Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: Orange Russian 117 is an iconic indeterminate, mid-to-late season bicolor oxheart bred by California grower Jeff Dawson (a cross of Russian 117 and Georgia Streak). The vines carry classic delicate, weeping oxheart foliage and produce breathtaking 9-19 oz (250-540 g) gold and crimson hearts. Forum growers note that its legendary, sweet, peach-like … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Ochre Symphony (Okhrovaya Simfoniya) is a mid-season, indeterminate variety bred by Sofia Saakova. It produces stunning 3.5-7 oz (100-200 g) plum-heart tomatoes that ripen to an earthy ochre color covered in green stripes, sometimes showing a faint antho blush. Growers rave about its incredibly sweet, buttery, nearly seedless flesh and strong yields, … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Sofia’s Fiery Comet (Ognennaya Kometa Sofii) is an indeterminate, incredibly striking anthocyanin variety bred by Sofia Saakova. Fruits weigh up to 7 oz (200 g), featuring deep pink flesh, stripes, antho shoulders, and typically long, prominent beaks. Growers rave about its breathtaking appearance in the greenhouse and its exceptional, sweet flavor, though … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Orange Heart from Angelini is a tall, indeterminate, mid-season oxheart variety that produces vibrant, sun-colored orange fruits averaging around 7 oz. Known for its sweet, juicy flavor and solid yields, it performs beautifully in greenhouses, especially for growers dealing with short northern summers. Full summary ↓ Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Lago Maggiore is a tall, indeterminate, mid-season variety that produces heavy yields of ribbed, pear-shaped and plum-shaped tomatoes ranging from 3.5 oz to over 1 lb. It’s highly crack-resistant in wet conditions. Flavor is universally praised, though growers report varying results regarding its shelf life and firmness. Full summary ↓ Growers’ Notes … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Orange Heart, affectionately nicknamed Fox Nose (Liskin Nos) by this forum community, is a legendary Russian indeterminate oxheart. It produces massive, butter-fleshed orange-yellow fruits that often sport a very distinct, sharp pointed tip (the “fox nose”). Known for its incredibly sweet, fruity flavor and lack of seeds, it is a massive favorite … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Natalyin Arbuzik (Natalya’s Watermelon) is a mystery heirloom introduced by a beloved, now-deceased forum member. It is an indeterminate, mid-early pink beefsteak that produces massive, sweet, sugary fruits (some reaching over 2.2 lbs / 1 kg). It gets its working name from the distinct dark green watermelon-like stripes visible on the unripe … Read more
🍅 Quick take: A highly productive, wispy-leafed indeterminate vine that produces stunning, small-to-medium red oxhearts that literally look like giant strawberries. Known for an exceptionally sweet, classic flavor and very few seeds, it thrives in both greenhouses and outdoors but can be prone to yellow shoulders without enough potassium. Full summary ↓ Growers’ Notes and … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Night Candle is an exceptionally productive indeterminate vine that produces gorgeous, glowing yellow-orange oxhearts with a distinctly pointed blossom end. It’s praised for being a sturdy, early-to-mid-season producer that thrives in short-summer climates, delivering large, incredibly sweet, and nearly seedless fruits. Full summary ↓ Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3a-4a Experience) … Read more
🍅 Quick take: A tall, indeterminate vine that produces heavily in the greenhouse. The large, heavy tomatoes have a unique shape—part heart, part barrel—with dense, sugary flesh near the stem. Excellent all-rounder for fresh eating, paste, and canning. Full summary ↓ Growers’ Notes and Photos O Olya ⭐ Veteran Member (1,829 posts) I bought these … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Nastenka is a highly productive, rugged determinate bush that stays compact around 2-3.2 ft (60-100 cm). Grown heavily for processing and canning, it produces dense, thick-walled pink fruits. Growers report significant shape variations depending on the seed company, ranging from oval plums to blunt hearts. It boasts excellent resistance to poor weather … Read more
🍅 Quick take: A highly contested name covering several different strains. The heirloom swap version produces sweet, deep pink oblate tomatoes on a regular leaf plant, while commercial seed packets often produce a completely different compact, carrot-leaf plant with mixed-to-negative flavor reviews. Full summary ↓ Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3-6) L Lana_s_Kavkaza (Svetlana) … Read more