Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Etual (Etoile) 🌍 Origin: A very popular heirloom in Eastern European collections. The name translates to “Star” in French (Étoile), perfectly matching its stunning ruffled shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining). It can be quite compact outdoors (around 1m / 3.2 ft) but will shoot up vigorously over 2m (6.5 ft) in … Read more
Quick Summary of Ekkert Polskiy (Eckert Polish) 🌍 Origin: A wonderful heirloom tomato of Polish origin, highly valued in Eastern European and Russian gardening communities. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining) and grows to about 1.6 meters (5.2 ft) tall in a greenhouse. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large pink beefsteaks that are slightly ribbed. Some growers report … Read more
Quick Summary of Elfie 🌍 Origin: A classic heirloom variety. The name “Elfie” is a traditional female name. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, requires staking. Best grown in a greenhouse in cooler climates, pruned to 2 stems. Yields can vary depending on the region: growers in Central Russia report excellent harvests, while those in Siberia note … Read more
Quick Summary of Chempion Vesa (Weight Champion) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety introduced by the seed company Aelita. The name translates to “Weight Champion”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching over 2 meters (6.5 feet). The bush is very strong, vigorous, and low-maintenance. It can be successfully grown with multiple stems. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: … Read more
Quick Summary of Gigant Lary (Giant of Lara) 🌍 Origin: A large-fruited heirloom variety originating from Hungary (Венгрия). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), powerful and vigorous bush reaching over 1.8 meters (6+ feet) in height. Regular leaf foliage. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, heavy pink beefsteaks with slight ribbing/gathering at the shoulders. The skin is not … Read more
Quick Summary of Chudo Zemli (Wonder of the Earth) 🌍 Origin: A very famous Russian heirloom/commercial variety. The name translates to “Wonder of the Earth”. Important Note: There are two distinct strains circulating under this name. The original Siberian strain (“SibSad” company) produces large, flat-round (oblate) pink beefsteaks. Meanwhile, a popular Ukrainian line produces beautiful … Read more
Quick Summary of Chudo Sada (Garden Wonder) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety prized by collectors. The name translates directly to “Garden Wonder” (or “Miracle of the Garden”). Some growers note a striking resemblance to the famous Minusinsk red flat-round heirlooms. 🌿 Plant Habit: Vigorous, tall indeterminate. It can be a bit slow to get … Read more
Quick Summary of Chesnovy (Reisetomate / Traveler’s Tomato) 🌍 Origin: A world-famous novelty variety. Known internationally as Reisetomate (German for Traveler’s Tomato). In Eastern Europe, it is often called Chesnovy (Garlic Tomato), Tomato-Brain, or even Tourist’s Breakfast. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and incredibly vigorous. It produces a massive amount of suckers and can easily reach … Read more
Quick Summary of Costoluto Fiorentino 🌍 Origin: A famous, classic Italian heirloom originating from Florence, Italy. The name translates to “Ribbed from Florence”. Very popular among Eastern European growers. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and highly vigorous. In a greenhouse, it easily surpasses 2 meters (6.5 ft) in height. Generally displays good disease resistance. Note: … Read more
Quick Summary of Florentiyskaya Krasavitsa (Florentine Beauty) 🌍 Origin: A visually striking Russian/Eastern European collectible variety. The name translates to “Florentine Beauty”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Can be grown in greenhouses or open ground. Be careful with nitrogen, as it has a tendency to put out too much vegetative growth early on, which can … Read more
Quick Summary of Purple Calabash (Фиолетовая тыква) 🌍 Origin: A very old and famous heirloom variety known globally as Purple Calabash. It is renowned for its unique, deeply ribbed shape resembling a miniature pumpkin. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. The plants are extremely rampant and vigorous. Growers report them aggressively pushing out suckers from every possible … Read more
Quick Summary of Florentino 🌍 Origin: Originally distributed by the Russian seed company “Biotekhnika”. It is a heavily ribbed, European-style tomato. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Grows to about 1.5 – 2 meters (5 – 6.5 ft) depending on whether it’s grown outdoors or in a greenhouse. Uniquely, it forms flower trusses very frequently—every two leaves. … Read more