Quick Summary of Skazochnaya Feya (Märchenfee / Fairytale Fairy)
- 🌍 Origin: A modern, highly decorative variety of German breeding. Part of the “Klewerhof Fairytale” (Klewerhof Märchen) series. The original German name is Märchenfee, which translates to Fairytale Fairy (Skazochnaya Feya in Russian).
- 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Famous for its “hyper-productivity”—it produces massive, overwhelming yields of fruit.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Stunningly beautiful, small plum-shaped tomatoes. The bases are bright raspberry-pink, heavily topped with dark purple/blue anthocyanin shoulders. The skin and flesh are extremely firm and tough.
- 👅 Flavor Controversy & Tips: This is a highly polarizing variety! If picked too early or grown in poor soil, growers describe the taste as absolutely awful and inedible. Pro Tip: According to the breeder, you must let them hang on the vine for a long time to soften and sweeten. They also require heavy feeding with Potassium (K) and Magnesium (Mg) to develop proper flavor.
- 🥫 Usage: Because they are so firm, they hold their shape perfectly when canned. They are highly recommended for pickling whole in a sweet brine/marinade.
I am very disappointed with the “Fairytale” series! The varieties are very productive, but their taste is so awful/disgusting, anyone who tried it spat it out and winced!
The Fairy is very beautiful—small plums, tops with anthocyanin, sides are bright raspberry, a real beauty! But inedible! The absolute worst of all the others!
I apologize to everyone who disagrees, I am just writing about my own results and impressions!
The second photo was taken today, Oct 29, 2024.
I grew the Fairy last year. Yes, it is initially a bit tough/hard, but as the breeder writes, you must let it hang on the bushes, then it becomes softer and the taste improves (plus, these types require enhanced feeding with Magnesium + Potassium). It has hyper-productivity, we also didn’t know what to do with them all, so we pickled/canned them. And let me tell you, in a sweet brine/marinade, it is wonderful! This is perfect for those who love firm pickled tomatoes.
