Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Yaponskiy Krab Zheltyi (Japanese Crab Yellow) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial heirloom originally distributed by breeder Alexandrov. The name translates to “Japanese Crab Yellow” due to its heavily ribbed, flattened shape resembling a crab. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate / Mid-tall. Usually grows to about 1.5–1.7 m (5–5.5 ft). Known for its extreme … Read more
Quick Summary of Yantarnyi Kubok (Amber Cup) 🌍 Origin: A popular Russian commercial heirloom variety (famously distributed by the “Aelita” seed company). The name translates to “Amber Cup”. 🌿 Plant Habit: There is a well-known seed mix-up in the market. The original, true strain is Determinate (bush), growing stout and compact around 70–100 cm (2.3–3.3 … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponskiy Trufel (Japanese Truffle Series) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial Russian series (often distributed by Biotechnika, Sibsad, and Aelita). Despite the name, it is a Russian heirloom/commercial line. It comes in up to 6 distinct colors: Red, Pink, Black, Orange, Yellow, and Gold. 🌿 Plant Habit: Most are indeterminate, growing between … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponec (Japanese Man) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety whose name translates to “Japanese Man” (or “The Japanese”). It is often compared to the famous pink variety ‘Yaponka’ (Japanese Girl). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. It is typically grown in greenhouses and pruned to 2 stems. Note that it can be sensitive to … Read more
Quick Summary of Yantarnaya Komnata (Amber Room) 🌍 Origin: An exotic Russian commercial/heirloom variety, originally distributed by breeder Valeriy Medvedev. The name translates to “Amber Room,” referring to the amber-yellow blush the green skin develops when fully ripe. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous, and tall. In a greenhouse, it easily reaches up to 2.5 meters … Read more
Quick Summary of Yablochnyi Spas (Apple Feast) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial/heirloom variety often distributed by well-known seed vendors like Valeriy Medvedev and Ilya Korolev. The name “Yablochnyi Spas” translates to “Apple Feast” (or Apple Savior), a traditional Russian agricultural holiday in August. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very tall and vigorous, easily reaching over 2 … Read more
Quick Summary of Yablochnyi Lipetskiy (Apple Lipetsk) 🌍 Origin: A legendary Russian heirloom from the Lipetsk region. It was saved from a single tomato given to a gardener in 1996 and popularized on Russian tomato forums years later. The name translates to “Apple of Lipetsk”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate with moderate vigor. It grows well … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponskiy Krab (Japanese Crab) 🌍 Origin: A very famous commercial Russian variety originally registered by “Demetra-Sibir” (Altai region). The name translates to “Japanese Crab”, referring to the ribbed, somewhat flattened shape of the original strain that supposedly resembles a crab. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous, and tall (typically 1.5–2 meters / 5–6.5 … Read more
Quick Summary of Yarik 🌍 Origin: A very dependable Russian commercial/heirloom variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: An indeterminate (tall vining) variety, though some growers describe it as semi-determinate since it often stops around 1.5 meters (5 ft) tall in a greenhouse. 🧬 The Leaf Debate: There is a slight genetic mystery circulating among seed savers: while … Read more
Quick Summary of Yamal 200 🌍 Origin & Naming: Named after the Yamal Peninsula, a frozen region in the Russian Arctic. This immediately signifies its purpose: extreme cold tolerance and early harvests. 🌿 Plant Habit: A true determinate micro-dwarf (tree-type / stocky bush). It is supposed to grow only 30-40 cm (12-16 inches) tall, making … Read more
Quick Summary of Yuwel (Juwel / Jewel) 🌍 Origin & History: A legendary heirloom with a fascinating past. According to Soviet agricultural records, it was one of the most widely grown commercial varieties in the USSR during the 1930s. The name translates to “Jewel” from German (Juwel). 🕵️♂️ The Strain Mystery: There is a popular … Read more
Quick Summary of Yubileyniy Tarasenko (Tarasenko’s Jubilee) 🌍 Origin & Breeder Lore: A legendary variety bred by the famous Soviet amateur breeder Feodosiy Tarasenko. The name translates to “Tarasenko’s Jubilee”. 🌿 Plant Habit: A tall, vigorous indeterminate that easily reaches 2 meters (6.5 ft). The defining feature of the Tarasenko lines is their Multiflora (Mega-Truss) … Read more