Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Shalun (Playful) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from Siberian breeders. The name translates to “Playful” or “Mischievous”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, reaching about 2 m (6.5 ft). The plant has a very specific structure: it is highly compact with sparse, open foliage (often described as wispy). It takes up very little space, … Read more
Quick Summary of Shchelkovskiy Ranniy (Shchelkovsky Early) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety. The name translates to “Shchelkovsky Early”. It was widely distributed by the commercial seed company “Russkiy Ogorod” (Russian Garden). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, compact bush. Seed packets claim a micro-dwarf height of 30–35 cm (12–14 inches), though greenhouse growers report it reaching … Read more
Quick Summary of Stormin Norman 🌍 Origin: A US variety developed by breeder Blane Horton. It is part of his famous “Keyes” multiflora line. The variety was named in honor of General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., famous for his command during Operation Desert Storm. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), vigorous, and early-season. This variety is a … Read more
Quick Summary of Dwarf Shimofuri (Frost Waterfall) 🌍 Origin & History: An incredibly unique variegated variety created by US tomato breeder and enthusiast Applestar. She crossed the trailing variety Whippersnapper with Faelan’s First Snow. The name “Shimofuri” is a Japanese term meaning “marbled” or “white-veined” (often used to describe premium Wagyu beef), which perfectly describes … Read more
Quick Summary of Cherry Ira F1 🌍 Origin: A very popular commercial F1 hybrid from the Russian seed company “Semko”. Often sold at a premium price compared to standard seeds. 🌿 Plant Habit: An extremely vigorous, wildly growing indeterminate. It can easily surpass 3 meters (10 ft) in height. It produces a massive amount of … Read more
Quick Summary of Chernaya Lakomka (Black Gourmand) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety from the “Poisk” seed company. The name translates roughly to “Black Gourmand” or “Black Sweet Tooth”, highlighting its dessert-like flavor profile. 🌿 Plant Habit: Tall indeterminate, typically reaching 1.5–2 meters (5–6.5 ft) in a greenhouse. It sets fruit in clusters and has … Read more
Quick Summary of Cherevichki (Little Shoes) 🌍 Origin: A Ukrainian heirloom popularized by breeder V. Syray. The name Cherevichki translates to “Little Shoes” or “Slippers,” perfectly describing the unique shape of the fruit. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and very tall. Like many elongated paste varieties, it has “wispy” or weak-looking foliage (drooping leaves), which is … Read more
Quick Summary of Cherrikollo F1 🌍 Origin: A commercial F1 hybrid variety from the Russian seed company “Semko Junior”. 🌿 Plant Habit: An extremely vigorous, fast-growing indeterminate. It produces massive, wide leaves and an unbelievable amount of suckers. It requires strict pruning and tying to a trellis, otherwise, it quickly turns the greenhouse into an … Read more
Quick Summary of Chernika / Golubika (Blueberry) 🌍 Origin: A striking Russian commercial and collector’s variety. In Russian, it circulates under two synonymous names: Chernika and Golubika (both translate to “Blueberry”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, typically growing to 1.5–2 meters (5–6.5 ft) tall. The plant is highly ornamental, featuring dark purple-tinged foliage that looks beautiful … Read more
Quick Summary of Chernyi Maslyanistyi (Black Buttery) 🌍 Origin: A Russian/Eastern European heirloom variety. The name translates directly to “Black Buttery” (or “Buttery Black”), hinting at its texture and color. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. In a greenhouse, it easily exceeds 2 meters (6.5 ft), but stays more compact (about 1.2–1.7 m / 4–5.5 ft) when … 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
Quick Summary of Chelyabinskiy Meteorit (Chelyabinsk Meteorite) 🌍 Origin Alert: There is significant confusion surrounding this name in the Russian seed market! There are actually two completely different tomatoes sold under this name: Version 1: The F1 Hybrid. Sold by “Sady Rossii” (bred by L. Myazina). This is a large, early-season, red-orange beefsteak claiming weights … Read more