📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Demidov
- 🌍 Origin: A rugged, commercial Russian variety bred specifically for harsh, short-summer climates like Siberia and the Altai Mountains.
- 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, compact tree-type dwarf (*shtambovyi* in Russian). It typically grows only 24-25 inches (60-64 cm) tall and requires absolutely no pruning or suckering. Excellent for container gardening or small outdoor spaces.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Small to medium round slicers, weighing around 3.5-4 oz (100-110 g). They ripen to a beautiful pinkish-red color.
- 👅 Flavor: Generally sweet and meaty, perfect for early summer salads, though flavor can vary depending on growing conditions and seed source.
- ⏳ Maturity: Early season (105-110 days from seed emergence).
Description from the seed packet: A slicing tomato variety meant for outdoor growing. It takes 105-110 days from emergence to the start of fruiting. The plant is a compact tree-type bush, reaching about 24-25 inches (60-64 cm) tall, and requires no pruning or suckering. Fruits are round, slightly ribbed, firm, and pinkish-red with dark green shoulders that fade as they ripen. Fruit weight is around 3.5-4 oz (100-110 g). The flavor is excellent.
Photos by Valentina 54.
I really liked both the flavor and the yield. I grew two plants in a cold frame and harvested about 11 lbs (5 kg) total from the two bushes.
I will definitely be growing this one again next year.
Demidov earned a well-deserved spot on my list of the most tasteless tomatoes I’ve ever grown. We actually have a whole separate thread on the forum for those!
My Demidov seeds came from a plain white generic packet*. I’m not 100% sure if it’s the real deal, but it perfectly matches the description on the package. I start my seeds indoors on February 15th. I transplant them out into the greenhouse in mid-April, and by early June I get my first ripe tomatoes. It’s a tiny little plant – only about 12 inches (30 cm) tall – with fruits ranging from 1.8 to 3.5 oz (50 to 100 g). The tomatoes are pink, nice and meaty (not watery at all), and have a sweet flavor. The overall yield isn’t huge, but it’s perfect for those early summer salads with fresh cucumbers. I’ve grown it before, and I’ll keep growing it. I honestly don’t see the point in looking for a replacement.
👨🌾 Editor’s Cultural Glossary:
*Plain White Generic Packets: In Russia, seed companies often sell two versions of the same variety. One comes in a glossy, full-color packet with pictures, while the other is sold in a plain, unbranded white paper envelope for a fraction of the cost. Gardeners often refer to these affectionately as “belye pachki” (white packets). They are incredibly cheap and popular among budget-conscious growers, though mix-ups and off-types are occasionally reported!
