Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Family Variety from Zurab Kukhianidze 🌍 Origin & History: An authentic old Georgian family heirloom. The 15-year-old seeds were originally saved by the father of a forum member’s husband (Zurab Kukhianidze) in Georgia. The Russian tomato community successfully germinated these old seeds, saved the strain from extinction, and affectionately nicknamed it “Zurabchik”. … Read more
Quick Summary of Pudovik 🌍 Origin & Registry: The officially registered name of the famous commercial variety from Siberian Garden (often sold with “Sevryuga” written in parentheses). Unlike “Sevryuga“, the name Pudovik is officially listed in the Russian State Register of Breeding Achievements. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), typically reaching 1.7-1.8 m (5.5-6 ft). Growers … Read more
Quick Summary of Sevryuga (and Severyuga / Pudovik) 🌍 The Naming Mystery: This is one of the most famously debated varieties in the Russian tomato community. Commercially, the Siberian Garden company (SibSad) released it under the names Sevryuga (a type of sturgeon fish) and Pudovik, stating they are the same variety. However, old-school seed savers … Read more
Quick Summary of Sultan 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from the Siberian seed company “Zolotaya Sotka Altaya” (Golden Hundred of Altai). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). It requires regular pruning (suckering) and strong staking to support the weight of the fruit. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, pearl-pink beefsteaks. They are oblate (flat-round) and distinctly ribbed near … Read more
Quick Summary of Sakharnyi Pudovichok (Sugar Pudovichok) 🌍 Origin: A famous commercial variety from the Russian seed company “Siberian Garden” (SibSad). The name implies a heavy, sugar-fleshed tomato (a “pud” is an old Russian weight measure equal to 16 kg). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). It is a vigorous grower that can easily reach the … Read more
Quick Summary of Sakharnaya Golova (Sugar Head) 🌍 Origin: A popular commercial variety from the famous Russian seed company “Siberian Garden” (SibSad). The name translates to “Sugar Head” or “Sugar Loaf”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). The plant is sturdy and relatively compact, growing up to 80 cm (about 32 inches) tall. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: … Read more
Quick Summary of Sprint-Timer 🌍 Origin: A legendary Russian giant heirloom. It gained massive fame when a grower won the 2016 “Minusinsk Tomato Day” (Russia’s famous giant tomato competition) with a Sprint-Timer fruit weighing a whopping 1.878 kg (4.14 lbs)! 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate with thick, robust stems. Typically grows up to 1.5 meters (5 … Read more
Quick Summary of Virginia Sweets 🌍 The “Full Circle” Journey: Virginia Sweets is a well-known American bicolor heirloom. However, watching it grow in the harsh climates of Russia and Siberia offers fascinating insights! In Eastern Europe, the name is often literally translated as “The Sweets of Virginia” or “Virginia’s Candies,” leading to some funny linguistic … Read more
Quick Summary of Cuore di Dronero 🌍 Origin: A magnificent traditional Italian heirloom (translates to “Heart of Dronero”). It has become highly prized among Russian growers under the translated name “Serdtse Dronero”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very tall, and vigorous. It easily reaches the greenhouse ceiling and will keep growing along the roof. Despite the … Read more
Quick Summary of Syzranskaya Roza (Syzran Rose) 🌍 Origin: An old, legendary heirloom from Syzran (often considered the tomato capital of the Volga region in Russia). The name translates to “Syzran Rose”. 🌿 Plant Habit: The true heirloom is indeterminate (tall) and mid-early, with a long and abundant fruiting period. ⚠️ Buyer Beware: Commercial seed … Read more
Quick Summary of Rome (Rim) 🌍 Origin: A very popular, colossal red heirloom variety named after the city of Rome (in Russian: Рим / Rim). Widely circulated among Russian and Ukrainian collectors (originally sourced from A. Kulik). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, late-season, and extremely vigorous. The bushes easily exceed 2 meters (6.5 ft) in a … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Begemot (Pink Hippo) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic Russian heirloom whose name translates to “Pink Hippo”—a very fitting title given the massive, blocky shape and heavy weight of its fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Reports on its growth habit vary. Some growers experience it as a shorter, compact plant, while others (especially in … Read more