Quick Summary of Utenok (Duckling)
- 🌍 Origin: A highly popular Russian commercial and collectible variety. The name translates to “Duckling”, likely due to its bright orange color and the characteristic “beak” on the end of the fruits.
- 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, dwarf (tree-type / rugose foliage) bush. Very compact, usually growing 35-50 cm (14-20 inches) tall. Excellent for growing in pots, containers, or as an understory crop “at the feet” of tall indeterminate varieties in the greenhouse. Does not require pruning/suckering.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright orange-yellow, round with a distinct pointy blossom end (a little beak/nipple). Weight is typically 40-70 g (1.5-2.5 oz). The walls are thick and meaty, and they rarely crack.
- 👅 Flavor: Very sweet and flavorful for an early variety. Eaten fresh like candy, but their dense texture makes them absolutely perfect for whole-fruit canning.
- ⏳ Maturity & Vigor: Early season. Known to be extremely tough, disease-resistant (often escaping late blight), and sets fruit reliably even in poor weather or with minimal care. It often twists its leaves slightly as a genetic trait, which is normal for this variety.
I first sowed Utenok in 2009. Planted it out on May 11 under five-liter bottles and spunbond row covers. Covered it with spunbond for the night. During the day, I would take it off and remove the caps from the bottles too… On May 20, it snowed and the temperature dropped to -7°C (19°F). I didn’t open them at all for those few days. The wind lifted the fabric on one side, and out of three Utenok bushes, one got frostbitten. But it sent out suckers and actively produced fruit.
From the three bushes of this dwarf plant, I gathered almost a full bucket of tomatoes. I’ve been planting it every year since. I can’t call it super early; there are earlier ones. Let’s call it mid-early. It’s a beautiful tomato, tasty, and not fussy. In general, it suits me in all respects.
Vera, did you can it?
It almost never survives until canning time. But a few pieces do end up in jars. It’s firm, normal. I’ll have to look… I don’t remember if I have it in jars this year or not.
I also grow Utenok every year… it feels great outdoors in the open ground. The bush is dense, well-leafed, the fruits are even, firm – good for pickling and just eating fresh… the kids prefer to eat them straight from the bush… What can I say – a very successful small-fruited variety!!!
I saw a seed packet last year, and the picture showed red tomatoes. Strange. The ones on my packet were yellow. Maybe they are already different ones. 😮
Vera, people on another forum were arguing about what the real Utenok is — red or orange.
For me, the name alone suggests that it should be yellow 😳
Orange with a little beak! 👍
Vera, well, I just meant it’s not red. I simply call all orange and yellow ones yellow 😳
Utenok bushes are very short, I think it can be grown in a pot or a bucket 😳
Vera, as promised. Here are the seeds I bought.
That’s him, a handsome guy!!! 👍
Natalya said:
I also grow Utenok every year… it feels great outdoors in the open ground. The bush is dense, well-leafed, the fruits are even, firm – good for pickling and just eating fresh… the kids prefer to eat them straight from the bush… What can I say – a very successful small-fruited variety!!!
Natasha, do you happen to have a photo? And which company were your seeds originally from?
Vera said:
That’s him, a handsome guy!!! 👍
Yes, Vera, a beautiful picture to look at 👍
Alena said:
Vera, as promised. Here are the seeds I bought.
I have this variety from the company “Sedek”, and the fruits are yellow in the picture. What are they really supposed to be?
This is Utenok seedling (from “Gavrish” company)
Tatyana said:
This is Utenok seedling (from “Gavrish” company)
Mine looks exactly the same! Tanya, we probably sowed them at the same time.
My Utenok was from Natalya Pavlovna (collector). The bush is short, 35 cm (14 inches). The fruits are orange with a little beak, sweet.
Alena said:
Natasha, do you happen to have a photo? And which company were your seeds originally from?
My seeds of this variety are from the Sumy region… from a collector – I’ve been growing it for the fourth year now… Apparently, it feels comfortable in our climate too 🙂
This past season I took a risk and planted Utenok early, on December 1st. It behaved perfectly: growth, blooming, fruit set, and ripening – everything went according to plan, and by April there were already ripe tomatoes. With the onset of warm weather, I planted it out in the garden in open ground, and it bore fruit until September.
Seeds are from Natalya Pavlovna, for which I thank her immensely. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏
Tamara, where did you grow it during winter? Fruits in April, in the apartment?
Inna, of course, at home on the windowsill in a flower pot of about two liters (0.5 gallons), the bush is small, although I had to put a little stick in just in case so it wouldn’t fall over.
Wow, what a nice and unfussy duck it is 👍.
Tamara, in order for it to set fruit, did you pollinate it on the window in the apartment, or did it set by itself after blooming? And after sowing on December 1, until what moment did you provide supplemental light for the seedlings? I want to try 😋 planting it – it’s very interesting! 👍
