Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Märchenzauber (Fairy Tale Magic) 🌍 Origin: A beautiful modern variety originating from Germany. The name translates directly to “Fairy Tale Magic.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall vining) and early ripening. It produces lovely, cascading trusses. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large cherry or small plum tomatoes weighing up to 50 g (1.7 oz). They … Read more
Quick Summary of San Marzano 🌍 Origin: The legendary, world-famous Italian heirloom originating from the Campania region in Italy. It is considered the gold standard for tomato paste and sauces worldwide. 🌿 Plant Habit: Varies heavily depending on the specific line/biotype you grow. It can range from a compact 60 cm (2 ft) bush (Nano/Dwarf … Read more
Quick Summary of Sibirskoye Zastolye (Siberian Feast) 🌍 Origin: A very reliable Russian variety bred specifically for regions with short, difficult summers. The name translates to “Siberian Feast”. ⚠️ Naming Confusion: Do not confuse this variety with “Sibirskie Zastolnye” from the Siberian Garden (SibSad) company, which is a completely different variety that produces round fruits. … Read more
Quick Summary of Radunitsa 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded commercial variety from the famous Russian seed company “Siberian Garden” (SibSad). 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly versatile. It performs well in greenhouses, thrives outdoors in the open ground, and can even be successfully grown in a large pot (container gardening). Interestingly, growers report better yields outdoors than … Read more
Quick Summary of Red Hunter (Krasnyi Okhotnik) 🌍 Origin: A highly reliable, time-tested commercial Russian variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, tree-type dwarf (stout bush). It grows very compact, no taller than 50-60 cm (20-24 inches), with strong, thick foliage. Excellent for outdoor growing. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright red, firm, barrel-shaped “blocky plums” weighing 80-90 g … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Izyum (Pink Raisin) ⚠️ Important Note: Do not confuse this variety with Rozovyi Izyumnyi (Pink Raisin Beefsteak). This is a completely different, cocktail-sized tomato! 🌍 Origin: A highly sought-after heirloom originally sourced from Ukraine. The name translates to “Pink Raisin”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Semi-determinate. It stays relatively compact, growing up to … Read more
Quick Summary of Reyna 🌍 Origin: A rare and exotic long-fruited heirloom variety popular among Russian collectors. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining) and tall, easily reaching 1.8 m (6 feet). The foliage is average, not overly dense. Pro Tip: Most growers highly recommend pruning this variety strictly to two stems to maximize the yield. 🍅 … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Sneg (Pink Snow) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety, most famously distributed by the “Aelita-Agro” seed company. The name translates to “Pink Snow”, likely referring to the massive cascades of pink fruit it produces. 🌿 Plant Habit: Officially classed as indeterminate (vining), growing over 1.5m (5 ft) tall in greenhouses. However, … Read more
Quick Summary of Raketa Zholtaya (Yellow Rocket) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial heirloom variety from the seed company “Semena Altaya” (Seeds of Altai). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-early to mid-season. Reaches about 2 meters (6.5 ft) by the end of the season. Important Note: This plant has an incredibly frail, wispy, and “weeping” structure. The … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovaya Stella (Pink Stella) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the seed company “Siberian Garden” (SibSad). Note for Collectors: Some experienced growers believe that “Pink Stella”, “Petrusha Ogorodnik”, and “Supermodel” are virtually identical twin varieties. 🌿 Plant Habit: A true determinate and very compact. Officially listed at 40-50 cm (1.3-1.6 ft) … Read more
Quick Summary of Rimskaya Svecha (Roman Candle) 🌍 Origin: A strikingly beautiful yellow paste/icicle variety (originally sourced by Russian collectors from the US/Valery Popenko). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall, and highly productive. The bush has a very distinct, frail/wispy structure right from the seedling stage. As one grower poetically described it: “A flexible, graceful stem … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Klyk (Pink Fang) 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded Russian heirloom tomato originating from private breeder Yu. Petrov. 🌿 Plant Habit: A tall determinate. Grown outdoors or in containers, it reaches about 1 meter (3.3 ft). In a greenhouse, it can stretch slightly taller. According to the original breeder, this variety is … Read more