Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary: Gezahnte Bührer-Keel 🌍 Origin: A stunning European heirloom. Originally from Switzerland, the name Gezahnte translates to “Toothed” (referencing its deep pleats/ribs), while Bührer-Keel refers to the Swiss family who historically cultivated and preserved the variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A very robust and powerful plant that easily tops 6.5 feet (2 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kupets-Molodets 🌍 Origin: A highly productive commercial Russian variety developed and distributed by the Aelita seed company. The name roughly translates to “Fine Merchant” or “Brave Merchant”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). The seed packet claims it grows up to 3.3 feet (1 m), but in a greenhouse, it frequently stretches … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Klondayk (Klondike) 🌍 Origin: A popular commercial heirloom originally tracing back to Ukraine, but officially registered and distributed widely in Russia by the seed company Aelita. Also circulates as “Klondayk Pink” or “Klondayk Yellow/Orange”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching about 6 feet (1.8 m). It has a wispy, viney structure. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Karl 🌍 Origin: A rare Eastern European heirloom passed around by private collectors. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An absolute beast of a plant. Growers report it easily reaching 8-10 feet (2.5-3 m) with the most massive root system they’ve ever seen. It pushes suckers very aggressively, so stay on top … Read more
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📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Persimonowa Sakiewka (Persimmon Purse) 🌍 Origin: A striking heirloom from Poland. The name translates directly to “Persimmon Purse” (or pouch), which perfectly describes both its vibrant color and its heavily ruffled, cinched shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An absolute workhorse of a plant that pumps out massive yields, especially when … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Californian Tulip 🌍 Origin: The exact origin and breeder are unknown, but it circulates widely in Eastern European seed-saving networks under the name “Kaliforniyskiy Tyulpan”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Mid-season indeterminate. Stays relatively compact, reaching around 5 feet (1.5 m) in open ground or 5.2 feet (1.6 m) in a greenhouse. Unbelievably … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kuum 🌍 Origin: A highly respected Eastern European heirloom variety. While its exact history is a bit muddy, it has earned a legendary reputation among Russian seed collectors as the ultimate “reliable red” workhorse. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), easily reaching 6.5 feet (2 m) or more in a greenhouse. It … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kino 🌍 Origin: A forum-exclusive Russian variety. It started as an accidental cross between Vater Rhein and Siberian Tiger discovered by a grower in 2017. After several years of growing it out and stabilizing it to the F7 generation, the community officially named it “Kino” (which means “Cinema” or “Movie”) in … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ispolin Malinoviy (Raspberry Giant) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety. The name translates to “Raspberry Giant” and it is widely distributed by the Siberian Garden (Sibsad) seed company. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching anywhere from 3.2 to 5.9 feet (1 to 1.8 m) depending on whether it’s grown outdoors or … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ispanskiy Shokolad (Spanish Chocolate) 🌍 Origin: An unofficial “folk” variety that originated from seed swaps on Russian social media. The name translates directly to “Spanish Chocolate”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching up to 6.5 feet (2 m). Growers report mixed fruiting habits. Some get a long, continuous harvest, while others … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Izmailskiy Rebristyi (Izmail Ribbed) 🌍 Origin: Sourced from Russian collector Valery Popenko. Named after the city of Izmail. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An aggressive, vigorous vine that can easily support 3 to 4 main leaders. Known to be a very heavy yielder. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Medium-sized red fruits weighing about … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Goldman’s Italian-American 🌍 Origin: Originally discovered at a roadside stand in Italy and popularized in the US by heirloom tomato expert and author Amy Goldman. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and generally a mid-to-late season producer. Very productive vine. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, pear-shaped or bell-shaped tomatoes with very deep ribbing … Read more