Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Azoychka 🌍 Origin & History: A famous Russian heirloom brought to the USA by Kent Whealy (Seed Savers Exchange). Interestingly, Russian growers note that its true original name was “Azochka” (or “Zolotoy Barago”), but it became “Azoychka” in the West due to a transcription error. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (though it … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Altaysky Bely (Altai White) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Siberian variety. The name translates to “Altai White”, referring to the Altai Mountains region. 🌿 Plant Habit: Grows to a moderate height of 1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft). Known for being incredibly low maintenance and undemanding. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Gorgeous, pale yellow/white heart-shaped tomatoes … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Pineapple Pig 🌍 Origin: A stunning striped bicolor variety bred by the legendary American breeder Brad Gates (Wild Boar Farms). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. A massive, powerful vine that sets very heavy fruits. Requires strong support, as the trusses can break under the weight. Being a “southern” (California) variety, it can … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Abakanets 🌍 Origin: A stabilized red off-type (mutation) originally discovered in a seed packet of the famous Abakansky Rozovy (Abakan Pink) produced by the Siberian Garden seed company. “Abakanets” roughly translates to “The guy from Abakan.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), mid-season variety. Highly productive and will continue fruiting right up … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Altaysky Shedevr (Altai Masterpiece) 🌍 Origin: A highly acclaimed Siberian heirloom variety. The name translates to “Altai Masterpiece,” and it truly lives up to its name among collectors. Often sold by Russian seed company Aelita. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), with a very thick, sturdy main stem and short internodes. Despite … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Alesha Popovich 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the “Poisk” seed company. It is part of their “Three Bogatyrs” (Three Epic Knights) series, named after legendary heroes of Russian folklore: Alesha Popovich, Dobrynya Nikitich, and Ilya Muromets. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching about 1.5–1.6m (5–5.2 ft). The bush is … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Akulina 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety. “Akulina” is a traditional, old-fashioned Russian female name. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). It is a short-growing plant, reaching about 80 cm (31 inches) in height. Highly versatile, doing well both outdoors in open ground and in plastic greenhouses. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Red, oblate … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Altaysky Rozovy (Altai Pink) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Siberian heirloom from the famous “Sibirsky Sad” (Siberian Garden) seed company. The name translates to “Altai Pink,” named after the Altai Mountains region in Siberia. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and very vigorous. Known for being a highly productive and heavy yielder. 🍅 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Andreevsky Syurpriz 🌍 Origin: A renowned Siberian selection. The name translates to “Andreev’s Surprise” (or Andrew’s Surprise). 🌿 Plant Habit: Officially listed as indeterminate and tall (1.6–1.8m / 5.2–5.9 ft) for greenhouses. However, growers note that when planted outdoors in open ground, it often behaves more like a determinate (bush) plant … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Altayskiy Oranzheviy (Altai Orange) 🌍 Origin: A renowned commercial heirloom from the Altai region in Siberia. The name translates to “Altai Orange”. It is highly sought after by collectors for its incredible texture and flavor. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Some growers report it being a “short” indeterminate, while others see it … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Amerikanskiy Rebristyi (American Ribbed) 🌍 Origin: This is the famous, classic “American Ribbed” heirloom, known and loved in the West (similar to the Costoluto types). It was brought over to Russia and quickly gained popularity among collectors for its stunning appearance. 🌿 Plant Habit: Generally indeterminate (tall), though some growers report … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Abkhaziya Rozovaya (Abkhazia Pink) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic heirloom tomato originating from Abkhazia, a region in the Caucasus Mountains famous for its rich agricultural heritage and outstanding southern tomatoes. The name translates to “Abkhazia Pink”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), though it tends to stay somewhat stocky (around 1.5m / 5ft) … Read more