Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Izyumnyi (Pink Raisin) 🌍 Origin & Name Confusion: An underrated but fantastic Russian variety originally from breeder T.Y. Yashchenko. Note: Do not confuse “Rozovyi Izyumnyi” (Pink Raisin – large beefsteak) with “Rozovyi Izyum” (Pink Raisin – cherry tomato). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but a moderate grower (not overly tall), with strong … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Gigant (Pink Giant) 🌍 Origin: An official commercial variety registered in the Russian State Register. Note: It should not be confused with the family heirloom “Ukrainian Pink Giant” (Rozovyi Gigant Ukrainskiy). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but its growth habit is sprawling. It enthusiastically throws out side shoots (suckers) in all directions. … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Begemot (Pink Hippo) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic Russian heirloom whose name translates to “Pink Hippo”—a very fitting title given the massive, blocky shape and heavy weight of its fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Reports on its growth habit vary. Some growers experience it as a shorter, compact plant, while others (especially in … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Slon (Pink Elephant) 🌍 Origin: A very popular commercial Russian variety sold by several major seed companies (GISOK, Aelita, Sibsad). Famous for its reliability and size. 🌿 Plant Habit: Features beautiful Potato Leaf (PL) foliage. Depending on the seed source and climate, it behaves as a tall determinate or semi-determinate. It … Read more
Quick Summary of Work Release Paste 🌍 Origin & “Lost in Translation” Story: This is a famous large Italian/US heirloom. However, when it was introduced to the Russian tomato community, the name was awkwardly auto-translated as “Rabochiy Vypusk Pasty” (which translates back literally as “Industrial Production of Macaroni”). The bizarre name caused a lot of … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Tyulpan (Pink Tulip) 🌍 Origin: A stunning collector’s variety of unknown exact origin, widely circulated among Russian and European tomato enthusiasts. Sometimes grown under the translated name “Tulip Pink”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and late-season. Reports on its growth habit vary: some growers note a wispy, fragile structure (up to 1.5m … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Med (Pink Honey) 🌍 Origin: An absolute legend of Russian tomato breeding. Developed by the famous Siberian seed company SibSad (Siberian Garden). It is one of the most widely grown and discussed large pink tomatoes in Russia. 🌿 Plant Habit (The Great Debate): The seed packet lists it as a determinate, … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Gay (Pink Grove) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic early commercial Russian variety. The name translates to “Pink Grove” (though English speakers often mistakenly read it as “Pink Guy”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). In a greenhouse, it typically stays compact around 60-70 cm (2 – 2.3 ft), though in very rich, heavily … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovye Torbochki (Pink Pouches) 🌍 Origin: A visually stunning Russian/Eastern European heirloom. The name translates to “Pink Pouches” or “Pink Little Bags”, perfectly describing its unique ribbed, pear-like shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and extremely vigorous. It easily reaches 2 meters (6.5 ft) in a greenhouse. It sets fruit reliably all … Read more
Quick Summary of Early Love (Rannyaya Lyubov) 🌍 Origin: A well-known Russian variety. The name translates to “Early Love”. The most highly regarded strain of this variety traces its roots back to Syzran (a Russian city famous for its historical, exceptionally tasty heirloom tomatoes). 🌿 Plant Habit & Leaf Type: Indeterminate (tall), reaching about 1.7 … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovaya Bomba (Pink Bomb) 🌍 Origin & History: This is a highly sought-after community heirloom with a fascinating backstory. It originally appeared in a Russian grower’s garden as an off-type (segregation) of the famous Pink Sgt. Pepper. Instead of producing typical heart-shaped fruits, this rogue plant produced massive oblate beefsteaks. The Russian … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovye Krupnye (Large Pink) 🌍 Origin: A legendary Russian family heirloom. It was popularized by a famous forum member, Ninulia, who has been saving and distributing its seeds since 2002. It often circulates as “Rozovye Krupnye from Ninulia”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching the ceiling in greenhouses. The plant habit is … Read more