Quick Summary of Romovaya Baba (Rum Baba)
- 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety introduced by the “Aelita” seed company. The name translates to “Rum Baba” (a famous rum-soaked sponge cake dessert), perfectly hinting at the extreme sweetness of this tomato.
- 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching 1.5 meters (5 ft) and higher. Growers note that the seedlings are exceptionally strong and vigorous compared to other varieties. It is also a very resilient plant, tolerating both heat waves and short cold snaps without issues.
- 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: A beautiful GWR (Green-When-Ripe) beefsteak. The fruits remain green but develop a warm amber/yellow-pink blush when fully ripe. The first fruits on the bottom trusses can reach a massive 600g (1.3 lbs), while subsequent fruits average 250-350g (9-12 oz).
- 👅 Flavor & Texture: Famous for being incredibly sweet. One grower even noted that the juice is so sugary it feels sticky on the hands! The flesh is juicy and perfectly balanced. Pro Tip: Allow them to ripen fully on the vine for maximum dessert-like sweetness.
- ⚠️ Grower Notes: The skin is thin but can be a bit chewy (like a thin film), though it peels off the flesh very easily. Opinions on cracking vary: some experience no cracking at all, while others report splitting in high-humidity greenhouse conditions.
A large-fruited mid-season variety with a long, continuous harvest period. From sprouting to the first harvest is 110-115 days. Indeterminate, height is 1.5 m (5 ft) and more.
The first fruits reach a weight of 600 g (1.3 lbs), and the rest are 250-350 g (9-12.3 oz). Tomatoes have a thin skin, do not crack, and contain a well-balanced mix of tartness and sweetness. The variety is unfussy, heat-tolerant, and resistant to brief cold spells.
I grew this variety in 2019 in a greenhouse. Seed germination was 7 out of 7. Compared to other varieties, the seedlings grew very strong, so instead of the planned 2 bushes, I planted a whole 5 and didn’t regret it!
Sweet green-fruited tomatoes with a yellow-pink blush when ripe. I got 2.7 kg (~6 lbs) of tomatoes from 1 bush. The average fruit size was about 300 g (10.5 oz), the largest was 375 g (13 oz). I liked the variety.
I really liked this variety from Aelita (Russian seed company). The only minus for me was that all the ripe tomatoes cracked. Moreover, there had been no watering in the greenhouse since July; the humidity was just naturally high.
The taste was excellent, and the tomatoes were literally sticking to my hands from the sugary sweetness.
They didn’t crack for me. I planted this tomato again in 2022 in the greenhouse.
(Editor’s note: Vladimir posted a video review here). Initially, I took the seeds from the Aelita agricultural firm, but this year I planted from my own saved seeds. The tomato is very beautiful with a pleasant taste, especially sweet if you let it fully ripen on the bush.
The first tomato from this variety was quite well-balanced in taste, very delicious. I didn’t like the skin; it is thin, but it doesn’t chew well (feels like a thin plastic film), although it separates from the flesh quite easily.
