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Tomatoes - Ind or Determinate

>
>>I still don't understand the importance of the determinate vs.
>>indeterminate classification.  I kind of understand what it means.....
>>In sqft, is the spacing different?  Is the 'pruning' different?  In
>>short, why do I care?????  Thanks, Judy (zone 7)
>
>Yes, in square foot gardening the two growth habits are treated quite
differently. Indeterminates are normally spaced at 12", grown up a vertical
frame, and pruned to a single stem. Determinates are spaced at 24",
occupying 4 squares, and are not pruned. I believe most sqfters use cages
for determinates, though i haven't made a scientific survey. The Book does
not talk about determinates other than giving the spacing requirements.
>
>Looking around, it seems to me that most people grow tomatoes unpruned with
stakes or cages, regardless of growth habit. The result is usually
undiciplined growth and strings and pantyhose tied up all over the place
trying to get the darn vines under control. I believe this is part of what
Mel is complaining about in his tirade against traditional tomato support
methods, and why a vine's growth habit is so important to his method.
Knowing how a particular cultivar behaves has been valuable to me.
>
I can vouch for this...I was incorrectly told that Early Girl was a determinate
variety, so when I planted it this spring (only 2 plants, thank goodness) I
didn't prune or remove suckers or anything.  You should see them now!  I have
more pantyhose out there on the trellis than in my lingerie drawer.  I'm
trying to keep them under control, but there are so many fruits and I'm hungry
for tomatoes.  I planted Better Boys at the same time and they are much tamer
because I treated them as indeterminates.

Now, I have a question.  The tomatoes on the Early Girl vines are getting ripe,
but the birds have discovered them--they pecked holes in the two almost-ripe
ones yesterday.  How can I keep the birds off so they don't get the fruit
before I do?  I have netting over it now, but I'm afraid they'll go right
through it.  I considered using Remay, but then the pollinators couldn't get
through to do their job...  Suggestions?

TIA,
Jane Patterson
Baton Rouge, LA
zone 8b

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