I've got a seemingly wild jungle of determinate tomatoes, specifically store-bought Roma varieties. Some of the tomatoes are already ripe and they're delicious—way better than what I find in stores! However, I've noticed that while some on the same plant are turning, there are still plenty that are growing. I thought determinate tomatoes ripen all at once. Is it normal for them to ripen at different times?
2 Answers
I’ve found that most of my determinate varieties ripen a handful at a time and over a shorter time span. After I harvest, I like to boost the plants with some bloom fertilizer. Sometimes I get a second or even third flush of tomatoes, but they tend to be smaller. Just keep an eye on them!
It's totally normal for determinate tomatoes to ripen at different times. They usually ripen over a shorter window compared to indeterminate varieties, but it's still a bit staggered. So don’t worry if some are ahead of others! They might grow to a certain height, but they can still ripen at different stages!
Gotcha! I thought they just stopped growing altogether. I have this one vine that’s like 10 feet long—it's trellised up a tree!
Got it! I think I’ll wait until they start to look a bit overripe.