Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 4-5 Experience)
Indeterminate (though more like a semi-determinate), black-fruited variety. By the end of the season in the greenhouse, it was no taller than 5 ft (1.5 m).
Mid-early days to maturity. The fruits are uniform, round, all roughly the same size, weighing 5-7 oz (150-200 g), and delicious. They can be stored for a short while without turning to mush or losing their flavor, which is a really great trait for black tomatoes.
Fruit set is excellent in any weather, the trusses are completely full.
Pictured here paired with De Barao Tsarskiy. Unfortunately, I don’t have a sliced photo. But I think someone else will add one.
I really loved this variety.
By the way, this is not “Kiryusha”.
Sweet wrote:
By the way, this is not “Kiryusha”.
😂 It’s not little Kiryusha, it’s a big ol’ Kiryukha!!!
There is just another variety called Kiryusha, and it’s completely different.
Sweet wrote:
There is just another variety called Kiryusha, and it’s completely different.
Yeah, I know, it’s just funny. Kiryukha sounds so tough and proud!
Sweet wrote:
Indeterminate (though more like a semi-determinate), black-fruited variety. By the end of the season in the greenhouse, it was no taller than 5 ft (1.5 m).
Exactly, it’s supposed to be an indet, but it grew very compactly for me too.
My seeds came from someone here on the forum. My fruits were a bit smaller, Svetlana did a great job growing bigger ones.
Edited November 18, 2014 by Esme
Svetlana, whose seeds were they originally? Yashchenko has a variety called Kiryukha, but the stated size is 14 oz (400 g).
I got mine from Galya (Esme), and Galya said she got hers from someone else on the forum. I don’t know its history any deeper than that, unfortunately.
Here is Galya’s story about Kiryukha: //www.tomat-pomidor.com/newforum/index.php/topic,166.msg136964.html#msg136964
What kind of foliage does Kiryukha have, regular leaf or potato leaf? Let me know, please.
Regular leaf (RL).
Y’all, how many leaders should I prune it to?
Sweet wrote:
Regular leaf (RL).
What kind of leaves are growing on my Kiryukha, regular or potato leaf?
Potato leaf.
Irina_N wrote:
What kind of leaves are growing on my Kiryukha, regular or potato leaf?
Your leaves are still juvenile, their shape might change. Give it a little time, it’s possible they will turn out to be regular, not potato leaf.
Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Storage
- 🌿 Plant: Semi-determinate, mid-early. Though technically classed as indeterminate by some sources, growers note that it stays highly compact, maxing out at about 5 ft (1.5 m) in a greenhouse. Features regular leaf (RL) foliage.
- 📈 Yield: Excellent. Sets full trusses without skipping beats, regardless of weather fluctuations.
- 👅 Taste: Consistently rated as delicious.
- 🍅 Fruit Size: Uniform, dark-fruited (black/purple) round slicers weighing around 5-7 oz (150-200 g).
- 📦 Storage: Noticeably better shelf life than most black tomatoes. It holds its shape without turning mushy or losing flavor.
In this thread, you’ll see a joke about the name “Kiryukha” versus “Kiryusha.” Both are Russian diminutive nicknames for Kirill (Cyril). However, “Kiryusha” sounds cute and gentle (like “Timmy”), whereas “Kiryukha” sounds big, tough, and informal (more like “Big Tim” or “Tommy Boy”).
