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To grow short and bushy tomatoes, use determinate tomato varieties, prune the lower branches, and provide support. Start by choosing determinate varieties like Celebrity or Roma, as they naturally grow compact and bushy. Once the plants start growing, prune the lower branches to encourage upward growth and better airflow. This will also prevent diseases and pests. Use stakes or cages to support the plants and prevent them from sprawling. Regularly water the plants and provide them with full sun exposure. Additionally, ensure proper spacing between plants to allow air circulation and prevent overcrowding. With these steps, you can successfully grow short and bushy tomatoes.
Tomatoes (​Solanum lycopersicum​, USDA zones 10-11) have a natural tendency to grow into either short, bushy plants or tall vines, depending on the variety. There are four tomato classification types: determinate, indeterminate, semi-determinate, and dwarf indeterminate. Determinate tomatoes, also known as bush tomatoes, can reach a height of 2 to 3 feet, while indeterminate (vining) tomatoes can grow up to 12 feet tall.
Vining tomatoes can be trained to grow as short and bushy plants by pruning their central stems. Semi-determinate or semi-bush varieties grow up to 3 to 5 feet tall, while dwarf indeterminate or dwarf vining plants grow to the same height as bush tomatoes.
Provide Adequate Growing Space
In order to grow into healthy plants, short and bushy tomatoes require deep, fertile soil that is kept moist. Grow bush tomatoes and other tomato types in full sun and on soil that is rich in organic matter. Depending on the variety, space the plants accordingly. For bush varieties, plant them 24 inches apart.
If you’re growing vining tomatoes, space them 24 to 48 inches apart in rows that are 4 to 5 feet apart. Alternatively, you can space the plants based on the final growing dimensions listed on the seed packet or plant label. For instance, if a variety grows 2 feet wide, space the plants 2 feet apart.
Regularly Water and Fertilize the Plants
To ensure that your tomatoes produce plenty of fruit and remain disease-free, it is crucial to water them regularly and provide them with fertilizer. In dry weather, tomatoes require at least 1 inch of water per week. When watering, avoid getting the leaves wet as this can lead to leaf diseases. Water the soil deeply but infrequently when the surface is dry. Spread a layer of organic mulch around the plants, such as garden compost, to help retain soil moisture.
When the tomato fruits are around 1 inch in diameter, apply 1/2 cup of 5-10-5 fertilizer per plant. Work it into the soil or mulch surface to a depth of 1 inch, being careful not to disturb the plant roots. Apply the same amount of fertilizer when you pick the first fruits.
Prune and Provide Adequate Support
Most tomato varieties can be grown as short and compact plants with proper pruning and support. Bush and dwarf vining varieties do not require pruning, as they naturally grow into short bushes. However, they do benefit from a support cage. After transplanting to soil or a container, place a tomato cage over the plants. Tomato cages can be found at Home Depot, Amazon, and Walmart.
To cultivate vining and semi-bush tomatoes as short, compact plants, prune the central stems when they reach the desired height. Wipe your pruning shear blades with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol, then prune the stems above the second set of leaves that are located beneath the stem tips.
Tomatoes often produce shoots, called suckers, where the side stems meet the central stem. Prune suckers in the same way when they reach the desired length. While staking is typically recommended for vining tomatoes, it is not necessary when growing them as short, compact plants. Pruning short tomatoes is also unnecessary.
Harvesting Tomatoes
The time to harvest short, compact tomatoes varies by variety. Tomatoes usually produce a crop 65 to 80 days after sowing. Early varieties produce a crop quickly, mid-season varieties produce a crop in 65 to 80 days, and late-season varieties fruit in 80 days or more.
Bush tomatoes are often grown for canning or freezing because they usually produce their crops within a six-week period before ceasing to fruit and dying back. Vining, semi-bush, and dwarf vining tomatoes produce crops throughout the growing season.