Indeterminate Tomato Varieties

Indeterminate tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) will continue growing until frost arrives, sometimes reaching 12 feet high, although 6 to 10 feet is more likely. Also called vining tomatoes, they will continue to grow and set fruit for the entire season. As warm-weather vegetables, they do best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 10, and these plants require similar growing conditions as determinate or bush tomatoes. Grown as annuals, indeterminate tomato varieties include early-crop tomatoes as well as main-crop types. Many tomatoes that are not red are also indeterminate, as are most older or heirloom varieties of tomatoes.

Like other tomatoes, indeterminate tomatoes enjoy full sun exposure and prefer soil that is loamy, well-draining and acidic. It is important that your tomatoes receive at least six hours of sunlight per day, although afternoon shade is welcome since the heat of the sun can otherwise stress the plants.

Water your tomato plants regularly, approximately 2 inches of water per week, or roughly 30 minutes of watering time. Because of their vining habit, indeterminate tomatoes need to be staked so that their fruit and foliage stay off the ground. Stake your plants by tying their stalks to bamboo poles or tomato cages every several inches.

Space indeterminate tomatoes at least 2 feet apart. Because indeterminate tomatoes will produce and ripen fruit throughout the growing season, it is important to harvest them regularly to ensure continuous production.

Most indeterminate tomatoes are older varieties, so there are fewer early or midseason tomatoes available. If you have a shorter growing season, however, early or midseason tomatoes are ideal. The "Early Girl" (Lycopersicon esculentum "Early Girl") produces medium-szied fruits that take only 54 days to harvest after transplant. The "Quick Pick" and "Champion" tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum "Quick Pick" and Lycopersicon esculentum "Champion") are ready to harvest 60 days and 65 days after transplant, respectively.

While early and midseason tomatoes are useful for their quick ripening, their flavor is often less developed than main-crop tomatoes, and their size is on the smaller side.

Main-crop tomatoes are those that take the full growing season before they set fruit and ripen. The flavor of the fruits are also more pronounced, but these tomatoes need to be staked in order to be successfully grown. Main-crop tomatoes tend to be larger in size than early or midseason tomatoes. The "Burpee’s Big Girl (Lycopersicon esculentum "Burpee’s Big Girl") is ready to harvest in 78 days and produces a 16-ounce tomato, while the "Supersonic" (Lycopersicon esculentum "Supersonic") is ready to harvest in 79 days and produces a tomato that is 12 ounces.

Extra-large tomatoes, also known as slicing or beefsteak tomatoes, can weigh over 1 pound when fully mature. The "Beefmaster" (Lycopersicon esculentum "Beefmaster") regularly produces tomatoes that weigh 1 to 2 pounds, but it takes 81 days for this variety to be ready for harvest.

Older tomatoes, also known as heirloom tomatoes, are open-pollinated varieties that have been around for about 50 years. Heirloom tomatoes are prized for their strange appearance and for their rich flavor. The "Brandywine" (Lycopersicon esculentum "Brandywine") is a pink-colored heirloom tomato. Ready to harvest in 80 days, this flavorful tomato grows to about 12 ounces.

Many tomatoes that are not red are also indeterminate, main-crop tomatoes, including white tomatoes such as the "White Wonder" (Lycopersicon esculentum "White Wonder"); the "Golden Boy" (Lycopersicon esculentum "Golden Boy") and the "Evergreen" (Lycopersicon esculentum "Evergreen").

Container tomatoes produce smaller-sized fruits and, in the case of dwarf tomatoes, smaller-sized plants, making them well-suited for container growing. While most dwarf tomato plants are determinate -- bushy plants are easier to grow in small spaces -- there are some indeterminate varieties. The "Husky Red Hybrid" (Lycopersicon esculentum "Husky Red Hybrid") is a midseason tomato that produces small-sized fruits. Another option for containers is the "Yellow Pear" (Lycopersicon esculentum "Yellow Pear"), which produces grape-sized tomatoes that are pear-shaped and yellow.