Yamagami’s Nursery offers more than 70 varieties of tomatoes this season. Looking at all the choices available, it's easy to get confused. What do they mean by determinate and indeterminate? Should one buy an heirloom or a hybrid? Everyone knows what a cherry tomato is--but what is the difference between a beefsteak and a paste tomato? Hopefully this brief explanation will help.
Determinate and Indeterminate
• Determinate varieties are also known as bush tomatoes. They stop growing when fruit sets on the top bud, and ripen most of their fruit in a relatively short period. They generally require no staking or caging and are usually early maturing. The plants and their fruit are generally smaller than indeterminate sorts. They do well in pots.
• Indeterminate varieties are also called "vining" tomatoes. They grow, bloom, and produce fruit until the end of the growing season (generally first frost). They require staking or caging for support.
Non-hybrid, Heirloom and Hybrid
Tomatoes are usually self-pollinating. A non-hybrid tomato is one that has been allowed to self-pollinate to produce non-hybrid seed. Growers can save seed of non-hybrid tomatoes to plant the next season's crop. Non-hybrid tomatoes will grow true from seed. Older (more than 100 years), non-hybrid varieties are known as heirloom tomatoes. One thing to consider is that non-hybrids may lack bred-in resistance to diseases.
Hybrid tomatoes have two genetically different parents that are crossed each year to produce the hybrid tomato seed. Although hybrid tomatoes do produce seed, the seeds are not likely to produce fruit identical to the hybrid parent. They will be a hybrid in their own right and may revert to long lost parents.
General Types
• Beefsteak tomatoes are known for large size and thick, meaty flesh. The pulp cavity of this type is small and may resemble a "marbled" steak--hence the name. This meatiness makes them hold together well when sliced, and the large size makes them great for sandwiches. One slice does the trick!
• Salad tomatoes are also referred to as globe or slicing tomatoes. They are medium-sized, meaty enough to hold together well, and juicy. Their smaller size makes them popular for salads.
• Cherry tomatoes usually measure less than an inch in diameter. They make excellent bite-sized nibbles or tasty additions to salads. Cherry tomatoes are also great for grilling on skewers. Sub-types include grape and currant tomatoes, which are smaller in size but slightly sweeter than regular cherry tomatoes.
• Plum tomatoes, also known as Romas, are egg-shaped tomatoes with thick skin and flesh. They are less juicy than other varieties, which makes them good candidates for baking, canning, and broiling. They also do well for sauces and paste.
• Paste tomatoes are dryer than other varieties; many plum tomatoes are also "paste tomatoes." They are good for making tomato paste and dried tomatoes.
Click HERE to view a list of the varieties offered this season. Please be aware that not all varieties are likely to be in stock at the same time. Call ahead if there is a specific variety you are seeking. Be sure to pick up a FREE Success with Tomatoes Guide for planting and care instructions. Enjoy homegrown goodness from your own garden. We are here so you will succeed…the first time! |
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