Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary: Cheerful or Jolly Gnome (Veselyi Gnom) 🌍 Origin: Bred by the well-known Russian tomato breeder L.A. Myazina. 🌱 Plant Habit: A compact, tree-type determinate (about 16-28 inches / 40-70 cm tall). It has thick, sturdy stems and broad rugose leaves. It does not require pruning (suckering) and is highly recommended for container/patio … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Blauwerk 🌍 Origin: A beautiful, compact variety circulating among Eastern European collectors. The name “Blauwerk” suggests German origins. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). It is a very short, compact plant that only reaches about 20–24 inches (50–60 cm) in height. It is an early-season variety that requires almost zero pruning, making … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Balkoni Elo (Balcony Yellow) F1 🌍 Origin: A commercial container variety sold by the Russian seed company “Biotechnika”. Interesting Note: While marketed in Russia as an F1 Hybrid, European growers regularly save seeds and get perfectly uniform plants, proving it is actually an OP (Open-Pollinated) variety. Just a classic seed company … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Burkovskiy Ranniy (Burkov’s Early) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial release, originally bred by VNIIR (Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry) and popularized by the Siberian Garden (Sibsad) seed company. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush habit). A true shorty and very compact. No pruning or suckering needed. It’s perfect for container gardening, balconies, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Balkonnoe Chudo (Balcony Miracle) 🌍 The Great Seed Mystery: “Balkonnoe Chudo” translates to “Balcony Miracle.” It is arguably the most counterfeited/mislabelled tomato variety in Russia. Because the name is so marketable for apartment growers, seed companies slap this label on almost anything. 🌿 What it SHOULD be: A true micro-dwarf (about … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Banan Zholtyi (Yellow Banana) 🌍 The Controversy: This variety is sold in Russia by the “Poisk” seed company under the name “Yellow Banana.” However, Russian growers who ran side-by-side grow-outs have universally concluded that this is simply a repackaged, renamed version of the famous American heirloom Banana Legs (originally bred by … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Baron Solemacher 🌍 Origin: A unique Eastern European dwarf tomato. (Note: Not to be confused with the famous alpine strawberry variety of the same name!). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate / Micro-Dwarf. Officially listed at 30 cm (12 inches) tall, though it can reach 45-50 cm (18-20 inches) in ideal conditions. The … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Buyan Zheltyi (Buyan Yellow) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety, officially registered in the Russian State Register for the West Siberian region. Also known as “Boets Yellow” (Fighter Yellow). 🌿 Plant Habit: Rugose determinate dwarf (tree-type). Extremely compact, sturdy, and short, typically reaching only 30-60 cm (1-2 ft). Seedlings do not … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Bozhya Korovka (Ladybug) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety introduced by the “Aelita” seed company. The name translates to “Ladybug”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly debated! The seed packet claims it is a compact determinate (12-20 inches / 30-50 cm). However, almost all forum growers report it growing huge—up to 5-6.5 feet … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Amurskaya Zarya (Amur Dawn) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety, often sold by the SeDeK seed company. The name translates to “Amur Dawn,” referring to the Amur River region in the Russian Far East. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact, growing only 50–60 cm (20–24 inches) tall, but it spreads … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Anya (Аня) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety (likely released by the SeDeK seed company and listed in the Russian State Register). “Anya” is a common affectionate diminutive of the name Anna. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, falling into the micro-dwarf / compact bush category. It only grows to about 40 cm … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Aztek (Ацтек) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety popular in Eastern Europe, designed specifically for small spaces. The name translates to “Aztec”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Micro-dwarf (determinate). The plant is extremely compact, reaching only 30-40 cm (12-16 inches) in height. It requires absolutely no pruning or staking. Perfect for balcony containers, patio … Read more