Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Volovyi Ushi (Ox Ears) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial and heirloom variety. The name translates to “Ox Ears” (sometimes sold as Volovye Ushko or “Little Ox Ear”). Note: Multiple seed companies (like Altai Seeds and Myazina) sell lines under this name, resulting in wild variations in fruit shape and size. 🌿 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Mt. Vesuvius (Piennolo del Vesuvio) 🌍 Origin & History: This is a legendary Italian heirloom storage tomato (Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio). Traditionally grown on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius in Italy, they are famous for being harvested on the vine, tied into large bunches (piennolo), and hung from ceilings to … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Vinnaya Bukhta (Wine Cove) 🌍 Origin: Popular dark tomato circulating in the Russian heirloom community. The name translates literally to “Wine Cove” (or Wine Bay). Grower’s Note: While some speculate this might have originated from a mistranslation of Wine Jug (Vinnyi Kuvshin), “Wine Cove” is traded as a distinct, highly stable … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Varvara 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial release from the GISOK-AGRO seed company. Entered into the Russian State Register in 2001. 🌱 Plant Habit: An indeterminate vine growing 5.2–6 ft (1.6-1.8m) tall. It features classic “wispy” or sparse foliage, allowing lots of light to reach the fruit. Standard Regular Leaf (RL). 🍅 Fruit … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Cheerful Hondurans 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the famous SibSad (Siberian Garden) seed company, bearing a rather hilarious name. 🌱 Plant Habit: A highly productive indeterminate vine that requires staking and regular pruning. 🍅 Fruit & Yield: Produces firm, bright red, pear-shaped tomatoes weighing about 3.5 to 5.5 oz (100-150g). … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Cheerful or Jolly Gnome (Veselyi Gnom) 🌍 Origin: Bred by the well-known Russian tomato breeder L.A. Myazina. 🌱 Plant Habit: A compact, tree-type determinate (about 16-28 inches / 40-70 cm tall). It has thick, sturdy stems and broad rugose leaves. It does not require pruning (suckering) and is highly recommended for container/patio … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Banan Pestryi (Speckled Banana) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety from the “Poisk” seed company, part of their special “Vkusnoteka” (Flavor Library) line. The name translates to “Speckled Banana” or “Variegated Banana”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall, and vigorous. It is a late-season producer that will keep setting fruit right up … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Boets (Buyan) Red 🌍 Origin: A super-reliable Siberian commercial variety. In the official registry, it is named “Boets” (Fighter), but it is widely sold by the Siberian Garden seed company under the name “Buyan” (Brawler). 🌿 Plant Habit: A compact, tree-type determinate (micro-dwarf) topping out at just 16–19 inches (42–48 cm). … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Benedict Heirlooms Pink 🌍 Origin: A fantastic pink heirloom variety that has gained traction for its outstanding reliability and culinary versatility. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. A very vigorous plant that reaches around 5 ft (1.5 m) when grown outdoors in open ground. Mid-season maturity. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Dark pink/raspberry colored fruits … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Baloven Sudby (Fortune’s Favorite) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from the Russian seed company Siberian Garden (Sib-Sad). The name translates to “Fortune’s Favorite” or “Darling of Fate”. 🌿 Plant Habit: The seed packet lists it as an early determinate growing to 28–31 inches (70–80 cm). However, growers note it behaves more … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Buy Tur 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial dwarf variety. The name “Buy Tur” roughly translates from old Slavic to “Fierce Wild Bull”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Dwarf / Tree-type (rugose foliage). Stays very compact, reaching only about 60 cm (24 inches) tall. Excellent for small spaces, patios, and container growing. It has … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Banan Zholtyi (Yellow Banana) 🌍 The Controversy: This variety is sold in Russia by the “Poisk” seed company under the name “Yellow Banana.” However, Russian growers who ran side-by-side grow-outs have universally concluded that this is simply a repackaged, renamed version of the famous American heirloom Banana Legs (originally bred by … Read more