Tomatoes come in two types – bush (determinate) and vining (indeterminate).
Bush don’t need pruning, staking or trellis. They may grow to 30 inches tall. Plants produce a set number of fruit within a month to 6 weeks.
Most varieties are vining. They will need support and vines may grow 5 feet long or more. These plants will continue to grow until cold weather.
Fruit sizes from smallest to largest are – grape, cherry, salad, plum (and paste), slicing, and beefsteak.
Hybrid (F1) tomatoes are bred for disease resistance, size, early crop, easy growing, heavy production and other factors.
Tomato varieties that have remained unchanged for decades are heirloom. Heirloom are often cat-faced, odd shapes, odd colored and often said to be tastier.
AAS Winners – varieties trialed by “Universities, public gardens, breeding companies, growers, brokers, extension agents and retailers” and awarded superior performance status.