Types of Tomatoes

There are five commonly used terms associated with each of the five types of tomatoes. (right) A couple of my Beefsteak Tomatoes from 2008's harvest.

Determinate: Bush-type tomato plants that grow to a certain size, stop and set all their fruit at once.

Indeterminate: Vining-type tomato plants that continue to grow and produce fruit throughout the season.

Patio: Tomato plants that are specifically bred to be small enough to grow in a window box, hanging basket or small container.

Heirloom: Non-hybrid tomatoes that have been grown for generations. Known for their exceptional flavors and rich colors, heirloom tomatoes have stuck around because of the careful cultivation and the seed saving skills of generations of gardeners throughout the world.

Hybrid: Tomato plants that have been developed to be more disease resistant and uniform in production for large-scale food processing - in some cases, at the expense of true tomato flavor.