Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary: Cornabel F1 Cornabel F1 is a highly famous French hybrid (bred by Vilmorin) that has taken the Russian gardening community by storm. But is it actually worth buying expensive F1 seeds every year? 🌍 Origin: A commercial French F1 hybrid shaped like a horn (hence the “Corn” in Cornabel). It was bred … 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): Kazabalykskiy Superearly 🌍 Origin: An older commercial variety that has circulated in Russian seed shops since at least the mid-1990s. The name is widely believed to be a slight spelling corruption of the Karabalyk district in Kazakhstan. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). An absolute workhorse of a plant. Usually tops out … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kubansky Smuglyi (Dark Kuban) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial heirloom. The name translates to “Kuban Swarthy” or “Dark Kuban” (referring to the Kuban region in Southern Russia and the dark color of the fruit). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). A very compact and well-behaved plant, topping out at around 20 inches … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Casanova 🌍 Origin: Bred by Russian tomato breeder Vladimir Dederko and distributed by the Siberian Garden (Sibirskiy Sad) seed company. It was officially entered into the Russian State Register in 2017. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Can reach over 6.5 feet (2 m) in a greenhouse. If grown outdoors without pruning … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Korol King-2 (King King-2) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic Russian heirloom variety famously circulated by collectors like Valentina Redko and Vera Monakhova. The name literally translates to “King King”. There are two known variations in circulation: the original “Korol King” and the updated “Korol King-2”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Depending on … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Cream Sausage 🌍 Origin: Originally bred by the legendary American breeder Tom Wagner under the name “Banana Cream”. It was later renamed “Cream Sausage” without his permission, and this is the name it is most commonly traded under in Russia and Eastern Europe. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Generally reaches about … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kupets-Molodets 🌍 Origin: A highly productive commercial Russian variety developed and distributed by the Aelita seed company. The name roughly translates to “Fine Merchant” or “Brave Merchant”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). The seed packet claims it grows up to 3.3 feet (1 m), but in a greenhouse, it frequently stretches … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kristina Vatcheva 🌍 Origin: A fantastic family heirloom originating from Bulgaria. It gained worldwide popularity in the heirloom community after the grower, Kristina Vatcheva, shared her seeds with collectors in the United States. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and highly vigorous. Typically reaches about 5.5 feet (1.7 m) in a greenhouse … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Cuban Salami 🌍 Origin: A relatively rare and highly sought-after variety in the Russian/Eastern European seed swapping community. Its exact origins are a mystery, but most growers agree it is likely an accidental (or intentional) cross involving the famous “Cuban Pepper-shaped” (Kubinskiy Pertsevidnyi) black paste tomato. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Koster 🌍 Origin: A popular Russian commercial heirloom variety. The name translates to “Campfire” or “Bonfire”. Popularized by the Russian seed vendor Valery Medvedev. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact and stocky, typically staying between 16 to 27 inches (40-70 cm) tall. Does exceptionally well outdoors but can drop blossoms … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Cantati 6 🌍 Origin: Part of a renowned series of crosses developed by an independent Polish tomato breeder known online as “Cantati”. The Cantati lines are highly sought after by Eastern European collectors for their exceptional flavor profiles. 🌿 Plant Habit: Semi-determinate or short indeterminate. When grown outdoors, the plant stays … Read more