Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: Orlik is a highly compact, ultra-early determinate variety that thrives outdoors with minimal protection. The bushes stay incredibly short (around 1.5 ft / 0.5 m) but pump out heavy, continuous yields of small, red, round tomatoes weighing between 1.5 to 2.5 oz (40-67 g). With a firm texture and classic, balanced tomato … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Obzhorka (Gluttonnie) is a highly productive, compact determinate variety that grows up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall. It requires zero pruning and pumps out heavy clusters of 2 oz (60 g) meaty red plum tomatoes with a pointed blossom end. Known for a classic tomato flavor and an excellent shelf life, … Read more
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🍅 Quick take: Siberian Nastya is a rugged, very early determinate bush variety bred specifically for tough, short-season climates. Reaching just over two feet tall, these highly low-maintenance plants thrive outdoors without any protection, pumping out delicious, all-purpose raspberry-pink tomatoes weighing up to 7 oz (200 g). Full summary ↓ Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Novichok Pink (Newbie Pink) is a highly productive, mid-early determinate bush variety prized for processing. The compact plants produce an abundance of firm, pink, oval-shaped tomatoes weighing 2.5-5 oz (73-150 g). Thanks to their dense flesh and low moisture content, they are widely considered top-tier for whole-fruit canning, sun-drying, and long-term storage. … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Mikado Shtambovyi (Mikado Dwarf) is an incredibly rugged, early-season tree-type dwarf with thick potato-leaf foliage. A legend since the Soviet era for its ability to produce early crops in cold northern regions, this variety thrives completely unprotected outdoors. It produces heavy yields of uniform, 4-5 oz (120-140 g) red fruits that fully … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zero 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial determinate variety bred for high yields and low maintenance. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact, topping out around 2 feet (60 cm). It is a “plant and forget” type of tomato that requires absolutely no pruning or suckering. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Red, perfectly round, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotoy Mandarin (Golden Mandarin) 🌍 Origin: A Russian variety popularized by private seed collector Valya Redko. The name translates to “Golden Mandarin” (or Golden Tangerine), which perfectly matches its bright color and size. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact and well-behaved. Typically stays around 20 to 32 inches (50-80 cm) … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotnik 🌍 Origin: A Russian micro-dwarf variety. The name “Zolotnik” refers to an old measure of weight (often used for gold) and comes from the famous proverb “Small is the zolotnik, but expensive” (meaning: good things come in small packages). 🌿 Plant Habit: Micro-dwarf/Determinate. Incredibly compact, staying around 12 inches (30 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Vspyshka (Flash) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety. The name translates to “Flash” or “Outburst”, which perfectly describes how fast it grows and sets fruit. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (short bush), usually topping out around 20 inches (50 cm). It stays short but loves to sprawl, throwing out a ton of … Read more
Quick Summary of Chelnok (Shuttle) 🌍 Origin: A well-known Russian commercial variety. The name “Chelnok” translates to “Shuttle” (as in a weaving shuttle), referring to its elongated shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: A true tree-type determinate (compact bush). Usually maxes out at just 40-45 cm (16-18 inches) tall. No pruning or suckering is required! The seedlings … Read more