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): Amerikanskiy Dlinnoplodnyi 🌍 Origin & Name: Translated as “American Long-Fruited” (or simply “American Long”). Despite the name, it was introduced and popularized in Eastern Europe by breeder/collector A. Kulik. Many forum growers suspect it is a genetic duplicate (synonym) of the Russian heirloom Siberian Cossack. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Abkhaziya Rozovaya (Abkhazia Pink) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic heirloom tomato originating from Abkhazia, a region in the Caucasus Mountains famous for its rich agricultural heritage and outstanding southern tomatoes. The name translates to “Abkhazia Pink”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), though it tends to stay somewhat stocky (around 1.5m / 5ft) … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Anzhelika (Angelica) 🌍 Origin: An excellent early commercial variety from the Russian seed company “TomAgros”. The name translates to “Angelica”. 🌿 Plant Habit: A short determinate (bush). The plant grows to about 50-60 cm (20-24 inches) tall. It has a spreading habit and requires staking/tying up due to the sheer weight … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Aztek (Ацтек) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety popular in Eastern Europe, designed specifically for small spaces. The name translates to “Aztec”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Micro-dwarf (determinate). The plant is extremely compact, reaching only 30-40 cm (12-16 inches) in height. It requires absolutely no pruning or staking. Perfect for balcony containers, patio … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Accordion Bi-Color 🌍 Origin: This is a known commercial heirloom variety (likely tracing back to the classic American Pink Accordion or Red Accordion lines). In Russia, it was aggressively marketed and sold by the boutique seed seller D. Gusev as “Accordion Bi-Color”. ⚠️ The “Bi-Color” Controversy: Is it actually a bicolor? … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Alpinog (Альпиног) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic yellow heirloom tomato. The seeds in this thread trace back to the collection of Evgeny Fech, a well-known tomato breeder and collector from Russia. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An incredibly vigorous and powerful plant that can easily reach 2 meters (6.5 ft) in height. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Armyanskie (Armenian) 🌍 Origin: A magnificent heirloom bicolor tomato. The name simply translates to “Armenian”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but generally has a somewhat frail, wispy, or “weeping” bush structure. Despite the delicate foliage, it has incredibly strong fruit stems (pedicels), meaning the heavy trusses rarely need extra support. Throws … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Aisberg (Iceberg) ⚠️ The “Two Icebergs” Mystery: Be aware that there are two completely different varieties circulating under this name. The commercial company “SeDeK” sells an Aisberg that is a short, early determinate with round fruits. However, the much more famous and sought-after heirloom (popularized by breeder V. Syrai) discussed in … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Appetitnyi (Appetizing) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from the Russian seed company Siberian Garden (SibSad). The name translates perfectly to “Appetizing” or “Mouthwatering”. 🌿 Plant Habit: It behaves as a semi-determinate or a compact indeterminate. Outdoors in the open garden, it usually stops around 80-100 cm (31-40″). Inside a poly greenhouse, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Antonovka Medovaya 🌍 Origin & Name: A commercial variety from the Russian company “Premium Seeds”. It is named after the famous Russian winter apple, Antonovka, known for its green-yellow color and ability to be stored in cellars all winter. “Medovaya” means “Honey”. ⚠️ The Big Misunderstanding: The seed packet markets this … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Arbuz (Watermelon) 🌍 Origin & The Name Controversy: “Arbuz” translates directly to “Watermelon”. There is a famous old heirloom called Watermelon Beefsteak which is strictly Potato Leaf (PL). However, the strain discussed in this thread (popularized by our forum member Svetikk from Lithuanian seeds) is distinctly Regular Leaf (RL). Because of … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Alsou (Алсу) 🌍 Origin: A very famous commercial variety developed by Siberian Garden (SibSad). Named “Alsou”, a beautiful traditional Tatar name meaning “rose-colored water”. It is highly regarded by growers in short-season climates around the world. 🌿 Plant Habit: Tricky! It is technically semi-determinate. If grown outdoors in the open garden, … Read more