Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: Makovaya Rosinka (Poppy Dew) is an ultra-early micro-dwarf cherry tomato with a rich Siberian history. The extremely compact, sprawling bush typically stays under 16 inches (40 cm) tall and requires absolutely zero pruning. It is a fantastic candidate for growing in 1-3 gallon pots on windowsills, balconies, or underplanted beneath tall vines … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Basket on the Window (Lukoshko na Okoshke) is an ultra-early super-determinate (micro-dwarf) tomato bred specifically for containers, balconies, and small garden spaces. The original red variety produces round 0.7-1 oz (20-30 g) cherries on tiny 16-inch (40 cm) bushes that theoretically require no pruning or staking. However, growers note they do need … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Lampochki (which translates to “Lightbulbs”) is an early-season, indeterminate potato leaf (PL) cherry tomato. It produces gorgeous clusters of sweet, meaty yellow pear-shaped cherries. It was grown side-by-side with the famous commercial variety “Honey Drop” to see if it was just a renamed clone, but proved to be vastly superior—ripening earlier, tasting … Read more
At a Glance 🍅 Quick take: Gajo de Melon is a late-season, aggressively growing indeterminate cherry tomato. The vine easily tops 6.5 feet (2 m) and has a massive, sprawling footprint that requires strict pruning to keep it from turning into a jungle. While the yields are only average due to smaller clusters, the flavor … Read more
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🍅 Quick take: Micro Dwarf Laura is an ultra-compact micro dwarf variety that maxes out around 12-16 inches (30-40 cm) tall. It is absolutely perfect for small spaces, thriving in small 1 to 1.5-gallon (3-5 L) pots. It produces unique, red-striped elongated cherry tomatoes weighing up to 0.5 oz (15 g) that pack a remarkably … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Summer Sun F1 is a legendary, patented Israeli commercial hybrid bred by Hazera Genetics, famous for once selling at a wholesale price of $350,000 per kilogram of seed. It is an incredibly vigorous indeterminate vine that produces glowing, amber-yellow cherry tomatoes with off-the-charts sugar levels. In this mega-thread, growers not only review … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Katinka is a highly resilient, semi-determinate orange cherry tomato. Reaching about 4 feet (1.2 m) tall, it sets massive, forked clusters of sweet, 0.5-0.7 oz (15-20 g) orange cherries. It is highly praised for its exceptional cold tolerance and its ability to resist splitting and cracking during heavy rains and temperature swings. … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Red Cluster Pear (Kist Krasnykh Grush) is an indeterminate cherry tomato that produces absolutely massive, multiflora-style trusses of small, red, pear-shaped fruits. Known for its wonderfully sweet flavor and a very long harvest window, it is a highly productive and visually stunning variety for greenhouse or trellis growing. Full summary ↓ Growers’ … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Krasa Dlinnaya Kosa (which translates to “Beauty With a Long Braid”) is an extremely vigorous, indeterminate red cherry tomato sold by the Russian seed company Biotekhnika. It is famous for its massive, double fan-shaped blossom clusters that produce a heavy yield of sweet, good-sized cherry tomatoes. It thrives outdoors and handles growing … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Karamelka (Little Caramel) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial dwarf/patio variety bred specifically for container and balcony gardening. The name translates to “Little Caramel” (a hard candy). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Generally stays very short, sprawling, and compact. It requires no pruning or suckering. However, some growers warn that if planted in … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Kafyavi Chereshki (Brown Cherry) Are seed companies just slapping different names on the exact same tomato? In this thread, growers dive deep into a side-by-side comparison of several popular dark cherry varieties to find the truth! 🌍 Origin: A Bulgarian heirloom. The name “Kafyavi Chereshki” literally translates from Bulgarian to “Brown Cherry”. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Kaskad (Cascade) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial dwarf/patio variety. The name translates to “Cascade”, referencing the way the heavy trusses of cherry tomatoes spill over the sides of the plant. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). A very compact and well-behaved plant, reaching a maximum height of around 24 inches (60 cm). It … Read more