Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 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
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Buratino 🌍 Origin & Name: A popular collector’s heirloom. “Buratino” is the Russian version of Pinocchio, and the tomato is aptly named for its distinct, long, pointed “nose.” Note: There is also an official commercial red determinate variety named Buratino in the Russian State Register, but the heirloom community uses this … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Beduin / Grusha Chernaya (Black Pear) 🌍 Origin & Naming: A highly popular Russian heirloom known alternatively as “Beduin” (Bedouin) or “Grusha Chernaya” (Black Pear). Note: Seed companies sometimes sell them under slightly different names, and it is often compared to the famous Japanese Black Trifele. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (though … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Bochata (Little Barrels) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from the Siberian seed company “Semena Altaya”. The name translates to “Little Barrels”, reflecting their blocky, plump shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Semi-determinate. Grows to about 90-110 cm (3-3.5 ft). Performs incredibly well out in the garden (open ground), especially in “hot beds” (manure/compost … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Buyan Zheltyi (Buyan Yellow) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety, officially registered in the Russian State Register for the West Siberian region. Also known as “Boets Yellow” (Fighter Yellow). 🌿 Plant Habit: Rugose determinate dwarf (tree-type). Extremely compact, sturdy, and short, typically reaching only 30-60 cm (1-2 ft). Seedlings do not … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Bochkovoy Zasol (Barrel Pickling) 🌍 Origin & Name: An old heirloom variety originating from the Astrakhan region of Russia. The name translates to “Barrel Pickling” or “Barrel Fermentation.” It is named after the traditional Russian method of fermenting whole vegetables in large wooden barrels for the winter, implying these tomatoes are … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Banan Rozovyi (Pink Banana) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety available from several seed companies, including Aelita and Siberian Garden (SibSad). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Like many elongated paste tomatoes, it has a distinct “weeping” or wispy foliage. As a young seedling, the tops can twist and vine aggressively, which is … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Banana Legs (Bananovye Nogi) 🌍 Origin: Originally bred by Tom Wagner (USA) in 1984. It was introduced to the Russian forum community around 2012 by collector Yaroslavna, where it became wildly popular (and highly debated). Interestingly, a commercial Russian seed company later patented it under the translated name “Bananovye Nogi”. 🌿 … Read more
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📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Banan Oranzhevyi (Orange Banana) 🌍 Origin: A popular commercial Russian variety (widely distributed by seed companies like Gavrish and Aelita). The name translates to “Orange Banana”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Mostly indeterminate (growing over 6.5 ft / 2 m in greenhouses), though some growers report shorter determinate strains. It has a characteristic … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Casady’s Folly (Безумие Кэсиди) 🌍 Origin: Bred by the famous American tomato breeder Tom Wagner. It is a stunning, elongated, red-and-gold striped paste/plum tomato. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly Debated! The forum community has discovered two distinct genetic lines circulating in Russia: one is a tall, spindly, wispy-leafed indeterminate (often reaching 5-6.5 … Read more