Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Santa Cruz 🌍 Origin: Often circulated by Russian seed collectors (like V. Popenko). It is widely positioned in the community as an “improved De Barao” (referencing the legendary Eastern European canning variety). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (very tall), easily reaching 2.5 meters (8+ ft). Growers describe the bush as a “monster”—very vigorous … Read more
Quick Summary of Solntse Severa (Sun of the North) 🌍 Origin: Distributed by a well-known (and somewhat secretive) Russian seed collector, Kolyakov. The name translates to “Sun of the North”. 🧐 The Naming Irony: As forum growers quickly point out, the name is quite misleading! One would expect a “Northern Sun” to be a yellow … Read more
Quick Summary of Sibirskiy Malakhit (Siberian Malachite) 🌍 Origin: A well-known commercial variety from Siberian Garden (SibSad). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. In open ground, it usually reaches 1.2-1.4 meters (4-4.5 ft), and slightly taller in greenhouses. The bush is regular, not overly spreading. Growers note it exhibits excellent disease resistance (particularly against leaf mold / … Read more
Quick Summary of Severnoe Siyanie (Northern Lights) 🌍 Origin: This is the Russian-grown lineage of the famous American heirloom “Northern Lights” (translated directly into Russian as Severnoe Siyanie). It has been widely circulated and adapted by Russian seed savers. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). In a greenhouse, it easily reaches up to 2 meters (6.5 … Read more
Quick Summary of Serdtse Kenguru (Kangaroo Heart) 🌍 Origin: A well-known Russian commercial/heirloom variety. The name translates to “Kangaroo Heart”, reflecting the shape and massive size of the fruit. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching 1.5 – 1.8 meters (5-6 ft). The bush is strong, healthy, and has moderate foliage. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Beautiful, perfectly … Read more
Quick Summary of Sozvezdie Vesov (Constellation Libra) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from Siberian Garden (SibSad). The name translates to “Constellation Libra” (often just sold as “Libra” / “Vesy”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching about 1.7m (5.6 ft). The bush is not overly vigorous or densely leafed. Growers recommend pruning and training it to … Read more
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 Sladkiy Bochonok (Sweet Barrel) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety. The name translates to “Sweet Barrel”, which perfectly describes its shape and flavor. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching 1.8-2 meters (6-6.5 ft). Pro Tip: The official description notes it is prone to excessive vegetative growth, so it requires strict pruning and … 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 Santa Maria 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded variety circulated by Russian seed collectors (seeds in this thread originate from V. Popenko). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). It is highly praised for its exceptional heat tolerance. Growers report it sets fruit perfectly without dropping blossoms (no skipped trusses) even during a 1.5-month-long severe … Read more
Quick Summary of Sasha 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom distributed by the well-known organic gardener and seed saver Kazarin. 🌿 Plant Habit: While sometimes officially positioned as a determinate (bush) variety, growers unanimously report that it behaves as an indeterminate (tall) vine, easily reaching 1.7 meters (5.6 ft) in both greenhouses and open ground. The … Read more