Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 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
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Koreyskiy Stelyushiysya (Korean Creeper) 🌍 Origin: A very popular, unique trailing variety shared among Russian growers. The name translates directly to “Korean Creeping” or “Korean Trailer”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Micro-dwarf / creeping determinate. It stays incredibly short, usually around 10-16 inches (25-40 cm) tall. The vines are very flexible and naturally … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ivanushka 🌍 Origin: A very old Russian commercial variety. The name “Ivanushka” is an affectionate diminutive of Ivan (John), a name incredibly popular in classic Russian folklore and fairy tales. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate bush. It stays relatively compact, reaching around 31.5 inches (80 cm) in height, making it a great … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ivanych F1 🌍 Origin: A Russian/Transnistrian commercial F1 hybrid. Developed for ultra-early production and high marketability. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact, reaching only about 2.3 feet (70 cm) tall. Excellent for open ground or low tunnels. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright pink, round, and uniform. They average about 7 oz … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Iyunskiy (June) 🌍 Origin: A legendary ultra-early Russian community heirloom. Note: There is a commercial variety sold by Sedek with the same name, but this thread specifically documents the famous “Forum Iyunskiy” circulated by the grower Sweet from St. Petersburg. 🌿 Plant Habit: Ultra-early dwarf (determinate). A stout, sturdy, compact little … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ibiza (Ibiza Elena) 🌍 Origin: Bred by Elena from “Tomato Eden.” It is the result of a cross involving the variety Banana Singapore. In seed trading circles, it is frequently listed as “Ibiza Elena” or “Ibiza Elena’s Beefsteak” to distinguish it from other similarly named varieties. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). … 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