Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kot Timofey (Tomcat Timofey) 🌍 Origin: Originally sourced from a private Ukrainian seed collector named Manusha. The name “Kot Timofey” translates to “Tomcat Timofey”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but stays relatively manageable. Usually hits around 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) in open ground. It is an incredibly … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ispolin Malinoviy (Raspberry Giant) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety. The name translates to “Raspberry Giant” and it is widely distributed by the Siberian Garden (Sibsad) seed company. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching anywhere from 3.2 to 5.9 feet (1 to 1.8 m) depending on whether it’s grown outdoors or … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Goldman’s Italian-American 🌍 Origin: Originally discovered at a roadside stand in Italy and popularized in the US by heirloom tomato expert and author Amy Goldman. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and generally a mid-to-late season producer. Very productive vine. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, pear-shaped or bell-shaped tomatoes with very deep ribbing … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Italyanskiy Riflenyi (Italian Ribbed) 🌍 Origin: A “working name” for a variety circulated through Russian seed swaps online. As growers noted, it is highly likely a strain of the famous Costoluto Genovese. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Mid-season maturity with very good yields. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Red, heavily ribbed (fluted) fruits … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Indian Zebra 🌍 Origin: An American heirloom discovered by Clyde Burson. It is considered a larger, striped cousin of the famous Indian Stripe (which itself is closely related to Cherokee Purple). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Grows well outdoors, reaching around 5.5 feet (1.7 m) in open ground. Very productive. 🍅 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ispanskiy Gigant (Spanish Giant) 🌍 Origin: A Russian collector’s variety circulating under the “working name” Spanish Giant. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and a reliable, heavy yielder. It is a late-season variety. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large red beefsteaks. They are mostly oblate (flattened and ribbed), though the plant occasionally throws wide, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Italian Sweet 🌍 Origin: A classic heirloom variety originally from Italy, widely circulated among seed collectors for its outstanding taste. 🌿 Plant Habit: Vigorous indeterminate (tall) vines with Potato Leaf (PL) foliage. They grow exceptionally well in greenhouses, easily reaching over 6.5 feet (2 m). Performs best when pruned to 2 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ispanskaya Roza (Spanish Rose) 🌍 Origin: A Russian collector’s variety (noted to be circulated by N. Berezhnova). The name translates to “Spanish Rose” and is considered an unofficial or “working” name in the heirloom community. 🌿 Plant Habit: Semi-determinate. Mid-to-late season. It grows to around 3 to 4 feet (1-1.2 m) … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Inzhirnye (Fig) 🌍 Origin: A popular Russian heirloom variety. The name “Inzhirnye” translates to “Fig” or “Fig-shaped”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Sturdy vines that typically reach about 4.5 feet (1.4 m). Highly productive and sets fruit reliably even in less-than-ideal weather. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Stunning pink, deeply ribbed (pleated) beefsteaks. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Indische Fleisch 🌍 Origin: An old heirloom variety. The name translates from German as “Indian Meat”. Despite the German name, its deeper origins trace back to India. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indet. Can be kept relatively compact or grown out to 6.5 feet (2 m) depending on conditions. Highly productive. Can be … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ivan Ivanych 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety. The name “Ivan Ivanych” is a traditional and respectful Russian first name and patronymic combination. 🌿 Plant Habit: A mid-sized plant with potato leaf (PL) foliage. It is a very early season variety known for uniform ripening, meaning the fruits tend to flush … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Imperator Chu Fu (Emperor Chu Fu) 🌍 Origin: Circulated in the seed market as a commercial heirloom of Chinese origin. 🌿 Plant Habit: Mid-season, indeterminate. A very resilient plant that performs well outdoors in open ground. Growers note it recovers easily if topped or damaged during the seedling stage. 🍅 Fruit … Read more