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 of Heart of Ashgabat (Сердце Ашхабада) 🌍 Origin & Variations: A famous old Soviet-era heirloom (Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan). Interestingly, modern seed networks circulate two distinct shapes under this name: a classic pointed orange oxheart, and a flattened-round orange beefsteak. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, growing to about 1.5 – 1.8 meters … Read more
Quick Summary of Slivka Bendrika (Bendrik’s Plum) 🌍 Origin: Bred by Alexander Bendrik in Gorodnya (Chernihiv region, Ukraine). It comes in two color variations: Red and Yellow (which often has a deep orange tint). The name translates to “Bendrik’s Plum”. 🌿 Plant Habit: There is some debate about its growth habit. The originator calls it … Read more
Quick Summary of Slastena (Sweet Tooth) 🌍 Origin & The Name Mix-Up: The name “Slastena” translates to “Sweet Tooth”. In Russia, there are actually two different varieties circulating under this name. The one highly prized by heirloom collectors is an old, large-fruited indeterminate variety. However, commercial seed companies registered a completely different, small-fruited determinate (bush) … Read more
Quick Summary of Cuore di Dronero 🌍 Origin: A magnificent traditional Italian heirloom (translates to “Heart of Dronero”). It has become highly prized among Russian growers under the translated name “Serdtse Dronero”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very tall, and vigorous. It easily reaches the greenhouse ceiling and will keep growing along the roof. Despite the … Read more
Quick Summary of Slavyanka (Slavic Woman) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular Russian commercial/heirloom variety (originally distributed by GISOK seeds). The name translates beautifully to “Slavic Woman” or “Slavic Girl”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall, and highly vigorous. Growers note that it can grow massive (“like a baobab tree”) and will keep setting fruit relentlessly from … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Barry’s Crazy Cherry – What Growers Report 🌱 Plant: Indeterminate. Seedlings stay short, grow slowly and don’t stretch, so several growers suggest sowing early (one sowed on February 22, another says February would have been fine). Height varies: about 80 cm (31 in) outdoors near Poltava, and up to 2 m (6.5 … Read more
Quick Summary of Sprut Slivka F1 (Octopus Plum F1) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial F1 hybrid from Russia. It is part of the famous “Sprut” (Octopus) series of hybrids, which were aggressively marketed as being able to grow into massive “tomato trees” under hydroponic commercial conditions. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and exceptionally vigorous. Even … Read more
Quick Summary of Magia Serbia (Serbian Magic) 🌍 Origin: A very rare and visually stunning variety. Despite its name (which translates to Serbian Magic), it was reportedly sourced from Romania. Information about it online is very scarce. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but on the shorter side, usually growing up to 1.5 – 1.6m (5 ft). … Read more
Quick Summary of Skifeya (Scythian Fairy) 🌍 Origin & Fascinating History: This variety has an incredible backstory. The seeds were discovered by a Russian collector in a remote Siberian village near Abakan, right next to the ruins of Zinkhir—the oldest stone city in the world, once belonging to the ancient Scythian civilization. The local village … Read more
Quick Summary of Serdtse Pustyni (Desert Heart) 🌍 Origin: A stunning modern variety developed by Vitaly Alifirov, a well-known breeder from Almaty, Kazakhstan. The name translates to “Desert Heart”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), mid-season. The bush is compact, not overly leafy (“well-behaved”), and highly disease-resistant. It sets fruit reliably from bottom to top without … Read more
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Quick Summary of Blue Suede Shoes 🌍 Origin: A very popular, highly decorative novelty variety. It is widely grown by Russian collectors under the translated name “Sinie Zamshevye Tufli”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous, and powerful. It is a sprawling plant that requires plenty of space and strong support. It is highly recommended to leave … Read more
Quick Summary of Skazochnaya Feya (Märchenfee / Fairytale Fairy) 🌍 Origin: A modern, highly decorative variety of German breeding. Part of the “Klewerhof Fairytale” (Klewerhof Märchen) series. The original German name is Märchenfee, which translates to Fairytale Fairy (Skazochnaya Feya in Russian). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Famous for its “hyper-productivity”—it produces massive, overwhelming yields of … Read more