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): Zlatava (Zlatova) 🌍 Origin: A popular Eastern European commercial variety, frequently sold by the Russian seed company Elkom and the Lithuanian company Seklos. Spelling varies between Zlatova and Zlatava. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but highly manageable and not overly aggressive. A unique quirk of this variety is that it pushes … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zelenushka F1 🌍 Origin: A commercial F1 hybrid from the Russian seed company Ilyinichna. The name roughly translates to “Little Green One” or “Greenfinch”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Billed as determinate (bush), but forum members report it behaves more like an aggressive indeterminate in a greenhouse, easily shooting past 6.5 feet (2 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Golden Sweet 🌍 Origin: A popular commercial yellow grape/cherry tomato variety widely grown for its reliability and sweetness. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall/vine). A vigorous grower that requires tall staking or a trellis. Known to be highly productive even in less-than-ideal outdoor conditions. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright yellow-gold, oval or grape-shaped … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotoy Mandarin (Golden Mandarin) 🌍 Origin: A Russian variety popularized by private seed collector Valya Redko. The name translates to “Golden Mandarin” (or Golden Tangerine), which perfectly matches its bright color and size. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact and well-behaved. Typically stays around 20 to 32 inches (50-80 cm) … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zlato Skifov (Scythian Gold) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety marketed for its high carotene content. The name “Zlato Skifov” translates to “Scythian Gold”, a nod to the ancient nomadic tribes and their famous gold artifacts. 🌿 Plant Habit: Classified as an indeterminate, but generally behaves more like a semi-determinate. Rarely … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Blushing Bride 🌍 Origin: A well-known American heirloom variety. It is widely traded among European and Ru collectors under the direct translation “Zastenchivaya Nevesta” (Shy Bride). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but generally considered very compact and well-behaved for a climbing vine. It is not an aggressive grower and is easy … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zefir v Shokolade (Marshmallow in Chocolate) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the “Poisk” seed company’s “Vkusnoteka” (Flavor Library) line. The name playfully translates to “Marshmallow in Chocolate”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Usually reaches around 6 feet (1.9 m) in open ground. It sets fruit consistently without dropping blossoms. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zyryanka 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the “Semena Altaya” (Seeds of Altai) company. The name “Zyryanka” references a town/river in northern Siberia, signaling its hardy genetics. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Mid-season maturity. A very vigorous, strong, and wide-spreading plant. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Red, perfectly round/oblate tomatoes. They are … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Illini Gold (Zoloto Illini) 🌍 Origin: An American heirloom variety that is widely circulated in Eastern Europe as “Zoloto Illini” (Gold of Illini). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Usually reaches 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8 m) in a greenhouse, and stays around 5 feet (1.5 m) outdoors. Standout feature: It has very “wispy”, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zemlyak (Countryman) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety released by the Siberian Garden (SibSad) seed company. The name “Zemlyak” translates to “Countryman” or “Fellow Countryman”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). It has a very wide, sprawling growth habit. It requires virtually no maintenance and can be grown without pruning (suckering). 🍅 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zub Drakona (Dragon’s Tooth) 🌍 Origin: An Eastern European heirloom variety. The name translates perfectly to “Dragon’s Tooth”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A very vigorous, strong plant that performs exceptionally well both in a greenhouse and outdoors in open ground. Mid-season maturity. Highly praised for its excellent disease resistance. 🍅 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zelenaya Slastyona (Green Sweet Tooth) 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded Russian green-when-ripe variety. The name translates perfectly to “Green Sweet Tooth”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but generally acts well-behaved and compact. Outdoors in the dirt, it usually stays around 3.3-4.3 feet (1-1.3 m). In a greenhouse, it can push 5.2 … Read more