Growing Bush or Cordon Tomatoes?
Tomatoes come in two ways - either determinate (bush) or indeterminate (cordon/vine).
Bush Tomatoes
Bush tomatoes are variable in sizes, from dwarf (up to 2-3ft) or standard (up to 5ft) at which point they stop growing, unlike vine.. read more
Bush tomatoes are variable in sizes, from dwarf (up to 2-3ft) or standard (up to 5ft) at which point they stop growing, unlike vine tomatoes, which continue up to greater heights. They are ideal for containers and therefore make good patio plants and the smaller varieties can work in hanging baskets or window boxes. They are also easier to grow though they may need staking if they are heavy with fruit.
Cordon Tomatoes
These grow tall - up to about 6ft plus. They will therefore need support. We recommend staking them with long bamboo canes or a string.. read more
These grow tall - up to about 6ft plus. They will therefore need support. We recommend staking them with long bamboo canes or a string attached to a vertical support from the greenhouse roof which is another method we find works well. They will need regularly attaching to their support as they grow. They also require more maintenance than the bush varieties, but they are good in narrow spaces because they grow up as opposed to out. They can be grown in containers but make sure they are large ones and placed in sheltered sunny spots.
Pinch the top of the plant after the first eight leaf-nodes appear, roughly at 6ft. They will also need their side shoots (between the stem and the main branches) pinching out regularly to encourage the goodness to reach the fruit, not the leaves.
