Determinate vs indeterminate

When you buy tomato seeds in the UK, the packet almost always tells you whether the variety is a bush type or a cordon (sometimes called a vine type). That single word decides how you grow the plant, how much space it needs, and how you train it — so it's worth understanding before you sow.

Determinate (bush) tomatoes

A determinate plant is genetically programmed to grow to a set size, then stop. It forms a bushy shape, sets most of its fruit at once, and ripens that crop in a relatively short flush over a few weeks. After that, the plant winds down.

Bush tomatoes are low-maintenance. You don't need to remove the side shoots — in fact you want them, because they carry extra fruit. Most need little or no support, though heavier-fruiting types appreciate a short cane or a few twiggy sticks to keep trusses off the soil.

Because they crop together, bush varieties suit anyone who wants a glut for sauces or chutney, and they're ideal for pots, growbags and hanging baskets where height is limited.

Indeterminate (cordon/vine) tomatoes

An indeterminate plant keeps growing taller and producing new flower trusses right up the stem until the cold weather or you stop it. Left alone it becomes a sprawling tangle, so it's grown as a single upright stem — a cordon — tied to a tall cane or string.

To keep that single stem productive you pinch out the side shoots that form where each leaf meets the main stem, and you "stop" the plant by removing the growing tip once it has set four or five trusses (or reaches the greenhouse roof). In a UK season, that's usually some time in August — there isn't enough warmth left for later trusses to ripen.

Cordons reward the extra effort with a long, steady supply of tomatoes from midsummer into autumn rather than one big flush.

Choosing for pots vs greenhouse

For a patio pot, growbag or balcony, a bush variety is the easier, tidier choice — it stays compact and needs minimal training. Trailing bush types are perfect for hanging baskets.

For a greenhouse, polytunnel or a sheltered sunny wall where you can fit a tall support, a cordon makes the most of the vertical space and the longer protected season, giving you more fruit per plant over a longer period.

Plenty of UK gardeners grow some of each: a couple of bush plants for an early, fuss-free crop and a row of cordons in the greenhouse for the main supply. Check the packet, match the type to your space, and you'll know exactly how to train it.