[dfollett]

I have a question regarding ‘determinate’ vs ‘indeterminate’. I always thought I understood the difference – but a couple of plants I’m growing make me question that understanding. Looking it up online didn’t clarify anything – but I didn’t look beyond a simple Google search. That confirmed what I’ve always thought but contradicts what I’m seeing.

According to Google:

• “Determinate tomato plants grow only to a set, specific size and produce a single harvest of tomatoes. These plants stop growing after the top bud has set fruit.”
• “Indeterminate varieties continue to grow and produce tomatoes all along the stems throughout the growing season.”

Two different micros I’m working with seem to be ‘indeterminate determinates’ (for lack of a better way to say it). Will determinate plants put out a second crop? They both did the same thing.

• They grew to a specific size and set fruit on blossoms at the end of the main stem – like determinates.
• They them ripened those fruits over a relatively short period of time.
• About the time the final fruits ripened, two side-shoots started growing.
• Those side shoots have now set fruit at the end of their stems – with no additional growth showing.

First photo was about March – the plant was 6” tall – Second photo was April 1 – Third photo was today – the plant is 13” tall. Nothing has ripened since those two that show on the second photo.

So….are these plants determinates (I think so) or are they indeterminate?

Is a determinate really a plant that’s main stem terminates with blossoms that ripen together and that may or may not put out additional stems that do the same thing? And an indeterminate is a plant that’s main stem (and side stems) don’t end with terminal blossoms and therefore keep growing? If that is the case, the online definitions I found – mostly from seed vendors – are incorrect.

An interesting sidelight - I have 20 daughter plants that are blossoming from the first few fruits to ripen in early March. Is that type of growth pattern very heritable?