Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
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📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Blazhenstvo (Bliss) 🌍 Origin: A stunning modern variety introduced by Russian breeder and collector Sofia Saakova. The name translates beautifully to “Bliss”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). It has proven to be quite resistant to Leaf Mold (Cladosporium), staying healthy late into the season. Note: It is a late-season variety in … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Bronze Heart of Angel 🌍 Origin: A beautiful and exotic novelty oxheart variety. Known in Russian catalogs as Bronzovoe Serdtse Angela. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An excellent yielder. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Classic blunt oxheart shape. The color is absolutely stunning—a soft ochre, mustard, or bronze hue. The fruits are medium-sized, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Brutus 🌍 Origin: A well-known commercial variety originating from the Czech Republic, famous for its massive size. Note: Some commercial seed companies label it as an “F1 Hybrid,” but many growers suspect this is a marketing trick to discourage seed saving, as saved seeds grow out true to type. 🌿 Plant … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Berberana F1 🌍 Origin: A highly disease-resistant commercial F1 hybrid, popular in Europe and Russia for greenhouse production. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but with short internodes, keeping the plant compact and manageable without having to constantly reach for the greenhouse ceiling. Produces strong, bushy dark green foliage. 🛡️ Disease Resistance: … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Baklazhan (Eggplant) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety. The name translates to “Eggplant,” given because of the huge, elongated oval shape of the fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching over 7 feet (2.2m) in a greenhouse. It is extremely reliable and resilient, setting fruit easily without dropping blossoms even in … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Bochka Meda (Barrel of Honey) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic commercial variety from Russia. The name translates to “Barrel of Honey,” which perfectly describes both its vibrant color and its intense sweetness. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). The plant grows vigorous, tall, and quite wide/bushy, requiring good support. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Basajaun 🌍 Origin: A highly prized family heirloom from the Basque Country (Biscay province, Spain). Introduced to the wider heirloom community by Secret Seed Cartel. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), though some greenhouse growers report it staying around 5 feet (1.5m). It is a sturdy but slow-growing plant that absolutely requires … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Bucălata de Brebu 🌍 Origin: A very rare and highly sought-after heirloom tomato variety originating from Romania. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). The vines are vigorous and can easily reach up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) in height, requiring sturdy staking. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Classic oxheart shape. The tomatoes are large … Read more
📌 Editor’s Note: Combating Root Flies 🌍 The Pests: The Onion Fly (Delia antiqua) and the Carrot Rust Fly (Psila rosae) are notorious pests that lay eggs near the base of your crops. Their larvae (maggots) burrow into the roots, ruining the harvest. 🛡️ Organic Controls: This article covers traditional Eastern European organic remedies, including … Read more
📌 Editor’s Note: Hardneck Garlic in Cold Climates 🌍 Climate Context: This article is written by a grower in St. Petersburg, Russia, which corresponds to USDA Zone 4/5. Fall planting is the absolute best way to grow large, flavorful hardneck garlic in cold winter climates. 🌱 Key Takeaway: Hardneck garlic requires a period of cold … Read more
📌 Editor’s Note: Growing Context & Varieties 🌍 Climate Context: The author of this article is gardening in Belarus, which is roughly equivalent to USDA Zone 4 or 5 (similar to the US Upper Midwest or New England). Fall-planting onions is a great strategy in cold climates to get an early jump on the season. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Brusilovskiy 🌍 Origin: Heirloom variety from Russia. Highly praised among Russian collectors for combining massive fruit size with early maturity. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but with famously wispy, spindly foliage. Growers joke that the plant looks like a “skinny, wimpy boy” but somehow manages to support huge yields. It is … Read more