Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: Potimar is a powerhouse indeterminate European heirloom beefsteak whose name evokes the ribbed, pumpkin-like contours of a French potimarron squash. The vigorous vines produce monster, flat-round red slicers weighing 17.6 to 28 oz (500-800 g) with minimal seeds. Defying descriptions of “grainy, watermelon-like” meat, growers confirm the interior is exceptionally dense, juicy, … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Plan 9 from Outer Space is a show-stopping indeterminate heirloom bicolor beefsteak discovered and named by Remy Orlowski (The Sample Seed Shop, USA) as an accidental off-type in a packet of Brad Gates’ Solar Flare. Named after Ed Wood’s infamous 1959 cult sci-fi film, it produces oblate, golden-yellow fruits marbled with blazing … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Old German is a classic 19th-century indeterminate heirloom bicolor beefsteak preserved by Mennonite growers in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. It yields massive, oblate yellow-gold fruits marbled with ruby red that grow increasingly crimson as they dead-ripen. Northern cool-climate growers find it sweeter than Pineapple (Ananas), but caution that it is a decidedly late-season … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Orlov Yellow (often traded as Graf Orlov or Orlov Yellow Giant) is an indeterminate, mid-season Russian heirloom beefsteak. It cranks out massive, ribbed yellow-orange slicers weighing between 16 and 23 oz (450-654 g). Unlike many mild or sugary yellow heirlooms, Orlov Yellow carries an old-school tomato punch with a pronounced, lively tang, … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Old Flame (often grown in Eastern Europe under translations like Stary Ogon or Staroe Plamya) is an indeterminate, mid-season heirloom bicolor beefsteak. It produces enormous, crack-resistant yellow-orange slicers with crimson crowns and streaks weighing 14 oz to over 21 oz (400-600+ g). Unlike many notoriously soft bicolors, growers consistently praise Old Flame … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Moruno PL is the potato-leaf, indeterminate strain of the traditional Spanish Tomate Moruno (“Moorish Tomato”) landrace. Reaching about 4.3 ft (1.3 m) outdoors, it produces heavy yields of 9-21 oz (250-600 g) red beefsteaks with a rich, spicy-sweet flavor and virtually no acidity. Grower CUCSA notes that the potato-leaf (PL) version ripens … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Orange Jazz is an indeterminate, mid-season beefsteak bred by Fred Hempel (Artisan Seeds, California). It puts on massive 10.5-24.5 oz (300-700 g) oblate orange slicers, capable of topping 2 lbs (900 g+), marked with subtle pearlescent yellow striping. Celebrated for its bold, tropical sweet-tart kick reminiscent of sparkling lemonade, growers note it … Read more
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🍅 Quick take: Navarro is an indeterminate, mid-to-late season Spanish heirloom originating from the northern province of Navarre (Navarra). It throws massive 14-23.5 oz (400-670 g) red fruits with astonishing botanical polymorphism: deeply fluted beefsteaks, blunt hearts, and lobed shapes resembling stalagmites all appearing simultaneously on the same vine. Meaty, low-seeded, and reliably sweet, it … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Napa Giant is an American heirloom originating from California’s Napa Valley. An indeterminate, mid-season beefsteak, it is renowned for throwing giant, broad, oblate pink fruits capable of topping 2.2 lbs (1 kg). While capable of stellar size and rich old-fashioned flavor when pruned, outdoor trials show it can drop blossoms in extreme … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Mexico is a classic indeterminate, mid-to-late season heirloom beefsteak producing massive, meaty pink slicers up to 1.5 lbs (700 g). Growers across USDA Zones 3-5 rave about its rich, sweet, old-fashioned flavor, ability to set fruit in summer heat, and impressive size, noting only that the heavy trusses need extra support so … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Marcy’s Mystery is a powerhouse indeterminate bicolor beefsteak discovered by Marcy Fain and introduced by Dale Thurber of Delectation of Tomatoes. The sturdy vines reach around 6 ft (1.8 m), pumping out broad-shouldered, massive fruit typically weighing 14-21 oz (400-600 g) and easily clearing 1-2 lbs (450-900 g). Ripening to a warm … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Mermaid is an elite indeterminate, mid-season bicolor beefsteak celebrated for breaking the curse of low-yielding bicolors. The tall vines produce massive, meaty fruit tipping the scales up to 2.2 lbs (1 kg). While the exterior ripens to a soft, glowing pink with faint golden undertones, slicing it open reveals a breathtaking, marbled yellow-and-crimson … Read more