Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: Makovaya Rosinka (Poppy Dew) is an ultra-early micro-dwarf cherry tomato with a rich Siberian history. The extremely compact, sprawling bush typically stays under 16 inches (40 cm) tall and requires absolutely zero pruning. It is a fantastic candidate for growing in 1-3 gallon pots on windowsills, balconies, or underplanted beneath tall vines … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Medok (which translates to “Little Honey”) is an early-season, determinate red paste tomato. The compact bush maxes out around 2 feet (60 cm) tall, making it a great candidate for underplanting beneath taller vines. It produces sweet, meaty, finger-like “icicle” tomatoes that hold up well for transport and canning. While yields can … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Basket on the Window (Lukoshko na Okoshke) is an ultra-early super-determinate (micro-dwarf) tomato bred specifically for containers, balconies, and small garden spaces. The original red variety produces round 0.7-1 oz (20-30 g) cherries on tiny 16-inch (40 cm) bushes that theoretically require no pruning or staking. However, growers note they do need … Read more
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🍅 Quick take: Micro Dwarf Laura is an ultra-compact micro dwarf variety that maxes out around 12-16 inches (30-40 cm) tall. It is absolutely perfect for small spaces, thriving in small 1 to 1.5-gallon (3-5 L) pots. It produces unique, red-striped elongated cherry tomatoes weighing up to 0.5 oz (15 g) that pack a remarkably … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Korall (Coral) is an extremely compact, early-season tree-type (rugose) dwarf tomato. Maxing out around 12 to 18 inches (30-45 cm) tall, it produces a surprisingly heavy yield of small, firm, red plum tomatoes with a little beak, weighing 1.5 to 3 oz (40-80 g). Because of its tiny footprint and shallow root … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Kibic (sometimes spelled Kibitz or Kibis) is an early, very compact determinate paste tomato originating from Poland. Growing only up to 20 inches (50 cm) tall, it produces an avalanche of small, red, elongated plum tomatoes weighing around 1.7–2.5 oz (50–70 g). It’s highly praised as an ideal, trouble-free bush for outdoor … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Karamelka (Little Caramel) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial dwarf/patio variety bred specifically for container and balcony gardening. The name translates to “Little Caramel” (a hard candy). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Generally stays very short, sprawling, and compact. It requires no pruning or suckering. However, some growers warn that if planted in … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Karlik Nos (Dwarf Nose) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial dwarf variety bred by L. Myazina. The name translates to “Dwarf Nose,” referencing the tiny pointed beak (nose) on the blossom end of the fruit. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (dwarf). The seed packet notoriously claims it is the “brother of the Mongolian Dwarf” … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Kaskad (Cascade) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial dwarf/patio variety. The name translates to “Cascade”, referencing the way the heavy trusses of cherry tomatoes spill over the sides of the plant. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). A very compact and well-behaved plant, reaching a maximum height of around 24 inches (60 cm). It … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kazabalykskiy Superearly 🌍 Origin: An older commercial variety that has circulated in Russian seed shops since at least the mid-1990s. The name is widely believed to be a slight spelling corruption of the Karabalyk district in Kazakhstan. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). An absolute workhorse of a plant. Usually tops out … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Krasnyi Karlik (Red Dwarf) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial micro-dwarf variety popularized heavily by the Russian seed vendor Valery Medvedev. Some experienced growers suspect it might simply be a renamed “Red Robin”. 🌿 Plant Habit: True micro-dwarf. Stays extremely compact, usually under 16 inches (40 cm) when grown in natural sunlight. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Krasnaya Shapochka (Little Red Riding Hood) 🌍 Origin: A very popular commercial Russian determinate variety, translated as “Little Red Riding Hood”. Often goes by the German name Rotkäppchen on seed packets. Widely distributed by several Russian seed companies (Sibsad, Aelita, Agros, Poisk). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush) or dwarf. Extremely compact, … Read more