Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Howes (Khoves) 🌍 Origin: An extremely rare variety distributed by Ukrainian seed collector Alexei Kulik. It is praised primarily as a long-keeper. 🌿 Plant Habit: Moderate height. Warning for seed savers: The currently circulating seeds show significant genetic instability. Growers report seedlings splitting into both Regular Leaf (RL) and Potato Leaf (PL) … Read more
Quick Summary of Hazel Mae 🌍 Origin: A well-known American heirloom originating from Ohio. Prized for its massive bi-color fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Needs a long, warm season to perform well. In regions with short or cool summers, yields can be disappointingly low unless seeds are started very early indoors. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: … Read more
Quick Summary of Khlebosolnyi 🌍 Origin: A very popular, high-yielding commercial heirloom from Siberia (Siberian Garden / SibSad). The name “Khlebosolnyi” translates to “Hospitable” or “Generous Host”, referring to its massive yield. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush) and spreading. It is officially rated for 80 cm (32 inches) in open ground, though it can reach … Read more
What is the Hillbilly Tomato? 🌍 Origin: The Hillbilly tomato is a famous American heirloom beefsteak variety originating from the Appalachian region (West Virginia). Known for its massive size and stunning bi-color appearance, it has become a favorite among collectors. Interestingly, this US heirloom is also widely grown by Eastern European gardeners under translated names … Read more
Quick Summary of Khurma (Persimmon) 🌍 Origin: A legendary and highly commercialized Russian variety. The name translates to “Persimmon” because the true fruits resemble the persimmon fruit in color and shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly controversial! According to the Russian State Register, the true Khurma is a determinate (bush) plant. However, due to seed company … Read more
Quick Summary of Fenix (Phoenix) 🌍 Origin: A Russian folk heirloom variety from the collection of V. Kolyakov. The name translates to “Phoenix” (Fenix). 🌿 Plant Habit: Medium foliage. Performs very well outdoors in open ground and delivers a solid, dependable yield. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, dark pinkish-red oxheart-shaped fruits. The flesh is incredibly dense, … Read more
Quick Summary of Costoluto Fiorentino 🌍 Origin: A famous, classic Italian heirloom originating from Florence, Italy. The name translates to “Ribbed from Florence”. Very popular among Eastern European growers. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and highly vigorous. In a greenhouse, it easily surpasses 2 meters (6.5 ft) in height. Generally displays good disease resistance. Note: … Read more
Quick Summary of Florentiyskaya Krasavitsa (Florentine Beauty) 🌍 Origin: A visually striking Russian/Eastern European collectible variety. The name translates to “Florentine Beauty”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Can be grown in greenhouses or open ground. Be careful with nitrogen, as it has a tendency to put out too much vegetative growth early on, which can … Read more
Quick Summary of Faworyt 8 (Favorite 8) 🌍 Origin: A new Polish breeding line created by crossing Garmosha with Malinowa Sakiewka. The name translates to “Favorite 8”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Mid-season and indeterminate. It reaches a very manageable height of about 1.5 meters (5 ft), making it somewhat more compact than typical wildly growing indeterminates. … Read more
Quick Summary of Faworyt 7/2 Potato Leaf 🌍 Origin: A new Polish breeding line resulting from a cross between Kuban Black Pepper and Malinowa Sakiewka. The name translates to “Favorite 7/2”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. A powerful, well-foliaged plant with a dense canopy of large Potato Leaf (PL) foliage. It shows excellent disease resistance and … Read more
Quick Summary of Faworyt 4 (Favorite 4) 🌍 Origin: A highly impressive Polish breeding line. The name translates to “Favorite 4”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Features a very thick, strong, and sturdy stem. It demonstrates excellent disease resistance and robust growth. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Massive, uniform beefsteaks. The skin is red, but the dense interior flesh … Read more
Quick Summary of Fidelio 🌍 Origin: A famous variety released by “Siberian Garden” (SibSad). According to the breeder’s history, it was developed by adapting a variety originally brought from the island of Cuba to the harsh Siberian climate. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), often exhibiting the classic “weeping” or wispy foliage typical of oxheart varieties. … Read more