Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Indeterminate tomatoes (typically vining plants) do not flower all at once, and thus do not set their
fruit all at the same time. This is why indeterminate tomatoes often produce more flavorful toma-
toes, even if suckers are not pinched off the vine. When you plant indeterminate tomatoes, you'll
want to be prepared for tall tomato vines—ours can reach more than 8 feet and we often trim the
side branches to keep the plants from becoming overcrowded.
Over the Garden Fence
Tomato plants should be kept up off the ground to prevent the tomatoes from getting mushy and
rotten. Determinates tend to have a natural lift to their branches and often do well with a simple cage.
Indeterminates can often have heavier branches and a more vining habit, and we've found that our plants
need much more substantial support than the small cages.
Harvest tomatoes when they are ripe and the right color for the cultivar you planted. When frost
is predicted, harvest any full-size green tomatoes you have left on the vine and store them in a dry,
cool location where they will slowly ripen over the winter. Use tomatoes fresh, or freeze them to
use later in stews, sauces, or salsa recipes.
Tomatoes can be plagued by tomato hornworms—large green worms that eat the leaves. These can
be picked off by hand unless you see white, ricelike grains on the back of the worm. These white
cocoons hold parasitic wasps that will emerge, killing the host, and flying off to lay eggs on other
garden pests. Parasitic wasps are beneficial insects that help control the populations of these pests.
These white, ricelike cocoons are the pupae of parasitic wasps. Here you can see a newly emerged wasp
leaving to kill more hornworms.
(Photo courtesy of Cindy Funk)
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