Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Serafima 🌍 Origin: An experimental variety developed by the well-known Latvian tomato breeder Valdis Puliņš. “Serafima” is a traditional Eastern European female name. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but tends to stay on the shorter side for an indet (growers report heights between 1.3m – 1.7m / 4.2 – 5.5 ft in greenhouses). … 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 Sakharnyi Bizon (Sugar Bison) 🌍 Origin: A famous Russian amateur selection that has become a commercial classic (popularized by companies like Siberian Garden / SibSad). The name translates to “Sugar Bison” and it is considered the forefather of many modern Russian pink varieties. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly debated! Seed packets often list … Read more
Quick Summary of Serzhant Marli 2020 (Sergeant Marley 2020) 🌍 Origin: A highly sought-after, highly productive anthocyanin variety, extremely popular among Russian and Eastern European collectors. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), mostly grown in greenhouses. It is a “heavy feeder” but puts its energy directly into fruit production rather than suffering from excessive vegetative growth … Read more
Quick Summary of Serdtse Denisa (Denis’s Heart) 🌍 Origin: A stunning modern cross bred by Russian tomato breeder Tatiana Nagle. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and mid-season. The plant has a classic “skinny” oxheart growth habit with delicate, wispy foliage. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Gorgeous anthocyanin bicolor oxhearts. The base color is orange with a red … Read more
Quick Summary of Serdtse Lyuby (Lyuba’s Heart) 🌍 Origin: A wonderful Russian collector’s variety. The name translates to “Lyuba’s Heart” (Lyuba is short for Lyubov, which also means “Love” in Russian). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Can grow very vigorous and tall in a greenhouse (some growers report tying it to the ceiling), though its … Read more
Quick Summary of Razbitoe Serdechko (Broken Heart) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety favored by collectors. The name translates to “Broken Heart”, referencing the slightly asymmetrical or uniquely shaped pink oxheart fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining) but often reported as staying relatively short (about 1.5 m / 5 ft). Like many classic oxheart varieties, … Read more
Quick Summary of Roza Tashkenta (Rose of Tashkent) 🌍 Origin: A collectible heirloom variety. The name translates to “Rose of Tashkent” (Tashkent being the capital of Uzbekistan, a region legendary across the former Soviet Union for its incredibly sweet and meaty market tomatoes). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining). It is a sturdy, vigorous plant that … Read more
Quick Summary of Reyna 🌍 Origin: A rare and exotic long-fruited heirloom variety popular among Russian collectors. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (vining) and tall, easily reaching 1.8 m (6 feet). The foliage is average, not overly dense. Pro Tip: Most growers highly recommend pruning this variety strictly to two stems to maximize the yield. 🍅 … Read more
Quick Summary of Rumyanyi (Rosy) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial and collectible variety. The name translates to “Rosy” or “Ruddy”, perfectly describing its glowing pinkish-red skin. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). It is a sturdy, compact plant growing about 50-70 cm (20-28 inches) outdoors, and stretching up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) in a greenhouse. … Read more
Quick Summary of Russkaya Krasavitsa (Russian Beauty) 🌍 Origin: Officially included in the Russian State Register of breeding achievements in 2007. A highly sought-after pink oxheart variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-season. Reaches about 1.5 meters (5 ft) in height. Requires staking and pruning. It has remarkable disease resistance, officially noted for resisting Fusarium wilt … Read more
Quick Summary of Russkaya Roza (Russian Rose) Important Variety Note: Do not confuse this classic heirloom Russian Rose (Russkaya Roza / Русская Роза) — a large, sweet pink beefsteak originating from Novorossiysk, Russia — with Black Russian Rose (a dark, anthocyanin-rich oxheart bred in Latvia by Valdis Puliņš). They are two distinct varieties with completely … Read more