Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
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🍅 Quick take: Moravich is a mid-early, indeterminate pink oxheart hailing from Serbia. Growers are calling it a “flawless” hidden gem. Unlike many wispy pink oxhearts, the vine grows exceptionally sturdy and tall, allowing it to pump out massive yields of dense, meaty hearts weighing up to 14 oz (400 g). It is highly praised … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Reckless Driver Vils is a mid-late season pink tomato of American origin. Plants seem to stay relatively compact at around 3.3 feet (1 m) tall but are best grown pruned to two stems. It produces 7-9 oz (200-250 g) meaty, juicy fruits with a sweet flavor that has a unique kick to … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Gezahnte Bührer-Keel 🌍 Origin: A stunning European heirloom. Originally from Switzerland, the name Gezahnte translates to “Toothed” (referencing its deep pleats/ribs), while Bührer-Keel refers to the Swiss family who historically cultivated and preserved the variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A very robust and powerful plant that easily tops 6.5 feet (2 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Kilechki (Sprats) Named after the famous tiny forage fish, this unique Russian heirloom is catching the eye of cherry tomato collectors. But is it just a novelty shape, or does it actually perform in the garden? 🌍 Origin: A Russian collector’s variety. The name “Kilechki” translates to “Little Sprats” (tiny fish), perfectly … 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): Zilbert 🌍 Origin: A fascinating case of mixed-up heirloom history! There was once a pink Soviet beefsteak named Zilbert bred in the Ural mountains. However, the variety circulating today under the name “Zilbert” is actually a dark mahogany/black heirloom originating from Germany. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. An incredibly resilient workhorse that … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zheltyi Volynshchik (Yellow Bagpiper) 🌍 Origin: An heirloom variety traced back to the legendary German tomato collector Reinhard Kraft. The Russian name translates to “Yellow Bagpiper”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Reaches over 6.5 ft (2 m) tall. The bush is sturdy but not overly sprawling. Outstanding weather resistance – it … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gibrid Tarasenko No. 7 (Tarasenko Hybrid 7) 🌍 Origin: Bred by the legendary Soviet/Ukrainian breeder Feodosiy Tarasenko. Crucial Note: Despite having “Hybrid” in its name, this is a fully stabilized, open-pollinated (OP) heirloom variety. You absolutely can (and should!) save seeds from it. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). It grows very … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Brown Flesh Jumbo 🌍 Origin: Originally from Canada. It was introduced to the RU heirloom community under the translated name Gigantskaya Korichnevaya Plot. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), vigorous, and sun-loving. Outstanding heat tolerance! Even in extreme summer heat waves, it continues to set fruit without dropping blossoms. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Vesennyaya Radost (Spring Joy) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic commercial variety from the famous Russian seed company “Siberian Garden” (SibSad). The name translates to “Spring Joy”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and extremely vigorous. It has a massive root system and thick foliage. Despite being a tall indet, it does exceptionally well … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Vinnaya Bukhta (Wine Cove) 🌍 Origin: Popular dark tomato circulating in the Russian heirloom community. The name translates literally to “Wine Cove” (or Wine Bay). Grower’s Note: While some speculate this might have originated from a mistranslation of Wine Jug (Vinnyi Kuvshin), “Wine Cove” is traded as a distinct, highly stable … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Pink Brandywine 🌍 Origin: The undisputed king of American heirlooms. Legendary Amish origins, with the Sudduth’s Strain being widely considered the original, purest, and best-tasting lineage. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous vines. It has classic, robust Potato Leaf (PL) foliage. Typically performs much better and more reliably in greenhouses/hoophouses in cooler … Read more