Quick Summary of Rabiga
- 🌍 Origin: A rare Russian collector’s heirloom (originally sourced from the private collection of V. Monakhova).
- 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining). Outdoors in cooler climates, it can stay relatively compact around 1.2 m (4 feet) tall, but it thrives and grows much larger when planted in a greenhouse.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Dark pink beefsteaks. The size highly depends on growing conditions. In shaded outdoor spots, they are medium-sized. However, in a greenhouse, this variety unlocks its true genetic potential, producing massive, heavy fruits up to 777 g (1.7 lbs)!
- 👅 Flavor: Highly rated by growers (scoring up to 4.8 out of 5). The flesh is very dense, meaty, and sweet. An exceptional “slicer” tomato for fresh summer salads.
- 📈 Yield & Performance: Yield is directly tied to the environment. A late sowing and a shady outdoor spot will result in below-average harvests. Given good greenhouse conditions and adequate sun, it produces an abundant, above-average yield.
An indeterminate, mid-season slicer variety. The fruits are medium-sized, dark pink in color. The flesh is dense, meaty, tasty, and sweet.
It grew outdoors in the open ground, and the bush reached a height of 1.2 meters (about 4 feet). I sowed the seeds quite late—in early April. Because of this late start and a rather unfortunate, shaded planting spot, the yield was below average. However, I will definitely be repeating this variety. (Seeds originally sourced from V. Monakhova).
Year Two Update:
I grew this variety for a second year, but this time in the greenhouse.
The flavor ranged from simply “good” to “very good” with a noticeable sweetness. I would give the maximum taste rating a 4.8 out of 5. The fruits grew absolutely massive this time—reaching up to 777 grams (1.7 lbs)!
Lena, how was the yield in the second year?
Quote from Natasha:
Lena, how was the yield in the second year?
Natasha, in the greenhouse, the yield was perfectly normal. Definitely above average, for sure!
