Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kino 🌍 Origin: A forum-exclusive Russian variety. It started as an accidental cross between Vater Rhein and Siberian Tiger discovered by a grower in 2017. After several years of growing it out and stabilizing it to the F7 generation, the community officially named it “Kino” (which means “Cinema” or “Movie”) in … 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): Ivanovskie 🌍 Origin: A regional “folk” heirloom from Russia. The name simply means it originated from or is associated with the Ivanovo region. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but on the shorter side, usually topping out around 5 feet (1.5 m). Great for greenhouses or open ground. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Inzhirnye (Fig) 🌍 Origin: A popular Russian heirloom variety. The name “Inzhirnye” translates to “Fig” or “Fig-shaped”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Sturdy vines that typically reach about 4.5 feet (1.4 m). Highly productive and sets fruit reliably even in less-than-ideal weather. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Stunning pink, deeply ribbed (pleated) beefsteaks. … 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): Indische Fleisch 🌍 Origin: An old heirloom variety. The name translates from German as “Indian Meat”. Despite the German name, its deeper origins trace back to India. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indet. Can be kept relatively compact or grown out to 6.5 feet (2 m) depending on conditions. Highly productive. Can be … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ivan Ivanych 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety. The name “Ivan Ivanych” is a traditional and respectful Russian first name and patronymic combination. 🌿 Plant Habit: A mid-sized plant with potato leaf (PL) foliage. It is a very early season variety known for uniform ripening, meaning the fruits tend to flush … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Italian Hearts (Italianskie Serdechki) 🌍 Origin: A variety circulated among Russian tomato collectors under the name “Italianskie Serdechki”. The exact pedigree is unknown, but it is a widely grown, stable open-pollinated oxheart. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indet. An early-season variety known for being highly adaptable. It sets fruit reliably without dropping blossoms … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Tony’s Italian Purple 🌍 Origin: Heirloom originating from Italy. Known for its dark color and ability to pump out multiple harvests. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indet. A very slender, wispy plant with slightly curled leaves. Because it doesn’t have a massive footprint, it is perfect for tight spacing or tucking right up … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotaya Andromeda F1 (Golden Andromeda) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial F1 hybrid. The original breeder and patent holder is A.A. Mashtakov, though the seeds are mass-marketed by multiple seed companies like Semko and Siberian Garden (Sibsad). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very versatile and compact. It stays around 2.3 to 2.6 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zasolochnoe Chudo (Pickling Miracle) 🌍 Origin: Commercial variety from the AGRO seed company. The name translates to “Pickling Miracle” or “Salting Miracle”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Extremely compact and low maintenance. It requires absolutely no pruning (suckering). Highly praised for its excellent resistance to Late Blight. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Small, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotoe Serdtse (Golden Heart) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial Russian variety sold by major seed companies like Aelita and Sedek. The name translates to “Golden Heart”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact and cold-tolerant. Usually stays around 24 to 32 inches (60-80 cm) tall in open ground, but can … Read more