Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gogosha 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded old heirloom variety from Ukraine. It made its way into the North American seed-saving community (SSE) years ago and is often compared favorably to other great potato-leaf pinks like Brandywine. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and vigorous. It features classic Potato Leaf (PL) foliage. Grows … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Garmoshka (Accordion) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety introduced by the seed company Premium Seeds. The name translates to “Accordion”, which perfectly describes its heavily pleated, ribbed shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), typically growing well over 6.5 ft (2 m) in a greenhouse. It has moderate foliage and requires regular suckering … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gigant Novikova (Novikov’s Giant) 🌍 Origin: Bred by Russian hobby gardener A.I. Novikov. It was introduced to North American heirloom collectors in 2007 by Andrey Baranovski of Minsk, Belarus. According to the original lore, Novikov grew towering vines in his greenhouse and harvested up to 66 lbs (30 kg) from a … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gigant Limonnyi (Lemon Giant) 🌍 Origin: A famous Russian heirloom. It is widely distributed by the renowned seed company Siberian Garden (SibSad), as well as kept pure by private collectors. The name translates directly to “Lemon Giant”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), typically reaching around 6 to 6.2 ft (1.8 – … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Giant of Siebenburgen 🌍 Origin: A historic European heirloom originating from the Siebenbürgen region (modern-day Transylvania, Romania). In Russia, it circulates as Gigant Zibenburgena. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching over 6.5 ft (2 m) inside a greenhouse. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, red, classic oxheart-shaped tomatoes. They are very meaty and … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gigantskaya Roza (Giant Rose) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from the Russian seed market. The name translates to “Giant Rose”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, stout “tree-type” bush. It has thick, strong main stems and grows to about 3-3.3 ft (90-100 cm) tall. Highly vigorous and disease-resistant. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Stunningly beautiful! … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Brown Flesh Jumbo 🌍 Origin: Originally from Canada. It was introduced to the RU heirloom community under the translated name Gigantskaya Korichnevaya Plot. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), vigorous, and sun-loving. Outstanding heat tolerance! Even in extreme summer heat waves, it continues to set fruit without dropping blossoms. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): General Kornilov 🌍 Origin: Pink heirloom variety from Russia. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Can be kept to a moderate 4 ft (1.2 m) out in the open ground, but turns into an absolute monster “tree” in a greenhouse, easily shooting past 6.5 ft (2 m). Very vigorous. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gulliver – Myazina vs. Siberian Garden 🌍 Origin: Russia. Important Note: There are actually two completely different Russian varieties sold under the name “Gulliver”. One is an early commercial-style plum tomato by breeder L. Myazina. The other is a massive oxheart variety by Siberian Garden (SibSad). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gordost Sibiri (Pride of Siberia) 🌍 Origin: A well-known commercial heirloom released by the Russian seed company “Siberian Garden” (SibSad). The name translates to “Pride of Siberia”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Semi-determinate / Indeterminate. Typically stays relatively short, often topping out around 3.3–5 ft (1–1.5 m) even in a greenhouse. Does very … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gribnoe Lukoshko (Mushroom Basket) 🌍 Origin: A very famous Russian commercial heirloom released by Siberian Garden (SibSad). The name translates directly to “Mushroom Basket,” perfectly describing its heavily ribbed, woven-basket-like shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate / Semi-determinate. Depending on the growing conditions, it can stay bushy and compact around 4 ft … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Calabrese Gigante 🌍 Origin: A fantastic heirloom tomato originating from the Calabria region in southern Italy. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Very productive and boasts a long harvest window, often producing well into the fall. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Deep red, slightly elongated (almost giant plum or pear-shaped) beefsteaks with light ribbing … Read more