Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Zarya (Dawn) 📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zarya 🌍 Origin: A classic Russian heirloom known for producing exceptionally large fruits. The name translates to “Dawn”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. A very vigorous and powerful vine that can reach 5 to 6.5 ft (1.5 – 2 m) in height, or even taller in a … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zheltyi Perets (Yellow Pepper) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial/heirloom variety. The name simply translates to “Yellow Pepper,” referencing its bell pepper-like shape and completely hollow interior. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An aggressive and highly productive plant with a very long fruiting season. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright yellow, heavily ribbed, bell-pepper … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zheltye Torbochki (Yellow Pouches) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular Russian forum variety. The name “Yellow Pouches” is a conditional/working title given by forum members, but it became so popular that it permanently stuck in the heirloom community. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An absolute workhorse of a plant with extremely high … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Diplomat 🌍 Origin: A Russian variety popularized by the famous Siberian seed collector, Tamara Yaschenko. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A very strong, vigorous vine that performs exceptionally well outdoors in open ground. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large to extra-large red beefsteaks. They are very meaty and juicy. 👅 Flavor & Use: … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Da Chilo 🌍 Origin: A massive heirloom variety from Italy. The name “Da Chilo” translates to “Weighing a kilo” (2.2 lbs), which perfectly describes its size potential! 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. A highly vigorous, tall plant that thrives in a greenhouse environment when pruned to two main stems. Mid-season maturity. 🍅 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dikovinnyi Tsvetok (Wondrous Flower) 🌍 Origin: A rare Eastern European variety. The name translates beautifully to “Wondrous Flower” or “Exotic Flower”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Performs exceptionally well in a greenhouse setting when pruned to 2 main stems. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Absolutely stunning appearance. The tomatoes are oblate (flattened) and … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dikaya Roza (Wild Rose) 🌍 Origin: A hugely popular commercial Russian variety sold by almost every major seed company (Aelita, Sedek, Sibsad, etc.). The name translates to “Wild Rose”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly variable depending on the seed source! Some growers report massive, sprawling indeterminate vines, while others report sturdy determinates … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dr. Lyle 🌍 Origin: A legendary USA heirloom from West Virginia. It was famously introduced to the seed-saving community by Craig LeHoullier, who received it from George Korbel (whose father-in-law was the eponymous Dr. Lyle). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Vigorous and highly productive vines. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Massive pink beefsteaks that … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gigant Sukhanova (Sukhanov’s Giant) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety favored by private collectors. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), growing up to 6 ft (1.8 m). Note on Leaf Type: This variety currently has both Regular Leaf (RL) and Potato Leaf (PL) versions circulating among growers, meaning the strain may still … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Giant Belgium Pink 🌍 Origin: A pink strain/selection of the legendary Giant Belgium heirloom, which originated in Ohio (USA) in the 1930s. The original variety was so sweet and massive that commercial growers reportedly used it to make tomato wine! 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). It is a late-season variety that … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gogosha 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded old heirloom variety from Ukraine. It made its way into the North American seed-saving community (SSE) years ago and is often compared favorably to other great potato-leaf pinks like Brandywine. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and vigorous. It features classic Potato Leaf (PL) foliage. Grows … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Garmoshka (Accordion) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety introduced by the seed company Premium Seeds. The name translates to “Accordion”, which perfectly describes its heavily pleated, ribbed shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), typically growing well over 6.5 ft (2 m) in a greenhouse. It has moderate foliage and requires regular suckering … Read more