Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Solokha 🌍 Origin & Name: A popular Eastern European variety. “Solokha” is a female name, famously known as the lively, mischievous village witch in Nikolai Gogol’s classic tale “The Night Before Christmas”. 🔍 The “Two Strains” Mystery: Forum discussions reveal there are at least two distinct genetic lines circulating under this name: … Read more
Quick Summary of Santa Cruz 🌍 Origin: Often circulated by Russian seed collectors (like V. Popenko). It is widely positioned in the community as an “improved De Barao” (referencing the legendary Eastern European canning variety). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (very tall), easily reaching 2.5 meters (8+ ft). Growers describe the bush as a “monster”—very vigorous … Read more
Quick Summary of Smilyanskiy Rudasa 🌍 Origin & History: A rare Eastern European heirloom with a great backstory. It was bred by Ukrainian breeder A.P. Rudas. The seeds in this thread took a fascinating journey: bought at a market in Hungary, brought to Germany, and then shared with Russian growers. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). … Read more
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Quick Summary of Sem Gnomov (Seven Dwarfs) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial/amateur variety. The name translates to “Seven Dwarfs”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). It is very short and compact, growing only up to 50 cm (20 inches) tall. Growers note that it does not require any pruning or suckering. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Perfectly round, … Read more
Quick Summary of Santa Maria 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded variety circulated by Russian seed collectors (seeds in this thread originate from V. Popenko). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). It is highly praised for its exceptional heat tolerance. Growers report it sets fruit perfectly without dropping blossoms (no skipped trusses) even during a 1.5-month-long severe … Read more
Quick Summary of Sibirskiy Skorospelyi (Siberian Early) 🌍 Origin: A true, historic Soviet commercial variety officially registered in 1959 by the West-Siberian Vegetable and Potato Selection Experimental Station. The name translates to “Siberian Early-Ripening”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact, usually growing 30-50 cm (12-20 inches) tall. It produces a lot of suckers and … Read more
Quick Summary of Sibirskiy Piruet (Siberian Pirouette) 🌍 Origin: A Russian/Siberian variety specifically valued for its commercial-grade shelf life and suitability for long-term storage. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Red, cylindrical (plum/paste type), smooth, and very dense. They typically have 2 to 3 seed locules (cavities). Because of its structural integrity, it … Read more
Quick Summary of Smuglyanka (Dark-Skinned Girl) 🌍 Origin: This thread highlights a classic naming conflict! There are two completely different tomatoes sold in Russia under the name Smuglyanka (which translates to “Dark-Skinned Girl,” a famous Russian term of endearment and song). 🌿 Version 1 (Breeder N. Borzykh): A moderately tall, mid-season indeterminate. It is notably … Read more
Quick Summary of Sibirskiy Kazak (Siberian Cossack) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety (often sold by the Aelita seed company). The name translates to “Siberian Cossack.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Outdoors in open ground, it usually stops around 1.2–1.3m (4 ft), but in a greenhouse, it easily reaches 1.8m (6 ft). It is a mid-to-late … Read more
Quick Summary of Slivovaya Kaplya (Plum Drop) 🌍 Origin: This thread reveals a classic seed industry scandal! The commercial seed company Russkiy Ogorod (Russian Garden) sells this variety as an expensive “F1 Hybrid” called Slivovaya Kaplya (Plum Drop). However, clever growers have figured out that it is actually just the American open-pollinated variety Indigo Kumquat … Read more
Quick Summary of Stolypin 🌍 Origin: A very famous Russian commercial variety introduced by the seed company “Aelita.” It is officially listed in the Russian State Register of Varieties (added in 2012). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). An early to mid-season variety that stays compact but produces heavily. It is widely grown outdoors in open … Read more
Quick Summary of Sweet Cream 🌍 Origin: An artisan elongated cherry/plum variety, closely related in genetics and appearance to famous varieties like Blush and Candy Sweet Icicle. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. In a greenhouse, it typically reaches 1.5 to 2 meters (5 to 6.5 ft) and can be pruned to multiple stems. The plant has … Read more