Hi Toria and welcome. I linked a good basic beginner information article below for you and if you have read through all the FAQs on this forum the combination of the 2 should get you most of the basics. ;)

How do I tell if it's determinate or indeterminate?

Usually the name of the variety will tell us which it is or you can go to one of the many tomato databases online and look it up by name. But if you don't have the name of the variety it gets more difficult. In that case it is often best to treat it like an indeterminate until it proves you wrong.

Patio, if that was the name on the Costco tag is what is called a dwarf determinate variety and is made for container growing. It only gets 18-24 inches tall. I don't know if the container they sold it in was intended to be its permanent container or not. Would have to see it.

Do you have the name of the seed packet that spilled?

When should I pick them?

When they are ripe, probably red (depends on the variety but Patio is red), and have a bit of "give" to them when you squeeze then gently. They will look and feel like tomatoes you would buy in the store. Don't pick them when they are still green and hard or they won't ripen. But some of us will pick once they begin to "blush", to change color, and then let them ripen inside on the counter.

if I pick them is that all I get?

No the plant will keep making new blooms and new fruit for about 3 months as long as you keep it watered and fed. Determinate varieties don't live as long as indeterminate ones do. Indeterminates will usually live until killed by a disease or frost.

Whether or not you have enough plants I can't say since that all depends on how well they grow, if they survive transplanting, if you keep them properly fed and watered, and lots of other things. But if you have room and have a good place to plant them then I'd suggest you but 4 or 5 more plants and get them planted ASAP. That way you'll know next year how many plants you'll need.

Hope this helps you some.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden

better yet, get into touch with your local ag center. (agriculture extension office). They have master gardners and even classes. Best of all since they are local they will know best how to help you with pests and what plants do best! Lastly there are usually gardening clubs, especially at libraries. If there isnt one, offer to start one and have beginning gardening as your first topic! who knows you might start something. I have garden friends whom I have known for many years, so good to have something in common!

Toria, welcome.

I also saw the Costco potted plants; If you got the one in a paper mache looking pot for about ~$20, its in a 5 gallon pot, OK for the Patio plant; but you wont know about the quality of the Mix and the fertilizer.

I bought a Costco Bush Early Girl and repotted it into a 7 gal. container, my custom mix and my fertilizer, but the plant was sick 3 weeks after purchase, so something had to be done. Watch for yellow leaves on the bottom, monitor the moisture at several places with a meter. You may leave it in this pot (some risk) re-pot with new special dirt (need expertise but can minimize risk) or put in ground.

It would be helpful to all if you could give us your location/state/growing zone info.

I am in zone 5 colorado springs

d