Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
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🍅 Quick take: Lutescent (also known historically as Honor Bright) is an antique 1897 heirloom bred by Alexander Livingston. It is famous for its bizarre genetics: pale yellow-green foliage, white flowers, and fruits that transition from green to white, then yellow, orange, and finally red. While some growers love its novelty and incredibly long shelf … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Legenda Tarasenko is a legendary indeterminate multiflora variety bred by the famous Ukrainian breeder Feodosiy Tarasenko. It is known for producing massive, fan-shaped trusses that can hold up to 30-40 small, red paste tomatoes weighing about 3.5 oz (100 g) each. The fruits typically feature a sharp little beak on the blossom … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Kazachka (Cossack Woman) is an indeterminate, late-season dark tomato from Siberian Garden (Sibsad). It produces long, braided clusters of brownish-cherry cocktail/plum fruits weighing 1-3 oz (30-80 g). While growers warn that it ripens late and has tender skin that can split when picked, it is highly praised for its massive yields and … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Krokha (which translates to “Crumb” or “Tiny Tot”) is an ultra-early determinate red cherry tomato from Belarus. Originally bred to be a compact, no-prune 1.5 ft (40-50 cm) bush for outdoor growing, it can reach over 3 ft (1 m) in a greenhouse. It produces sweet, glossy 1 oz (25-40 g) fruits … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Katya F1 is a very early determinate hybrid by the Russian seed company Semko. It is known as a reliable “workhorse” variety that pumps out 4 oz (110-130 g) red fruits on compact 20-inch (50 cm) bushes. While growers have mixed feelings about its flavor (most agree it’s better for canning than … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Kmicic is a compact, determinate paste tomato originating from Poland. It is notable for its potato leaf (PL) foliage and exceptional cold tolerance. The plant produces heavy yields of bright red, plum-shaped fruits weighing around 1.7 oz (50 g), which are firm, store well, and are highly prized for canning and processing. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Karlik Nos (Dwarf Nose) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial dwarf variety bred by L. Myazina. The name translates to “Dwarf Nose,” referencing the tiny pointed beak (nose) on the blossom end of the fruit. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (dwarf). The seed packet notoriously claims it is the “brother of the Mongolian Dwarf” … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Kimmeriec (Cimmerian) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety. The name translates to “Cimmerian” (referencing the ancient nomadic Indo-European people). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact, topping out around 24 to 28 inches (60-70 cm). Needs plenty of lateral space and strong staking due to the massive weight of the fruit. Best … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Kilechki (Sprats) Named after the famous tiny forage fish, this unique Russian heirloom is catching the eye of cherry tomato collectors. But is it just a novelty shape, or does it actually perform in the garden? 🌍 Origin: A Russian collector’s variety. The name “Kilechki” translates to “Little Sprats” (tiny fish), perfectly … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kazabalykskiy Superearly 🌍 Origin: An older commercial variety that has circulated in Russian seed shops since at least the mid-1990s. The name is widely believed to be a slight spelling corruption of the Karabalyk district in Kazakhstan. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). An absolute workhorse of a plant. Usually tops out … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Krasnaya Shapochka (Little Red Riding Hood) 🌍 Origin: A very popular commercial Russian determinate variety, translated as “Little Red Riding Hood”. Often goes by the German name Rotkäppchen on seed packets. Widely distributed by several Russian seed companies (Sibsad, Aelita, Agros, Poisk). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush) or dwarf. Extremely compact, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kumato 🌍 Origin: A patented commercial F1 hybrid developed by Syngenta, originating from wild Galapagos tomato genetics. Many home growers experiment by saving seeds from grocery store Kumatos to grow out and dehybridize in their own gardens. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), usually with dark green, sometimes wispy foliage. Highly praised … Read more