Khurma (Persimmon) Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Khurma (Persimmon) 🌍 Origin: A legendary and highly commercialized Russian variety. The name translates to “Persimmon” because the true fruits resemble the persimmon fruit in color and shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly controversial! According to the Russian State Register, the true Khurma is a determinate (bush) plant. However, due to seed company … Read more

Costoluto Fiorentino (Florence Ribbed) Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Costoluto Fiorentino 🌍 Origin: A famous, classic Italian heirloom originating from Florence, Italy. The name translates to “Ribbed from Florence”. Very popular among Eastern European growers. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and highly vigorous. In a greenhouse, it easily surpasses 2 meters (6.5 ft) in height. Generally displays good disease resistance. Note: … Read more

Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (Teshchin Yazyk) Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Teshchin Yazyk (Mother-in-Law’s Tongue) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic heirloom variety originating from Ukraine. The hilarious name translates to “Mother-in-Law’s Tongue”, a playful nod to the long, slightly pointed, “sharp” shape of the fruit. 🌿 Plant Habit: Mid-sized plant (often growing as a compact indeterminate), highly productive, and well-suited for greenhouse cultivation. 🍅 … Read more

Tolstoi F1 Tomato Review, Yield & Disease Resistance

Quick Summary of Tolstoi F1 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial F1 hybrid, widely praised for its reliability and massive yields. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (very tall) and exceptionally vigorous. Growers report it easily grows up to the greenhouse roof. It can be pruned to 1 or 2 stems. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Dense, firm, round-to-plum … Read more

Fat Jack (Tolstyi Jack) Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Tolstyi Jack (Fat Jack) 🌍 Origin: A well-known commercial Siberian variety originally introduced by “Sibsad” (Siberian Garden). The name translates to “Fat Jack”. 🌿 The “Red vs. Black” Mystery: This forum thread highlights a fascinating seed mix-up! While the original Tolstyi Jack is a short, red determinate, a rogue “Black” (brown/purple) version … Read more

Red-Pink Truffle (Tryufel Krasno-Rozovyi) Heirloom Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Tryufel Krasno-Rozovyi (Red-Pink Truffle) 🌍 Origin: A legendary “folk” heirloom circulated widely among Russian seed savers. It was originally distributed by a grower named Galya-64 around the year 2000. Because it had no official name, it spread across the internet under various names: Galya’s Truffle, Raspberry Truffle, or Folk Truffle (Narodnyi). 🌿 … Read more

Siberian Troika (Sibirskaya Troyka) Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Siberian Troika (Sibirskaya Troyka) 🌍 Origin & Name: A well-known commercial variety from the Russian Siberian Garden (SibSad) seed company. The name translates to “Siberian Troika” (a traditional Russian carriage drawn by a team of three horses). 🌿 Plant Habit: A sturdy, compact determinate (tree-type/semi-dwarf) bush. It typically grows to about 60-100 … Read more

Semko 98 F1 Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Semko 98 F1 🌍 Origin: A highly reliable commercial F1 hybrid from the Russian agricultural company “Semko”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Compact and semi-spreading, growing only 50-55 cm (20-22 inches) tall. It is highly adaptable and can be grown in open ground, greenhouses, or even indoors on a windowsill. 🍅 Fruit … Read more

Stolypin Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Stolypin 🌍 Origin: A very famous Russian commercial variety introduced by the seed company “Aelita.” It is officially listed in the Russian State Register of Varieties (added in 2012). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). An early to mid-season variety that stays compact but produces heavily. It is widely grown outdoors in open … Read more

Sanka Tomato Review: The Ultimate Early Workhorse

Quick Summary of Sanka 🌍 Origin: A massively popular Russian commercial variety. “Sanka” is an affectionate, folksy nickname for Alexander. It is widely considered a staple “workhorse” tomato across Eastern Europe. 🌿 Plant Habit: Ultra-early determinate (bush) type. Very compact, typically reaching 40-60 cm (16-24 inches) in height. The main stem thickness at the base … Read more

Sugar Nastasya (Sakharnaya Nastasya) Pink Oxheart Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Sakharnaya Nastasya (Sugar Nastasya) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety introduced by the “Gavrish” seed company. The name translates to “Sugar Nastasya” (Nastasya is a traditional, folksy diminutive of the name Anastasia). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and very vigorous. While the seed packet claims it grows up to 1.5m (5 ft), real … Read more

Coeur de Bob (Bob’s Heart) Paste Tomato Review

Quick Summary of Serdce Boba (Coeur de Bob) 🌍 Origin: A popular variety known by its French name Coeur de Bob, which translates to “Bob’s Heart” (Сердце Боба). Despite the “heart” in the name, it is a distinctly elongated, pepper-shaped tomato. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate with classic “wispy” (delicate) foliage. Growers recommend pruning it to … Read more