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 Yablonka Rossii (Little Apple of Russia) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial and heirloom variety in Russia. There is an ongoing debate among collectors that it is identical to the old East German (GDR) variety Tamina, or closely related to Matina. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (though often behaves as semi-determinate in open … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponskiy Trufel (Japanese Truffle Series) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial Russian series (often distributed by Biotechnika, Sibsad, and Aelita). Despite the name, it is a Russian heirloom/commercial line. It comes in up to 6 distinct colors: Red, Pink, Black, Orange, Yellow, and Gold. 🌿 Plant Habit: Most are indeterminate, growing between … Read more
Quick Summary of Yantarnaya Rossyp (Amber Placer) 🌍 Origin: A modern Russian commercial variety bred by the “Tsentr Ogorodnik” / “Poisk” seed company and officially entered into the Russian State Register in 2018. The name roughly translates to “Amber Placer” or “Scattering of Amber”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, compact, and sturdy (tree-type). It has a … Read more
Quick Summary of Yantarnyi (Amber) 🌍 Origin: A well-known Russian commercial/heirloom variety. The name translates to “Amber,” referring to its bright yellow-orange color. Note: It is sometimes sold under variations like “Yantarnyi 530”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush/tree-type). It is highly compact, rugose, and very sturdy. It does not strictly require pruning or suckering, making … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponec (Japanese Man) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety whose name translates to “Japanese Man” (or “The Japanese”). It is often compared to the famous pink variety ‘Yaponka’ (Japanese Girl). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. It is typically grown in greenhouses and pruned to 2 stems. Note that it can be sensitive to … Read more
Quick Summary of Yantarnaya Komnata (Amber Room) 🌍 Origin: An exotic Russian commercial/heirloom variety, originally distributed by breeder Valeriy Medvedev. The name translates to “Amber Room,” referring to the amber-yellow blush the green skin develops when fully ripe. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous, and tall. In a greenhouse, it easily reaches up to 2.5 meters … Read more
Quick Summary of Yablochnyi Spas (Apple Feast) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial/heirloom variety often distributed by well-known seed vendors like Valeriy Medvedev and Ilya Korolev. The name “Yablochnyi Spas” translates to “Apple Feast” (or Apple Savior), a traditional Russian agricultural holiday in August. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very tall and vigorous, easily reaching over 2 … Read more
Quick Summary of Yablochnyi Lipetskiy (Apple Lipetsk) 🌍 Origin: A legendary Russian heirloom from the Lipetsk region. It was saved from a single tomato given to a gardener in 1996 and popularized on Russian tomato forums years later. The name translates to “Apple of Lipetsk”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate with moderate vigor. It grows well … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponskiy Krab (Japanese Crab) 🌍 Origin: A very famous commercial Russian variety originally registered by “Demetra-Sibir” (Altai region). The name translates to “Japanese Crab”, referring to the ribbed, somewhat flattened shape of the original strain that supposedly resembles a crab. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous, and tall (typically 1.5–2 meters / 5–6.5 … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponka (Japanese Girl) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular Russian/Eastern European internet heirloom. The name translates to “Japanese Girl” or “Japanese Woman”. It is believed to be closely related to the famous ‘Cardinal’ variety but features a distinct pointed tip. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, typically growing 1.5–2 meters (5–6.5 ft) tall. It has … Read more
Quick Summary of Jarson 13 (Ochre Pear) 🌍 Origin & Breeding: A highly sought-after amateur variety bred by a Polish breeder known as Jarson. It was created by crossing two legendary Russian heirlooms: Malakhitovaya Shkatulka (Malachite Box) and Yellow Khurma (Persimmon). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining) with regular foliage. It performs exceptionally well outdoors, reaching … Read more
Quick Summary of Yarik 🌍 Origin: A very dependable Russian commercial/heirloom variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: An indeterminate (tall vining) variety, though some growers describe it as semi-determinate since it often stops around 1.5 meters (5 ft) tall in a greenhouse. 🧬 The Leaf Debate: There is a slight genetic mystery circulating among seed savers: while … Read more