Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary: Exotic Cucumbers & Bean Growing Tips In this thread, our community dives into the fascinating world of exotic curcubits and garden beans. Here are the key takeaways: 🥒 The “Eight-Angled” Cucumber: Often sold under exotic names, these are usually ribbed varieties of Carosello (an Italian melon eaten green as a cucumber) or Armenian … Read more
Quick Summary: The “Hot Bed” Seedling Method 🌍 The Concept: A traditional Siberian method for growing tomato seedlings entirely outdoors, even in harsh, extreme climates (like Tyumen in Western Siberia, USDA Zone 3). This eliminates the need for expensive indoor grow lights and prevents transplant shock completely.. 🔥 How it Works: A raised bed is … Read more
Quick Summary: Amending Heavy Clay Soil 🌍 The Challenge: Heavy, compacted clay soil is a universal nightmare for gardeners. Buying truckloads of topsoil to cover a large plot is incredibly expensive and often impractical. 🌿 The “Warm Bed” Solution: A traditional Eastern European technique (very similar to trench Hugelkultur). It involves digging a trench, filling … Read more
Author: Pomidoroved | Originally published: May 3, 2013 📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR) Choosing Sets: Bigger is NOT better. Buy small onion sets (about 1 cm / 3/8 inch). Large sets are prone to bolting (going to seed) instead of forming a bulb. Storage: Store your sets in a dry, warm place (like a shoebox on … Read more
Author: Pomidoroved; USDA 5/6 | Originally published: July 14, 2013 📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR) Dwarf vs Standard: Dwarf trees yield sooner and save space, but require watering. Standard trees live longer, cast great shade, and have deep, drought-tolerant roots. Seedling Selection: Look for a 1-year unbranched whip or a 2-year tree with 3-4 scaffold branches. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Peony Planting, Dividing & Care 🗓️ Best Time to Transplant: The article recommends autumn, from mid-August to mid-September in mid-latitudes. Later planting (for example in October) leaves less time to grow feeder roots before winter. In spring, move peonies right after the soil thaws and before the buds start growing, and ideally … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Defeating Late Blight in Cold, Rainy Climates 🌍 The Problem: Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans) is the ultimate tomato killer, especially in cool, rainy regions with heavy morning dew (like USDA Zones 3-5). Many growers harvest green tomatoes thinking they are safe, only to watch them rot indoors. 🧪 Folk Remedies vs. Science: … Read more
Quick Summary: DIY Weed Tea Fertilizer 🌍 Why this matters: If you struggle with sandy soil that doesn’t hold nutrients, or if buying manure is too expensive and labor-intensive, “weed tea” is the ultimate free alternative. 🌿 The Base: You can use any garden weeds (dandelions, burdock, nettle, chamomile) harvested before they go to seed. … Read more
Quick Summary: Short-Season Melon Growing Masterclass 🌍 Why this matters: If you live in a cold climate (like USDA Zones 3-4) with short summers and June frosts, growing melons can feel impossible. In this article, a seasoned grower from Rybinsk (North-West Russia) shares his proven techniques for harvesting sweet watermelons and melons outdoors. 🌱 Key … Read more
Quick Summary: Why Do Tomatoes Crack? 🌡️ The Main Culprit: Extreme heat combined with inconsistent moisture levels. When temperatures soar, roots can’t absorb water fast enough during the day, causing the fruit to slightly shrink. 💧 Nighttime Expansion: At night, when temperatures drop and humidity rises, plants greedily absorb moisture from the air and soil. … Read more
Overwintering Chrysanthemums in a Greenhouse: An Unexpected Experiment C cat2008 (Author) ⭐ Pro Grower 📍 Orsha, Belarus (USDA Zone 4/5) 🌱 Quick Summary & Key Takeaways The Real Killer: Most chrysanthemums do not freeze to death in the winter; they die from crown rot caused by sitting in soggy, wet soil during freeze-thaw cycles. The … Read more
Growing Astilbe: From Store-Bought Roots to a Thriving Shade Garden 🌱 Quick Summary & Key Takeaways Rescuing Bare Roots: Don’t let store-bought bare roots rot in the fridge. If they are sprouting, pot them up indoors immediately in a 1-gallon pot. Sun vs. Shade: Astilbe thrives in partial shade. It can handle full sun (and … Read more