How Tall Does a Black Plum Tomato Grow?

Indeterminate Variety

• "Black Plum" is an indeterminate tomato variety. The plant continues to grow and produce fruits throughout the growing season until killed by insects, cold, disease or lack of fertilizer and water. Unlike determinate tomato varieties, which mature earlier and develop terminal flower clusters that stop the plants' growth, an indeterminate plant doesn't develop a terminal flower cluster. So it continues to grow and is taller than the determinate varieties.

Support

• Because "Black Plum" grows quite tall, supporting the plant is essential to its fruit production success. In addition to saving space, staking the plant makes harvesting its tomatoes simple and keeps the fruits from laying on the ground where they may rot. A 5- to 6-foot tall stake can be used to hold up a "Black Plum" tomato plant. Place the stake into the soil about 4 inches from the plant's stem, avoiding hitting the plant's roots. Use plant ties to attach the plant to the stake loosely. Alternatively, a 5-foot tall tomato cage or a wire trellis can support the plant.

Planting Considerations

• "Black Plum" is started indoors about six weeks before the last frost date. After the danger of frost passes and the nighttime, outdoor temperature is consistently above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, transplant the seedling to a sunny area of a garden with well-drained, fertile soil that has a pH range of 6 to 6.8. If you plant multiple "Black Plum" plants and plan to use stakes to support them, then space the plants 18 to 24 inches apart; if you will use tomato cages, keep a 3-foot distance between the plants, and space the plants 1 foot apart if you'll use a trellis for the plants.

Water and Fertilizer

• Water and fertilizer can help a "Black Plum" tomato plant thrive. Although the plant is drought-tolerant when it is established in its location, it benefits from consistent watering during the growing season. Water the soil around the plant, and avoid getting the plant's foliage wet. When the plant's first fruit sets, make a a 1-inch deep, circular trench 5 inches from the plant's stem, and spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of 5-10-10 fertilizer in the trench. After the trench and fertilizer are covered with soil, watering the site delivers the fertilizer nutrients to the plant's roots.