Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Serdechnyi Potseluy (Heart’s Kiss) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the famous “Siberian Garden” (Sibsad) seed company. The name translates to “Heart’s Kiss”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate / semi-determinate, reaching about 1.3 m (4.2 ft) in height. It can be grown outdoors in open ground, but requires proper pruning (usually to … Read more
Quick Summary of Heart of America (Serdtse Ameriki) 🌍 Origin & Name: Circulated among Russian private seed collectors under the translated name “Serdtse Ameriki” (Heart of America). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but growers note it has a very manageable height. In a greenhouse, it grows taller than a person but doesn’t aggressively hit the … Read more
Quick Summary of Kelli’s Heart (Serdtse Kelli) 🌍 Origin: Circulated widely by Russian seed collectors (such as V. Redko), though the name suggests Western origins. Translated locally as “Serdtse Kelli”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), mid-season variety. It possesses classic oxheart genetics, characterized by very thin, “wispy” or weeping foliage. (Don’t worry if the plant … Read more
Quick Summary of Serbian Oxheart (Serbskoe Byche Serdtse) 🌍 Origin: A traditional heirloom from Serbia. This variety is very well known in international seed-saving circles, having been circulated heavily by the famous North American collector Tatiana Kushnareva (Tatiana’s TOMATObase). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but on the compact side, typically reaching 1 – 1.2 meters (3-4 … Read more
Quick Summary of Sugar Giant (Sakharnyi Gigant) 🌍 Origin & Vendor Issues: A large-fruited Russian commercial variety. The name translates to “Sugar Giant”. However, there is massive inconsistency between the major seed vendors (Russian Garden/RO vs. Siberian Garden/SibSad). 🔍 The Shape Mystery: The packet from “Russian Garden” promises a large, barrel-like (cuboid) or blocky plum … 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 Heart of Compassion (Serdtse Dobroty) 🌍 Origin: An Eastern European heirloom. The name translates beautifully to “Heart of Compassion” (Serdtse Dobroty). Distributed by well-known private seed collectors like Valentina Redko. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). It is a late-season variety, requiring a longer growing period to reach full maturity. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: … Read more
Quick Summary of Bull’s Heart (Cuor di Bue / Coeur de Boeuf) 🌍 The Global Oxheart: This thread is a massive masterclass on the world’s most famous heirloom tomato. Known as Bychye Serdtse in Russia, Cuor di Bue in Italy, Coeur de Boeuf in France, and Coracao de Boi in Portugal. The forum admin officially … Read more
Quick Summary of Serdtse Kenguru (Kangaroo Heart) 🌍 Origin: A well-known Russian commercial/heirloom variety. The name translates to “Kangaroo Heart”, reflecting the shape and massive size of the fruit. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching 1.5 – 1.8 meters (5-6 ft). The bush is strong, healthy, and has moderate foliage. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Beautiful, perfectly … Read more
Quick Summary of Serdtse Telenka (Calf’s Heart) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom circulated by well-known seed collectors (the seeds in this thread originate from V. Redko). The name translates directly to “Calf’s Heart”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Like many classic oxhearts, it possesses “wispy foliage” (a frail-looking, drooping, sparsely leafed structure). It can be … Read more
Quick Summary of Pudovik 🌍 Origin & Registry: The officially registered name of the famous commercial variety from Siberian Garden (often sold with “Sevryuga” written in parentheses). Unlike “Sevryuga“, the name Pudovik is officially listed in the Russian State Register of Breeding Achievements. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), typically reaching 1.7-1.8 m (5.5-6 ft). Growers … Read more
Quick Summary of Sevryuga (and Severyuga / Pudovik) 🌍 The Naming Mystery: This is one of the most famously debated varieties in the Russian tomato community. Commercially, the Siberian Garden company (SibSad) released it under the names Sevryuga (a type of sturgeon fish) and Pudovik, stating they are the same variety. However, old-school seed savers … Read more