When selecting tomato varieties, you must choose between plants with different types of growth habits called determinate or indeterminate. All tomatoes are either one or the other. Duration and form of growth are the main ways to tell the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes.
Determinate or bush types bear a full crop all at once and top off at a specific height. They are often good choices for container growing. determinate types are preferred by commercial growers who wish to harvest a whole field at one time, or home growers interested in canning. Determinate varieties require little or no staking of the plant.
Indeterminate varieties develop into vines that never top off and continue producing until killed by frost. They are preferred by home growers and local-market farmers who want ripe fruit throughout the season. Many, if not all, heirloom tomatoes are indeterminate.
