The Skinny on the ‘Mater
Tomatoes are the shit. They are one of the most rewarding crops to grow in your garden. With a variety of types—ranging from tiny cherry tomatoes to meaty beefsteak varieties—these plants provide a plethora of colors, flavors, and textures. However, not all tomato plants are the same, and understanding their unique requirements can help ensure a productive harvest.
Here’s everything you need to know about growing different types of tomatoes and how to care for them based on their specific needs.
Types of Tomato Plants
Tomatoes are generally categorized by their growth habit and fruit type
1. Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes
Determinate (Bush Tomatoes):
These plants grow to a certain size, set all their fruit within a short period, and then stop growing. Examples include Roma and Celebrity. They often require less maintenance but training/sucker-removal needs to happen from the start.Indeterminate (Vining Tomatoes):
These plants continue growing, flowering, and setting fruit throughout the season until the first frost. Common varieties include Beefsteak, Cherry, and Brandywine. These bad boys can get CA-RAZY; make sure you either have plenty of space to grow them, plenty of time to prune/train them, or a combination of both.
2. Common Tomato Types
Cherry and Grape Tomatoes: Small and perfect for snacking and salads. Smash these bad boys right from the plant for quick and delicious garden sustenance.
Roma and Paste Tomatoes: Thick flesh; ideal for sauces and canning. You can freeze these bad boys for about a year (some say longer.) The only way to make that Italian red sauce.
Slicer Tomatoes: Medium to large-sized tomatoes great for fresh eating. Often a halfway tomato between meaty and juicy.
Beefsteak Tomatoes: Large and juicy. Slicer and Beefsteak-style tomatoes can be essentially the same, with slight variances in size and shape. I’ve padded sandwiches and burgers with both Beefsteak and Slicer, to great success.
How to Grow Different Types of Tomato Plants
Although all tomato plants share similar basic needs, each type can benefit from a tailored approach to care.
1. Cherry and Grape Tomatoes (e.g. Atomic Grape, iCandy, etc)
Growing Conditions
Plant Size: Indeterminate
Spacing: 2 to 3 feet apart, but don’t be surprised if your plant hits 6’ or taller with arms full of tomatoes going fucking everywhere.
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of full sun daily, though I’ve seen success with more light and controlled heat.
Special Care
Cherry and grape tomatoes tend to be vigorous growers. Provide strong stakes, cages, or trellises to support the vines. Seriously. Be prepared.
Regular pruning of suckers (the shoots that grow between the main stem and a branch) can help prevent overcrowding.
Watering
Consistent watering is crucial to prevent cracking. You may need to water deeply 2-3 times per week; maybe more, maybe less. Learn to read your leaves and recognize when your plant is thirsty.
2. Roma and Paste Tomatoes
Growing Conditions
Plant Size: Determinate
Spacing: 2 feet apart
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of full sun daily, though I’ve seen success with more light and controlled heat.
Special Care
Because Roma and paste tomatoes are determinate, they don’t require as much pruning as indeterminate varieties.
Support the plants with shorter tomato cages or stakes to keep fruit off the ground.
Watering
Ensure the soil stays evenly moist, but, just like any plant, you need to let her drink and breathe. Over- or under-watering is a matter of frequency, not quantity; don’t waterboard.
3. Slicer Tomatoes (e.g., Queen of the Night, Brown Sugar)
Growing Conditions
Plant Size: Determinate or indeterminate (depending on variety)
Spacing: 2-3 feet apart
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of full sun daily, though I’ve seen success with more light and controlled heat.
Special Care
Slicer and Beefsteak tomatoes are heavy feeders, a lot like weed plants. You want more nitrogen (N) in the spring/early summer to promote vegetative growth, and less nitrogen as it flowers to focus on fruit production. If you want to nerd out, I will go over some of the macro- and micronutrient functions in another post. For now, remember the nitrogen rule and give her plenty of phosphorous (P) and potassium (K).
Provide medium to large stakes or cages, as these plants can get tall and heavy with fruit.
Watering
Water deeply and consistently, but avoid overwatering to prevent root rot. In fact, take everything I ever tell you about watering and apply it to every plant in your care. I haven’t met a plant that doesn’t prefer:
To have its appropriate growing medium saturated when its thirsty
To be given time to consume the water in its growing medium before the next drench (dry down)
4. Beefsteak Tomatoes
Growing Conditions
Plant Size: Indeterminate
Spacing: 3-4 feet apart
Sunlight: 8 hours of full sun daily, though I’ve seen success with more light and controlled heat.
Special Care
Beefsteak tomatoes require extra support because of their large size and weight. Use tall, sturdy stakes or strong trellises.
Prune suckers regularly to focus the plant’s energy on producing fewer but larger fruits.
Watering
Beefsteak tomatoes are especially susceptible to blossom-end rot, which can result from inconsistent watering (typically overwatering.) Give them time to drink between waterings, let them breathe the oxygen in the soil, water the shit out of them, repeat.
Soil and Fertilizer
Regardless of the variety, all tomato plants thrive in well-draining, nutrient-rich soil. Get some perlite, bark, pumice, rice hulls, etc. into your soil to promote draining and oxygen-retention.
pH: 6.0 to 6.8 is ideal.
Fertilizer: Use a balanced fertilizer in her early life, and switch to a phosphorus-rich, low-nitrogen fertilizer when plants begin to flower.
Incorporate compost or aged manure into the soil to improve structure and nutrient availability.
(More) General Tips
Mulching: Apply 2-3 inches of organic mulch around the base of the plants to retain moisture and suppress weeds, but be careful with young plants as contact with their stems could lead to fungal or bacterial infections that would end them completely.
Watering: Avoid overhead watering, as wet leaves can promote a disease-friendly environment.
Pruning: For indeterminate varieties, regularly prune suckers to promote better air circulation and fruit production. Less focus on pruning with determinate cultivars like the Roma.
Common Problems and Solutions
Blossom-End Rot: Not a pathogenic disease, but rather typically caused by a calcium deficiency from inconsistent watering. Calcium-rich inputs like Dolomite, Gypsum, and, especially, Epsom Salt can combat blossom-end rot.
Early Blight: Remove infected leaves and apply fungicides if necessary. Avoid overhead watering.
Cracking: Caused by irregular watering, rapid growth, or, sometimes, heat. Maintain consistent watering habits and use mulch to regulate soil moisture and temperatures.
Pests: Common pests include aphids, whiteflies, and tomato hornworms. Use organic applications like neem oil and companion planting to deter pests, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty from a little hands-on combat
Tomatoes are warm-season crops and should be planted outdoors after all danger of frost has passed. In most regions, this means planting in mid to late spring. Remember Michiganders: Plant Guys like to say “wait for Mother’s Day.”
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your region’s last frost date. Transplant seedlings when they are 6-8 inches tall and have a strong root system.
Growing different types of tomatoes in your garden can be a fun and rewarding experience. While all tomato plants share the need for full sun, well-drained soil, and consistent watering, understanding their unique growth habits—whether determinate or indeterminate—can help maximize your harvest.
