Vining tomatoe

[ruggedstone]

I found some old seeds (1998) for vining tomatoes. I have two plants growing. One is aprox 6 ft, growing up a fence. The other fell to the ground and I am afraid to move it around. The weather has been so hot and these tomatoes are looking much better than my other ones. Does anyone know if these are heirloom? Or have you heard of this type ? :)

[winter_unfazed]

Many vining (indeterminate) tomatoes are heirloom; some are newer standards, though, and some are hybrid.

Tomatoes come in two basic habit types: vining (indeterminate) and compact (determinate).

[w8in4dave]

I have never heard of vining tomatoes.. and this is my 100th post :)

[w8in4dave]

I have never heard of vining tomatoes.. and this is my 100th post :)

and now I am a senior member :)

[Horsea]

I think that "vining" is all relative. Some indeterminate varieties are more vining than others. I have grown "Bali", which is "vinier" than many others, and so is wild cherry tomatoe.

[Liberty7]

VINING tomatoes = indeterminate
BUSH tomatoes = determinate

[Alabamy]

Usually you want to start staking indeterminate tomatoes around the time they set their first flowers. Staking promotes air circulation and gets the plant off the ground, both are important to prevent insects and disease. Staking also helps expose the leaves to more sunshine which helps produce energy for fruit growth. Another tip is to prune the plant, by this I mean removing all or most of the suckers. You don't have to prune the bush types of tomatoes but indeterminates benefit from having one main stem and then one or two additional suckers. An unpruned plant will easily grow anywhere from 10 to 12 suckers which reduces the size and sweetness of fruit.