Indeterminate tomatoes do well in coastal climate
Dear Helen: I’ve been attempting to choose a few tomato varieties to grow from seed, and I’m confused by the terms “determinate” and “indeterminate.” What is the difference between these two categories and is one of them better in our climate? G.T.
The two terms define growth patterns. The growth of determinate tomatoes is pre-determined; that is, they develop in bush form to a defined, compact height, usually only up to 120 cm. Sometimes tomato cages are placed over the plants to help keep foliage off the ground and disease-free. Most are suitable for container cultivation. Determinate (bush) tomatoes are not usually pruned, though their stems can be thinned out to allow for improved air flow and sun exposure to a plant’s centre.
Bush tomatoes stop growing automatically and ripen their fruits over a limited time period. Their disadvantage in our humid and cool coastal climate is that compact, congested growth can enable the development of fungal diseases and sometimes hinder ripening. Determinate tomatoes are more popular in the hotter interior parts of the province and on the prairies. If summers here continue to become hotter, bush-form tomatoes will become more attractive choices.
Indeterminate tomatoes climb. The nature of the vines is to continue elongating as they bloom and form fruit for an extended harvest season. They need to be kept upright with staking or some other sturdy support, and pruned to retain just one central stem.
This pruning takes the form of snapping off “suckering” shoots that appear at the junction where leaf stems meet the main stem. This is best done while the suckers, which given a chance would turn the plants into a bush, are young. Suckers removed early in the season can be planted for quick and easy followup tomato plants.
Because staked, indeterminate tomatoes will keep on flowering and forming fruit all season, to ensure full vineripening of already formed tomatoes, the vines are “topped” (cut back) around mid-August. Make the cut immediately over the leaf stem situated above the last formed fruit cluster.
Indeterminate tomatoes save space, as the plants grow up rather than outward. Kept pruned, they benefit from full exposure to sun and air for plant health and good fruit ripening. Dear Helen: Have you any advice on dealing with the ravages to our gardens following the long periods of cold this winter? What plants are expected not to survive? Some, especially in the food garden, are looking droopy.
F.L. Don’t be too quick to pull up wilted plants. Leafy greens, in particular ones with crowns like endive, may well regrow with warmer weather. Meanwhile, if you are keen to tidy up, clean away dead leaves.
It’s impossible to predict the degree of cold damage from garden to garden, because of each site’s micro-climate and the widely varying amounts of insulating snow that fell from area to area on the Island.
The low temperatures in December and January would not ordinarily have been enough to badly damage most winter vegetables, if those temperatures had been but a brief interlude. But they persisted over weeks this winter. Still, most wilted-looking kale plants in my garden have healthy looking growing tips, which means they’ll resume growth and productivity with warmer weather. The same is true of sprouting broccoli plants.
Carrots, beets and parsnips need to be checked for any softening of the root tops, which would signify freezing injury. Affected roots should be lifted and refrigerated after damaged areas have been cut away. Use the roots as soon as possible.
Most shrubs and perennials will be all right. Hardy fuchsias might die to the ground, but they’ll regrow from their bases. Minimally hardy potted plants such as citrus, sheltered against house walls, may not survive, but wait until spring and then monitor for signs of life.
Winter is not over yet. Be ready with protective mulches like leaves or chopped straw, and old curtaining or used row covers to place over vulnerable plantings if temperatures colder than a couple of degrees of frost are predicted.
GARDEN EVENTS
Floral art. The Mid Island Floral Art Club will meet on Thursday at 2 p.m. in St. Stephen’s Church Hall, 150 Village Way in Qualicum Beach. The demonstration for this meeting will be about “The basics and more.” Best Organic Garden. Linda Gilkeson will discuss how to grow your best organic garden ever on Sunday, 1:30 p.m. at Kildara Farms, 11293 Chalet Rd. in North Saanich. Linda will address growing vegetables and fruits, and answer questions from the audience. Cost is $18. For details and tickets, go to russellnursery.com, or drop by the nursery at 1370 Wain Rd. in North Saanich.