Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Welcome to one of the most unique and comprehensive tomato databases on the English-speaking web. This catalog isn’t based on generic seed packet descriptions—it is built entirely on the real, hands-on experience of everyday gardeners.
For over a decade, thousands of growers have shared their successes, failures, and harvest photos on one of the oldest and largest Russian-speaking gardening forums. We have taken this massive, multi-year knowledge base and carefully translated and summarized the very best of it for you.
What you will find in our catalog:
Whether you are looking for a bulletproof hybrid for a short season, an exotic anthocyanin variety, or the sweetest beefsteak you’ve ever tasted, the collective experience of our gardening community will help you find the perfect seed for your next harvest. Browse our subcategories below to explore!
Quick Summary of Streak Lightning (Polosa Molnii) 🌍 Origin: A stunning striped and anthocyanin (purple-splashed) variety. In Russian collections, it circulates under the translated name Polosa Molnii. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching 1.4–1.8m (4.5–6 ft). Seedlings can look remarkably spindly and fragile (wispy foliage), but the plant gains moderate vigor once planted out. Avoid … Read more
Quick Summary of Priz Ispytaniy (Prize of the Trials) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic Russian variety. The name translates to “Prize of the Trials”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), mid-season variety. Typically grows to about 1.6–1.8 meters (5.2–6 ft). It is highly reliable and sets fruit perfectly without dropping blossoms (no blossom drop). It may take … Read more
Quick Summary of Plissirovannyy Serdolik (Pleated Carnelian) 🌍 Origin: The Russian name translates to “Pleated Carnelian,” which perfectly describes its gem-like reddish-brown color and heavily ruffled shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: A vigorous indeterminate (tall) variety. Performs very well in greenhouses when pruned to 2 stems (leaders). 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Deep reddish-brown, deeply ribbed (accordion or … Read more
Quick Summary of Dwarf Orion’s Belt 🌍 Origin: A beautiful release from the international Dwarf Tomato Project (DTP). 🌿 Plant Habit: True dwarf (tree-type). The plant is very compact, reaching only about 50-60 cm (20-24 in) in height. It features the classic DTP wide, light-green rugose (wrinkled) foliage. Perfect for container gardening, patios, or small … Read more
Quick Summary of Podsinskoye Chudo (Podsinee Miracle) 🌍 Origin: A legendary Siberian heirloom from the village of Podsinee, near Minusinsk (a region famous for its giant tomatoes). The name translates to “Podsinee Miracle”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very tall. Important diagnostic trait: This variety has classic “wispy” or “weeping willow” foliage. The leaves are light/emerald … Read more
Quick Summary of Easter Egg (Paskhalnoe Yaitso) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial/heirloom variety in Russia and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Ukraine). The name translates perfectly to “Easter Egg”, reflecting its beautiful shape and colorful stripes. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, extremely tall (easily exceeding 1.7 – 2 m / 5.5 – 6.5 ft) and vigorous. Performs … Read more
Quick Summary of Pozzano F1 🌍 Origin: A commercial indeterminate hybrid bred by the famous Dutch seed company ENZA ZADEN BEHEER B.V. Highly sought after by professional and amateur growers alike. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall (reaching 2-3 meters / 6.5-10 ft). Despite its height, growers note the plant is remarkably neat, well-foliated but not … Read more
Quick Summary of Petukh (Rooster) 🌍 Origin: A Russian collector’s variety with somewhat mysterious origins. Known simply as “Petukh” (Rooster), it is likely named for its resemblance to a rooster’s comb. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very tall and vigorous (reaching 2 – 2.5 m / 6.5 – 8 ft). Some growers note it has the … Read more
Quick Summary of Mr. Stripey (Polosatiy Gospodin) 🌍 Origin: A world-famous heirloom known in Russia as Polosatiy Gospodin. Note: This is the large, bicolor beefsteak version of Mr. Stripey (not the small Tigerella-type salad tomato that sometimes shares the same name). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall and vigorous. Performs exceptionally well in a greenhouse, where … Read more
Quick Summary of Peruanische Beuteltomate (Peruvian Bag) 🌍 Origin: A variety with a confusing but fascinating history. Known in Russia as “Peruvianskiy Meshochek”, it traces back to German heirloom collections where it is known as Peruanische Beuteltomate or possibly Beuteltomate aus El Salvador. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall (easily exceeding 2 meters / 6.5 ft … Read more
Quick Summary of Peaches and Cream 🌍 Origin: A well-known heirloom variety. The seeds discussed in this thread come from popular Russian seed collectors (like Redko) and have been widely adapted to Russian and Siberian climates. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very vigorous, and tall (reaching 1.8 – 2m / 6-6.5 ft in greenhouses). Growers note … Read more
Quick Summary of Poltavskaya Galushka (Poltava Dumpling) 🌍 Origin: An heirloom variety from Eastern Europe (Poltava is a famous city in Ukraine). The name translates to “Poltava Dumpling”, perfectly describing the plump, satisfying shape of the fruits. Widely distributed by famous Ukrainian collector Alexey Kulik. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Plant height depends heavily on … Read more