plant. Now every tomato breed is different so maybe there are cases where it could be beneficial...but certainly none of the ones I have ever done.

I actually hate pruning because the tomato plant will usually go into mass sucker production on the stem/various branches.
 

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If you remove a sucker that has a flower bud on it, treat it as a cutting, pot it up and keep it damp until it takes root, then you will have another plant with a tomato on it as well :)

Shake the plant or use a toothbrush as soon as the flowers form. Tomatoes have perfect flowers which means they don't need a polinator.
 

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