Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zoloto Maharadzhi (Maharaja’s Gold) 🌍 Origin: A collectible Eastern European heirloom variety. The name translates to “Maharaja’s Gold.” It is widely circulated by prominent Russian seed collectors like Valery Redko and the Brizhan family. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), though its height varies wildly depending on the environment. In a greenhouse, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): German Pink Strawberry 🌍 Origin: A classic German heirloom that became highly popular among Eastern European collectors under the translated name “Zemlyanika Nemetskaya Rozovaya”. It is often confused or cross-listed with the famous heart-shaped “German Red Strawberry,” but this pink variant is distinct for its rounder shape and Potato Leaf genetics. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Sun Gold F1 (Sold as “Cherry Zlato”) 🌍 Origin: Originally bred in Japan, this is the legendary Sun Gold F1 hybrid. However, Russian seed companies (repackaging Johnsons Seeds) mistakenly labeled and sold it as an open-pollinated (OP) variety under the translated name “Cherry Zlato” (Gold). 🌿 Plant Habit: A very vigorous, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zdorovaya Zhizn (Healthy Life) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety marketed specifically for its exceptionally high lycopene content and potential health benefits. The name translates to “Healthy Life”. 🌿 Plant Habit: An extremely vigorous indeterminate (tall) vine. It produces complex, multi-flowered trusses and can easily surpass 6.5 feet (2 m) in … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zlatava (Zlatova) 🌍 Origin: A popular Eastern European commercial variety, frequently sold by the Russian seed company Elkom and the Lithuanian company Seklos. Spelling varies between Zlatova and Zlatava. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but highly manageable and not overly aggressive. A unique quirk of this variety is that it pushes … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zefir v Shokolade (Marshmallow in Chocolate) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the “Poisk” seed company’s “Vkusnoteka” (Flavor Library) line. The name playfully translates to “Marshmallow in Chocolate”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Usually reaches around 6 feet (1.9 m) in open ground. It sets fruit consistently without dropping blossoms. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Illini Gold (Zoloto Illini) 🌍 Origin: An American heirloom variety that is widely circulated in Eastern Europe as “Zoloto Illini” (Gold of Illini). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Usually reaches 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8 m) in a greenhouse, and stays around 5 feet (1.5 m) outdoors. Standout feature: It has very “wispy”, … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zub Drakona (Dragon’s Tooth) 🌍 Origin: An Eastern European heirloom variety. The name translates perfectly to “Dragon’s Tooth”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A very vigorous, strong plant that performs exceptionally well both in a greenhouse and outdoors in open ground. Mid-season maturity. Highly praised for its excellent disease resistance. 🍅 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotoy Petushok (Golden Rooster) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial heirloom released by the “Russian Ogorod” (RO) seed company. The name translates to “Golden Rooster” or “Golden Cockerel”. 🌿 Plant Habit: An extremely vigorous, tall indeterminate. The internodes are quite long, making the plant stretch rapidly. Easily reaches 6.5 feet (2 m) … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotoy Kenigsberg (Golden Königsberg) 🌍 Origin: A very famous commercial Siberian heirloom from the SibSad (Siberian Garden) seed company. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but heights vary widely from 4 feet (1.2 m) outdoors to 6.5 feet (2 m) in a greenhouse. Standout feature: It has extreme “wispy” foliage. The leaves … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotaya Kanareyka (Golden Canary) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular European variety. The name translates to “Golden Canary”, which perfectly describes its bright yellow color and bird-like “beak” on the blossom end. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and relatively low maintenance. It can easily reach 6.5 feet (2 m) in a greenhouse. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zolotoe Serdtse Ameriki (Golden Heart of America) 🌍 Origin: As the name implies, this variety likely traces its roots back to an American heirloom, but it was popularized and widely distributed among Russian seed collectors under the localized name “Golden Heart of America”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). An incredibly vigorous … Read more