The Spruce / K. Dave
The tomato is a top crop in the garden for many home vegetable growers.
There are so many choices, it can be hard to decide which kind to grow.
The termsvine tomatoand bush tomato can be confusing because all tomatoes grow on vines.
The Spruce / K. Dave
There is no plant called a tomato bush.
These plants are described as either vining or bush for the shape they take as they mature.
But not all indeterminate tomatoes are vining varieties.
The Spruce / K. Dave
This is especially true forcherry and grape typeswhich have been hybridized to grow well inpots and even hanging baskets.
They can topple cages and cause a single stake to collapse from the weight of the fruits alone.
The vines will keep growing all season and will need to be continuously attached to a support.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Their growth pattern keeps them more compact and easier to maintain.Pruning and suckeringare optional and usually not needed.
Early suckering can improve air circulation but too much can lead to a smaller harvest.
The combined weight of many fruits maturing all at once is the biggest reason to add support.
Bush-pop in tomatoes served fresh from the home garden won’t lack for taste.
As a result some hybrids sacrifice taste for tougher skin and denser flesh less susceptible to bruising.
