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 (TL;DR): Cowboy 🌍 Origin: A highly sought-after release from Canadian tomato breeder Karen Olivier. It was named in honor of her father, Harold Borle (a lifelong passionate horseback rider and chuckwagon driver), and specifically named “Cowboy” to match the reddish-brown coat of his favorite horse. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Produces a … Read more
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📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Belle du Poitou 🌍 Origin: Vintage heirloom from France. The name translates directly to “Beauty of Poitou” (a historical province in west-central France). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A reliable and strong-growing vine. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, perfectly round red beefsteaks. They are exceptionally uniform and smooth, frequently reaching up to … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Boar’s Hoof 🌍 Origin: A rare dark cocktail variety from the USA (Brad Gates; Wild Boar Farms). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A vigorous, highly productive vine. It is widely praised for its incredible disease resistance—specifically its ability to completely shrug off Leaf Mold (Cladosporium) in humid greenhouse conditions. 🍅 Fruit … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kazakhstan Yellow 🌍 Origin: A legendary underground heirloom from the Russian/Eastern European tomato community. It was grown for over 25 years by a forum member named Slava before he finally shared the seeds online and gave it the working name “Kazakhstan Yellow.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A very resilient and … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kyzyl Tau 🌍 Origin: Modern heirloom bred by the famous tomato breeder Vitaly Alifirov from Almaty, Kazakhstan. The name “Kyzyl Tau” translates from Turkic languages to “Red Mountain.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A very productive and vigorous plant that performs exceptionally well in a greenhouse when pruned to 2 stems. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Karl 🌍 Origin: A rare Eastern European heirloom passed around by private collectors. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An absolute beast of a plant. Growers report it easily reaching 8-10 feet (2.5-3 m) with the most massive root system they’ve ever seen. It pushes suckers very aggressively, so stay on top … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kolokolchik (Bellflower) 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded Russian commercial variety. The name “Kolokolchik” translates to “Bellflower” or “Little Bell.” It is deeply cherished on Russian forums, with a specific heirloom strain being passed around in memory of a legendary grower (Esme). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Very vigorous. In a greenhouse, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Klusha & Super-Klusha 🌍 Origin: A very popular commercial Siberian variety bred specifically for harsh outdoor conditions. “Klusha” translates roughly to “Mother Hen.” A pink variation called “Super-Klusha” was released later by SibSad. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). An extremely compact, sturdy tree-type (rugose) plant reaching only about 20 inches (50 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Cosmonaut Volkov (Kosmonavt Volkov) 🌍 Origin: A legendary Soviet heirloom bred in 1985 by amateur agronomist Igor Maslov. He named it in honor of his friend, Cosmonaut Vladislav Volkov, who tragically died during the Soyuz 11 mission in 1971. Warning: Modern commercial seed packets are notorious for selling incorrect “off-types” under … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kitayskie Fonariki (Chinese Lanterns) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety from the “Demeter Siberia – Golden Altai” seed line. The name translates perfectly to “Chinese Lanterns,” which describes the unique shape of the fruit. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Officially listed at 22-30 inches (55-75 cm), though it can stretch to … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kas 15 (Kalman x Albenga) 🌍 Origin: Modern cross from the renowned Polish breeder, Katarzyna (known online as Kasencja). It is a cross between the famous Kalman and Albenga varieties. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Known for being incredibly resilient and disease-resistant. It sets fruit perfectly in both extreme heat and … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): King of Siberia (Korol Sibiri) 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded commercial heirloom from Russia (Siberia). Beware: Due to its popularity, several major Russian seed companies have released completely incorrect seeds under this name (selling yellow plums, round, or striped off-types). Procuring seeds from a trusted private collector is crucial to getting … Read more