Tomatoes are available in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. While most tomatoes are red, there are also yellow, orange, and pink varieties. Sizes vary from the bite- size cherry tomatoes to the giant beefsteak varieties. Tomatoes also vary in growth habit. Tomato varieties are classified as determinate or indeterminate.
Determinate tomatoes are small, compact plants.
They grow to a certain height, stop, then flower and set all their fruit within a short period of time. The harvest period for determinate tomatoes is generally short, making them good choices for canning. Indeterminate tomatoes continue to grow, flower, and set fruit until killed by the first frost in the fall. Accordingly, the harvest from indeterminate varieties often extends over a 2 or 3 month period. Yields are generally heavier than determinate types, but are usually later to mature.