Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Super Balcony Orange (Superbalkonnyi Oranzhevyi) 🌍 Origin & Name: Sourced from the collection of Ukrainian tomato breeder Denis Terentyev. The name translates to “Super Balcony Orange”. 🌿 Plant Habit (The Paradox): Despite the word “Balcony” in its name, which usually implies a tiny micro-dwarf, this variety is actually an indeterminate (tall) vine! … Read more
Quick Summary of Desdemona’s Heart (Serdtse Dezdemony) 🌍 Origin & Name: An heirloom variety sourced from private collector Tamara Yashchenko. The name is a nod to Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, adding a dramatic flair to this beautiful oxheart. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, though it behaves more like a vigorous semi-determinate in many gardens. It typically reaches … Read more
Quick Summary of Sozvezdie Vesov (Constellation Libra) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from Siberian Garden (SibSad). The name translates to “Constellation Libra” (often just sold as “Libra” / “Vesy”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching about 1.7m (5.6 ft). The bush is not overly vigorous or densely leafed. Growers recommend pruning and training it to … Read more
Quick Summary of Stan Ley 🌍 Origin: A bit of a mystery! Cultivated and popularized by Russian seed collector Alexey Kulik, who lists its origin as the USA. The name is likely a transliteration of “Stan Ley” (or Stan Lee). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but on the shorter side. Outdoors in open ground, it reaches … Read more
Quick Summary of Samokhval (The Boaster) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety released by the Russian seed company “Siberian Garden” (Sibsad). The name translates to “The Boaster” or “Show-off.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Mid-season, indeterminate plant. Reaches heights of 1.2–1.7 meters (4 to 5.5 ft) depending on whether it is grown outdoors or in a greenhouse. It … Read more
Quick Summary of Virginia Sweets (Russian: Сладости Вирджинии) 🌍 The “Full Circle” Journey: Virginia Sweets is a well-known American bicolor heirloom. However, watching it grow in the harsh climates of Russia and Siberia offers fascinating insights! In Eastern Europe, the name is often literally translated as “The Sweets of Virginia” or “Virginia’s Candies,” leading to … Read more
Quick Summary of Sanka Zolotoy (Golden Sanka) 🌍 Origin: A golden-yellow variation of “Sanka”, one of the most famous and widely grown ultra-early commercial heirlooms in Russia and Ukraine. The name translates to “Golden Sanka” or “Sanka Gold”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). It grows to about 1 meter (3.3 ft) tall outdoors. It is … Read more
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 Barry’s Crazy Cherry 🌍 Origin: Originally bred by Brad Gates (Wild Boar Farms, USA), this variety has become incredibly popular among Russian and Eastern European growers under the translated name “Sumasshedshie Cherry Barry”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate multiflora. The seedlings grow unusually slowly and stay compact early on, but eventually grow tall … Read more