Growers’ Notes and Photos
Tatunya said:
How did it actually do as an indet grown outdoors, is it really that impressive?
Tanya, for being grown outdoors, the taste was fantastic, especially considering our brutally cold summer in 2015. If it had just a touch more sweetness, it would be a completely flawless variety. I think that sweetness could easily be achieved by growing it in a greenhouse. In A. Kulik’s catalog, it’s actually listed as one of the hits of the season.
Out in the dirt, it didn’t drop a single blossom. Every truss reliably held 2-3 fruits, and they were all huge. It managed to set 4 full trusses for me. I started my seeds pretty late, around early April. The vine topped out at about 4.3 ft (1.3 m) tall.
Even though Klara was hiding in the catalog under an English name, I tracked her down! 👌This variety definitely made an impression on me. The tomatoes on this plant were some of the largest I grew all season. Just an absolute monster of a beefsteak. Because the fruit size is so massive, the overall yield per plant is extremely high. It has an extended fruiting window, slowly pumping out the harvest, but it still manages to finish up before our short Northern summer ends. I’d classify it as a mid-late variety.
The fruits are red and huge (most of mine were well over 1.1 lbs / 500 g). The flavor is very bright and bold with a noticeable acidic tang. And surprisingly, despite being so juicy, they hold up pretty well on the counter.
A very pleasant variety all around.
Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Storage
- 🌿 Plant: An indeterminate regular-leaf vine. When grown outdoors in cooler northern zones, it stays relatively manageable, topping out around 4.3 ft (1.3 m). It is highly dependable and doesn’t drop blossoms even in adverse weather.
- 📈 Yield: Rated as highly productive. While it may only set 2-4 fruits per truss, the sheer massive weight of each beefsteak means the total poundage per plant is exceptionally high. Fruiting is extended, providing a steady harvest that still finishes in time for short growing seasons.
- 👅 Taste: A classic, old-fashioned red beefsteak profile. It has a bright, bold flavor with a noticeable acidic tang. Growers note that putting it in a greenhouse brings out significantly more sweetness.
- 📦 Storage: Surprisingly good. Most massive, juicy red heirlooms tend to turn to mush quickly after picking, but Klara holds its texture decently well on the kitchen counter.
- 🌎 Who Reviewed It: Extensively tested by growers in Zone 3 and 4 (Vologda and Kostroma) during cold, wet summers. It is a proven workhorse for short-season northern gardeners.
