Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: I Want Larisa Ivanovna (Larisu Ivanovnu Hochu) is an incredibly productive determinate bush tomato named after a famous quote from a classic Soviet movie. It produces a massive abundance of perfectly uniform, round, 2 oz (60 g) red cocktail tomatoes. Growers praise its outstanding sweet flavor, low maintenance, and perfect size for … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Labrador is a rugged, ultra-early determinate bush tomato that tops itself at about 1.6 to 2.6 feet (50-80 cm) and requires absolutely no pruning. It pumps out a heavy, concentrated yield of 2.5-7 oz (70-200 g) red slicers. Growers across cold climates praise it as the ultimate season-beater, famous for producing ripe … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Lyubasha F1 is an ultra-early determinate hybrid heavily marketed by the Russian seed company Partner. It is bred for heavy yields, disease resistance, and perfectly uniform red fruits weighing 3-5 oz (80-140 g). While it excels as a durable, highly productive canning tomato with a firm texture, growers are deeply divided on … Read more
.jpg.6303cf299dca7c56f427c97f784c5e22.jpg)
🍅 Quick take: Lutescent (also known historically as Honor Bright) is an antique 1897 heirloom bred by Alexander Livingston. It is famous for its bizarre genetics: pale yellow-green foliage, white flowers, and fruits that transition from green to white, then yellow, orange, and finally red. While some growers love its novelty and incredibly long shelf … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Labrador Improved (Labrador Uluchshenniy) is an early-season, no-prune determinate bush tomato. Growers praise it for being extremely reliable, heavily yielding, and having a great old-fashioned acidic tang that beats anything you can buy at the store. It thrives outdoors and produces early harvests. Full summary ↓ Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zone … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Lemon Slices (Limonnye Dolki) is a striking, elongated yellow-orange tomato marketed by the Russian seed company Aelita. Growers absolutely love its firm, sliceable texture and exceptionally sweet, fruit-like flavor profile. Interestingly, there is a strong consensus among gardeners that this might actually be a rebranded version of the popular variety Mango Django. … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Lyana is a very common determinate bush variety popular across Eastern Europe, heavily marketed as an early, reliable producer for outdoor growing. Available in Red, Pink, and Raspberry variants, it produces uniform, slightly faceted fruits perfect for canning. While some growers swear by it as their absolute earliest, most dependable workhorse, others … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Curious Chichiko is an indeterminate red paste variety known for its distinct elongated shape featuring a prominent, thick beak. Weighing in at 3.5-5 oz, these firm, crack-resistant plums have a surprisingly sweet, sparkling watermelon-like texture inside. With an excellent shelf life and the perfect shape for standing upright in mason jars, it … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Legenda Tarasenko is a legendary indeterminate multiflora variety bred by the famous Ukrainian breeder Feodosiy Tarasenko. It is known for producing massive, fan-shaped trusses that can hold up to 30-40 small, red paste tomatoes weighing about 3.5 oz (100 g) each. The fruits typically feature a sharp little beak on the blossom … Read more
.jpg.e8d269031fd27f6edf669745462883cf.jpg)
🍅 Quick take: Micro Dwarf Laura is an ultra-compact micro dwarf variety that maxes out around 12-16 inches (30-40 cm) tall. It is absolutely perfect for small spaces, thriving in small 1 to 1.5-gallon (3-5 L) pots. It produces unique, red-striped elongated cherry tomatoes weighing up to 0.5 oz (15 g) that pack a remarkably … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Lebyazhiy Pukh (Swan’s Down) is a classic Ukrainian heirloom that has been circulating for over 40 years. It is a highly productive determinate bush that produces small red plum tomatoes, traditionally featuring a sharp little “beak” on the blossom end. The plants stay compact, reaching only about 24-28 inches (60-70 cm) tall … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Kommuna (also labeled as Yubileynye) is a mid-season indeterminate variety originating from a Russian private collection. It grows as a tall, somewhat spindly vine with long internodes. It produces medium-sized red tomatoes that often develop a sharp “beak” on the blossom end. While officially classed as a canning tomato, growers find the … Read more