Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary: Shedevr (Masterpiece) 🌍 Origin: A highly regarded commercial variety from the Altai region of Russia. (Note: Do not confuse this with similar-sounding varieties like Slavyanskiy Shedevr or Altayskiy Shedevr). The name translates to “Masterpiece”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-season. It reaches about 1.5 to 1.8 meters (5 to 6 ft) in a greenhouse. … Read more
Quick Summary: Abrikosovye ot Gulzhanat (Gulzhanat’s Apricot) 🌍 Origin: A rare amateur heirloom variety tracing back to a collector named Gulzhanat. The name translates directly to “Apricot from Gulzhanat.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and very tall (easily reaches the roof of a standard greenhouse). Despite its height, growers note it performs well even when planted … Read more
Quick Summary of Stormin Norman 🌍 Origin: A US variety developed by breeder Blane Horton. It is part of his famous “Keyes” multiflora line. The variety was named in honor of General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., famous for his command during Operation Desert Storm. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), vigorous, and early-season. This variety is a … Read more
Quick Summary of Matt’s Hornet 🌍 Origin: A beautiful artisan-style novelty tomato. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. It is a very manageable plant, reaching about 1.3 meters (4.3 ft) when grown in a greenhouse. Pro Tip: Growers recommend letting it branch out freely—after the first flower truss appears, you can completely stop pruning (suckering) the plant. … Read more
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Quick Summary of Reinhard’s Chocolate Heart (and the Kraft Trilogy) 🌍 Origin: Developed by the renowned German tomato breeder Reinhard Kraft. This variety is part of the famous “Reinhard’s Heart Trilogy,” which includes Chocolate, Green, and Purple heart-shaped tomatoes. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), vigorous plants. Like many classic oxhearts, they possess “wispy” or droopy … Read more
Quick Summary of Shapka Monomakha (Monomakh’s Cap) 👑 What is “Monomakh’s Cap”? The name translates to Monomakh’s Cap, which is the legendary, jewel-encrusted, sable-trimmed crown of the early Russian Tsars (dating back to the 13th century). The crown has a distinct dome/cone shape with a pointed top. Therefore, the “true” heirloom tomato of this name … Read more
Quick Summary of Shchedraya Slivka Tarasenko (Tarasenko’s Generous Plum) 🌍 Origin: Developed by the legendary Soviet/Ukrainian tomato breeder Feodosiy Tarasenko. The name translates to “Tarasenko’s Generous Plum”. It is considered one of his rarer varieties that didn’t become as widespread commercially as his other famous creations. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-season. The bush is exceptionally … Read more
Quick Summary of Chocolate Stripes (Polosatiy Shokolad) 🌍 Origin: A famous American variety developed in Ohio, USA by breeder John Siegel (a cross between Schimmeig Creg and a pink beefsteak). In Russia, it became incredibly popular under the translated name “Polosatiy Shokolad” (Striped Chocolate). Note: A Russian seed company even controversially trademarked this name in … Read more
Quick Summary of Shokoladniy Zaychik (Chocolate Bunny) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular commercial and collector variety from Russia. The name translates to “Chocolate Bunny”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Generally an indeterminate (tall) and extremely vigorous plant. However, growers note it is very sensitive to soil moisture and fertility; in dry, sandy soils, it may act like … Read more
Quick Summary of the Shokoladka F1 (Little Chocolate) Segregants 🌍 Origin & Context: A fascinating community experiment in de-hybridizing a commercial Russian F1 hybrid called “Shokoladka” (Little Chocolate). Growers planted saved seeds from the F1 generation and documented the resulting F2 and F3 segregations (off-types). 🧬 The Segregating Lines: The hybrid split into three distinct … Read more
Quick Summary of Shuntukskiy Velikan (Shuntuk Giant) 🌍 Origin: A robust, traditional Russian heirloom. The name translates to “Shuntuk Giant” (likely originating from the Shuntuk area in Southern Russia). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), vigorous, and surprisingly low-maintenance. It is highly praised for its incredible cold tolerance, setting fruit successfully even during unusually cold and … Read more
Quick Summary of Cherri Uralskoe (Ural Cherry) 🌍 Origin: A private, exclusive Russian variety developed over 6 years by breeder Nikolay Alexandrov. It is not sold in commercial stores. 🌿 Plant Habit: An incredibly vigorous, massive indeterminate plant. If left unpruned, its aggressive suckers will grow sideways for meters and even try to root into … Read more