6: Staking or Caging . They also crop very quickly, with all of the fruit maturing over a period of a month or two. Indeterminate varieties require a support structure, otherwise they will eventually end up on the ground. When we talk about tying up tomato plants, it’s important to distinguish between determinate and indeterminate tomato plants. The average height of determinate tomato plants around 2-4 feet. Tips For Staking Tomatoes. Bush tomatoes are bred to grow to a compact height, generally not more than four feet. So, select few branches to grow tomatoes. Indeterminate tomatoes. Determinate tomatoes are bushier in type. Determinate tomatoes, also known as bush tomatoes, are the type listed here. Determinate plants tend to be quite bushy and have thick stems that will support them without the need of stakes or cages. It’s been working well but I do have to prune some of the suckers off which does lessen yields. So, plant support like staking or caging is not essential for them. Indeterminate varieties require a support structure, otherwise they will eventually end up on the ground. Determinate tomato varieties need low height staking or caging around 4 to 5-foot long and 1-inch diameter. Dwarf (or patio) tomatoes never need staking, but they only grow two or three feet tall and produce small tomatoes (cherry size). Set the stake at best 12-inch deep into the soil. If you use a tripod stake then set the legs of the tripod stand around 4 to 5-inch deep inside the ground. Staking determinate tomatoes provides an extra layer of security to prevent the plant from accidentally tipping over from excess weight or wind. I have never used cages for my determinate plants, but sometimes will stake them as they set fruit if the stems have several tomatoes in one place. They stop growing when the reach a certain height, normally not more than four feet.

Indeterminate tomatoes grow in a taller, vining type manner and produce fruit slowly throughout the growing season. But once the tomato plants hold full of fruits at once, then a simple stake can help stand them up. Staking Tips. Staking determinate tomatoes provides an extra layer of security to prevent the plant from accidentally tipping over from excess weight or wind. Don’t prune heavily because it makes direct interaction of sunlight with fruits for long periods and causes sun scald.
Indeterminate tomatoes grow in a taller, vining type manner and produce fruit slowly throughout the growing season.

Determinate tomatoes tend not to get as big as indeterminates, but they usually still need to be staked or caged in some way.

Staking Tomatoes. For my indeterminate tomatoes I do a combo of florida weave, staking, and doing a large wood trellis similar to your T post and Rebar but very tall at 7 feet. I also do the tight spacing at 2 feet. Staking provides good support and stability to the pruned plant when compared to unpruned plants. Plants must be pruned. I do the florida weave, like you mentioned, for my determinate tomatoes and really love it. This supports the stems more than the tomatoes. Determinate tomatoes keep a compact bushy size so they don’t need cages or staking the way the determinate varieties do. Determinate tomatoes . Determinate varieties also tend to be early.