[Redcoat]

Hello everyone, I'm a relatively seasoned gardener but have made a rookie mistake...... only had one label for each tray of pots of tomatoes.  I forgot and moved them around,so now I don't know which are which !!

They are Herzfeuer (cordon) and Red Alert (bush).  I'm watching them a they grow to see if some 'break' at the growing point to become bushy, but I can't see much difference at the moment.

Will there be a way of identifying them as they grow or are cordons and bush toms made by the way we manage them?   

[mumofstig]

The cordon variety will have one strong stem that continues upwards, yes some buds will try to grow from where the leaf stalk meets the main stem, which you should remove - but it should be obvious that it has a main stem.
Red Alert will grow bushy (obviously  ) and final height is 18ins to 2 ft at the most, seen side by side with the cordon, you should easily tell the difference as they get a bit bigger.
That all seems a bit vague, I know, but it should be easy,  to tell the difference as they put on a bit more growth.

[Redcoat]

Thanks mumofstig, just as I thought really.  Patience is not my forte I'm afraid as I wanted to start putting them into their final places. Some have got a first truss so I'll keep a close eye on where the next shoots come from.   I'll give them another week and report back.

So, repeat after me................. next year I'll label every pot, next year....   

[mumofstig]

Ahh, some have a flower truss, that helps!
Are the flowers at the end of the stem, or has the stem carried on growing up after the flowers?
If the stem has carried on upwards - then that plant is probably a cordon. If the stem ends in flowers then it's a bush 

[Redcoat]

Ahh, some have a flower truss, that helps!
Are the flowers at the end of the stem, or has the stem carried on growing up after the flowers?
If the stem has carried on upwards - then that plant is probably a cordon. If the stem ends in flowers then it's a bush 

So far, two are definitely Red Alert.  The jury is out on the others, but there is no rush.  I topped up their pots with fresh compost to encourage a few more roots while they are 'in custody'.