Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Cherokee Purple 🌍 Origin: A legendary pre-1890 heirloom from Tennessee, USA. According to lore, the seeds were originally given by the Cherokee Native American tribe. It was popularized in the tomato world by Craig LeHoullier, who received the seeds from J.D. Green in 1990. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, though in some … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dwarf Chocolate Lightning 🌍 Origin: A fantastic release from the international Dwarf Tomato Project. It was developed from a cross between ‘Beauty King’ and ‘Dwarf Wild Fred’. 🌿 Plant Habit: Tree-type dwarf. A very vigorous plant with dark green rugose (crinkled) foliage and thick, sturdy central stems. Indoors or in a … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Crushed Heart 🌍 Origin: A stunning creation by Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms (California, USA). Interestingly, among Russian and Eastern European growers, the name has sparked translation debates—some translate it literally as “Broken” or “Wounded Heart”, while others translate it as “Smitten/In Love” (playing on the word “crush”). 🌿 Plant … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Cynthia’s Black Heart 🌍 Origin: Developed at the famous Love Apple Farms in Santa Cruz, California, around 2005. It is noted that the variety might still be in the observation phase and not fully stabilized, meaning slight variations may occur. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Strikingly beautiful heart-shaped … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Cherokee Chocolate 🌍 Origin: A very famous US heirloom. It was stabilized by Craig LeHoullier in 1995 after he discovered a rogue plant from a batch of Cherokee Purple seeds. The difference is in the skin—Cherokee Purple has clear skin, while Cherokee Chocolate has a yellow epidermis, giving it a rich … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Carol Chyko’s Big Paste Black 🌍 Origin: A rare dark variant of the famous heirloom. According to growers, this specific line emerged as a cross between Black Krim and the original red Carol Chyko’s Big Paste. It is documented in Tatiana’s TOMATObase. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An incredibly vigorous and … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR) 🌍 Origin: A striking anthocyanin (blue/purple) novelty variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-season. It grows very vigorously and produces a lot of suckers/side shoots quickly, so regular pruning is recommended. Even when started late from seed, it performs well outdoors, reaching about 1.1 meters (3.6 ft) in open ground. 🍅 Fruit … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR) 🌍 Origin: A dark heirloom variety originating from the USA. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but generally medium-tall (semi-determinate behavior in some conditions). It shows great disease resistance and continues to grow and produce late into the season. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Dark (purple/black) beefsteaks. The texture is dense, sugary, and very meaty. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic heirloom cross with a stellar lineage. One of its parent varieties is the legendary Brandywine (Sudduth’s Strain), known worldwide for its premier flavor. It is documented in Tatiana’s TOMATObase. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-season. Features attractive Potato Leaf (PL) foliage. Grows very well under the protection of … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR) 🌍 Origin: A very famous commercial Russian/Ukrainian heirloom that has caused a lot of naming controversy! Many growers assume “Black Sea Man” is just a direct translation of the Russian variety Chernomor. However, as documented by growers in this thread who planted both side-by-side, they are completely different varieties. The strain … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR) 🌍 Origin: A well-known early anthocyanin (blue/purple) tomato variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very tall (often exceeding 2 meters / 6.5 ft). Known for its robust health and strong disease resistance. The foliage stays green and healthy until late in the season. Can be grown both in greenhouses and outdoors. 🍅 … Read more
Quick Summary of Bundaberg Rumball 🌍 Origin & Name: A fantastic release from the Dwarf Tomato Project. Fun Fact: It was named after a popular Australian holiday dessert—rum balls made in the city of Bundaberg, which is famous for its rum. 🌿 Plant Habit: Mid-season, regular leaf dwarf. It grows as a highly vigorous but … Read more