Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Ela 09 Red (Czerwony) 🌍 Origin: A fascinating Polish breeding line created by Ela. The lineage is an unnamed American variety (seeds were packed in a “Martha Stewart USA” packet) crossed with Stara Babcina Malinówka (a famous Polish heirloom meaning “Old Grandmother’s Pink”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. The breeder notes this is … Read more
Quick Summary of Ela 03 🌍 Origin: A new Polish breeding line. It is a cross between the variety Kiwi and K/20 (Kozula 20, described in Polish as czekoladowo-wiśniowy, meaning “chocolate-cherry”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-season variety. The bush is relatively manageable, reaching a height of about 1.5 meters (5 ft). 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, … Read more
Quick Summary of Ela 12 🌍 Origin: A new Polish breeding line. It is a cross between Malinowy Gigant (Pink Giant) and Albenga (a famous Italian pear/heart tomato, spelled “Albenaga” in the original post). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. The bush is described as very sturdy, vigorous, and highly disease-resistant. Growers have had excellent results growing … Read more
Quick Summary of Ela 18 🌍 Origin: A recent cross from a Polish breeding line. The lineage is listed as Malinowy nn od przekupki x Albenga (which roughly translates from Polish as “Unknown Pink from a market woman” crossed with “Albenga”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous plant. Best suited for greenhouse growing in cooler climates. … Read more
Quick Summary of Shokoladnaya Amazonka (Chocolate Amazon) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety widely circulated among prominent private seed collectors (such as Popenko and Redko). The name translates to “Chocolate Amazon”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, though some growers describe it as medium-tall, reaching about 1.5 m (5 ft) in greenhouses. The plant is sturdy and … Read more
Quick Summary of Shimbleng 🌍 Origin: A rare heirloom variety grown by Russian collectors. The exact origin of the name “Shimbleng” is unknown, likely a phonetic adaptation. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Greenhouse heights vary from 1.5 to 2 meters (5 to 6.5 ft) depending on conditions. Growers recommend pruning it to 2 stems for … 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 Shokoladny (Chocolate) 🌍 Origin: A very popular Russian commercial variety sold by several seed companies (Aelita, Siberian Garden, Prestige, Myazina). The name translates simply to “Chocolate”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Officially classified as semi-determinate (1.1 to 1.5 meters / 3.6 to 5 ft). However, depending on the seed source and growing conditions, many … 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 Shokoladnaya Zebra (Chocolate Zebra) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety (released by Siberian Garden / SibSad). The name translates to “Chocolate Zebra”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate / Semi-dwarf. The bushes are quite compact, usually growing only 1 to 1.2 meters (3.2 to 4 ft) tall. Despite their small stature, they are incredibly … 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 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