Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Welcome to the English archive of the "TOMAT-POMIDOR.COM International Tomato Growers Club" — the largest Ru-language tomato forum, founded in 2010.
For years, our gardeners have been cultivating and discussing some of the most resilient and rare heirloom varieties in the world. We are carefully translating the best forum threads to English and distilling them into pure, useful facts.
Authentic photos, real yields, and honest reviews from actual growers.
Quick Summary of Chernika / Golubika (Blueberry) 🌍 Origin: A striking Russian commercial and collector’s variety. In Russian, it circulates under two synonymous names: Chernika and Golubika (both translate to “Blueberry”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, typically growing to 1.5–2 meters (5–6.5 ft) tall. The plant is highly ornamental, featuring dark purple-tinged foliage that looks beautiful … Read more
Quick Summary: Why Do Tomatoes Crack? 🌡️ The Main Culprit: Extreme heat combined with inconsistent moisture levels. When temperatures soar, roots can’t absorb water fast enough during the day, causing the fruit to slightly shrink. 💧 Nighttime Expansion: At night, when temperatures drop and humidity rises, plants greedily absorb moisture from the air and soil. … Read more
Quick Summary of Chernyi Maslyanistyi (Black Buttery) 🌍 Origin: A Russian/Eastern European heirloom variety. The name translates directly to “Black Buttery” (or “Buttery Black”), hinting at its texture and color. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. In a greenhouse, it easily exceeds 2 meters (6.5 ft), but stays more compact (about 1.2–1.7 m / 4–5.5 ft) when … Read more
Quick Summary of Chernyi Krym (Black Krim / Noire de Crimee) 🌍 Origin: A legendary Russian heirloom from the Crimean Peninsula, introduced to the West in 1990 by Swedish collector Lars Olov Rosenstrom. It is known globally under various names: Black Krim, Noire de Crimee, and Chernyi Krym. 🌿 Plant Habit: Generally indeterminate, though some … Read more
Quick Summary of Chio-Chio-San 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial Russian variety, officially registered in the Russian State Register of Breeding Achievements. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), though some growers successfully prune it into a multi-stem determinate bush. As seedlings, the plants often look weak or “wispy,” which is normal, but they explode with vigor … Read more
Quick Summary of Chudo (Wonderwork) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety originally from breeder V. Kolyakov. The name translates directly to “Miracle” or “Wonderwork”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, growing to about 1.3–1.7 meters (4.2–5.5 ft) tall. Performs well in both greenhouses and open ground. It shows excellent heat tolerance and doesn’t drop blossoms during hot … Read more
Quick Summary of Chelnok (Shuttle) 🌍 Origin: A well-known Russian commercial variety. The name “Chelnok” translates to “Shuttle” (as in a weaving shuttle), referring to its elongated shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: A true tree-type determinate (compact bush). Usually maxes out at just 40-45 cm (16-18 inches) tall. No pruning or suckering is required! The seedlings … Read more
Quick Summary of Chervone Solntse (Red Sun) 🌍 Origin: A wonderful heirloom variety. The name translates from Ukrainian/Old Slavic as “Red Sun”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Forms a strong, sturdy bush that performs well in greenhouse environments, though it can drop some blossoms in extreme heat. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, deep-red beefsteaks. They are … Read more
Quick Summary of Chelyabinskiy Meteorit (Chelyabinsk Meteorite) 🌍 Origin Alert: There is significant confusion surrounding this name in the Russian seed market! There are actually two completely different tomatoes sold under this name: Version 1: The F1 Hybrid. Sold by “Sady Rossii” (bred by L. Myazina). This is a large, early-season, red-orange beefsteak claiming weights … Read more
Quick Summary of Chernyy Radzha (Black Raja) 🌍 Origin: A relatively new commercial variety sold by the seed company “NK Elit”. Not much is known about its true pedigree. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. In open ground, it reaches about 1.5 meters (5 ft). The plant is of medium build/vigor with regular leaves (RL). Highly disease-resistant. … Read more
Quick Summary of Brad’s Black Heart (Chernoe Serdtse Breda) 🌍 Origin: A famous American variety bred by Brad Gates (Wild Boar Farms, California), which found its way into the hands of Russian and Eastern European collectors. It is fascinating to see how this Californian heirloom performs in harsh climates like Siberia and the Urals! 🌿 … Read more
Overwintering Chrysanthemums in a Greenhouse: An Unexpected Experiment C cat2008 (Author) ⭐ Pro Grower 📍 Orsha, Belarus (USDA Zone 4/5) 🌱 Quick Summary & Key Takeaways The Real Killer: Most chrysanthemums do not freeze to death in the winter; they die from crown rot caused by sitting in soggy, wet soil during freeze-thaw cycles. The … Read more