Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Fantaziya (Fantasia) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety from the “Agrosemtoms” seed company. The name translates to “Fantasia” or “Fantasy”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Early-ripening (90-95 days) and indeterminate. It is highly adapted to northern regions and adverse weather conditions. It also boasts excellent disease resistance, specifically to Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) and … Read more
Quick Summary of Finik (Date) Tomato Series 🌍 Origin: A hugely popular Russian commercial series (which includes Yellow, Orange, Red, and Striped variants), commonly sold by “Russian Ogorod” (often as an F1 hybrid) and heirloom vendors like “Batatovy Kusty”. The name “Finik” translates to “Date”, referencing their shape and intended sweetness. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate … Read more
Quick Summary of Utomlennoe Solntse (Weary Sun) 🌍 Origin: A beautiful heirloom variety originating from Ukraine. The name translates to “Weary Sun” (a reference to a famous vintage Russian tango song). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and vigorous. In a greenhouse, it easily reaches 1.8 – 2 meters (6 – 6.5 ft) in height. Pro … Read more
Quick Summary of Ulybka Sandry (Sandra’s Smile) 🌍 Origin: A mysterious variety with a fascinating history. Originally acquired by a Latvian collector at a seed swap in Germany under the name “Cassandra”. Since the real Cassandra tomato is a completely different red variety, the name was rejected during local registration. It was officially renamed “Ulybka … Read more
Quick Summary of Utenok (Duckling) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular Russian commercial and collectible variety. The name translates to “Duckling”, likely due to its bright orange color and the characteristic “beak” on the end of the fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, dwarf (tree-type / rugose foliage) bush. Very compact, usually growing 35-50 cm (14-20 inches) … Read more
Quick Summary of Taiko (Тайко) 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded commercial variety (originally distributed by seed companies like Elkom in Russia). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching up to 2 meters (6.5 ft) in a greenhouse. A notable feature is its Potato Leaf (PL) foliage. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright yellow, smooth plum/icicle-shaped tomatoes. They are … Read more
Quick Summary of Tuxhorn’s Red and Yellow 🌍 Origin: A stunning, large heirloom tomato originally from the United States. It goes by the full name Tuxhorn’s Red and Yellow, though it’s often affectionately shortened to just “Tuxhorn”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), though outdoors in cooler climates, it may only reach about 1 – 1.2 … Read more
Quick Summary of Super Balcony Orange (Superbalkonnyi Oranzhevyi) 🌍 Origin & Name: Sourced from the collection of Ukrainian tomato breeder Denis Terentyev. The name translates to “Super Balcony Orange”. 🌿 Plant Habit (The Paradox): Despite the word “Balcony” in its name, which usually implies a tiny micro-dwarf, this variety is actually an indeterminate (tall) vine! … Read more
Quick Summary of Desdemona’s Heart (Serdtse Dezdemony) 🌍 Origin & Name: An heirloom variety sourced from private collector Tamara Yashchenko. The name is a nod to Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, adding a dramatic flair to this beautiful oxheart. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, though it behaves more like a vigorous semi-determinate in many gardens. It typically reaches … Read more
Quick Summary of Sozvezdie Vesov (Constellation Libra) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from Siberian Garden (SibSad). The name translates to “Constellation Libra” (often just sold as “Libra” / “Vesy”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching about 1.7m (5.6 ft). The bush is not overly vigorous or densely leafed. Growers recommend pruning and training it to … Read more
Quick Summary of Stan Ley 🌍 Origin: A bit of a mystery! Cultivated and popularized by Russian seed collector Alexey Kulik, who lists its origin as the USA. The name is likely a transliteration of “Stan Ley” (or Stan Lee). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but on the shorter side. Outdoors in open ground, it reaches … Read more
Quick Summary of Samokhval (The Boaster) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety released by the Russian seed company “Siberian Garden” (Sibsad). The name translates to “The Boaster” or “Show-off.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Mid-season, indeterminate plant. Reaches heights of 1.2–1.7 meters (4 to 5.5 ft) depending on whether it is grown outdoors or in a greenhouse. It … Read more