Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Yaponskiy Krab (Japanese Crab) 🌍 Origin: A very famous commercial Russian variety originally registered by “Demetra-Sibir” (Altai region). The name translates to “Japanese Crab”, referring to the ribbed, somewhat flattened shape of the original strain that supposedly resembles a crab. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous, and tall (typically 1.5–2 meters / 5–6.5 … Read more
Quick Summary of Yaponka (Japanese Girl) 🌍 Origin: A highly popular Russian/Eastern European internet heirloom. The name translates to “Japanese Girl” or “Japanese Woman”. It is believed to be closely related to the famous ‘Cardinal’ variety but features a distinct pointed tip. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, typically growing 1.5–2 meters (5–6.5 ft) tall. It has … Read more
Quick Summary of Cherniy iz Tuly (Black from Tula) 🌍 Origin: An old folk selection variety from Tula. Interestingly, it gained massive popularity in the USA (often brought by Ukrainian immigrants) before returning to Eastern Europe as a sought-after commercial heirloom. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), regular leaf. Very vigorous and unpretentious. If not topped, … Read more
Quick Summary of Dark Brown Honey (Temno-korichnevyi Myod) 🌍 Origin: A beautiful and productive dark-fruited heirloom variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Performs very well in a greenhouse environment, especially when pruned and maintained to 2 stems. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Produces lovely dark brown/mahogany, heart-shaped tomatoes (oxhearts). The fruits are medium to large, weighing up … Read more
Quick Summary of Serdechnyi Potseluy (Heart’s Kiss) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the famous “Siberian Garden” (Sibsad) seed company. The name translates to “Heart’s Kiss”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate / semi-determinate, reaching about 1.3 m (4.2 ft) in height. It can be grown outdoors in open ground, but requires proper pruning (usually to … Read more
Quick Summary of Tiger Plum (Sliva Tigrovaya) 🌍 Origin & Name: An Eastern European striped heirloom, also known in international circles as Plum Tigris. Translates from Russian directly as “Tiger Plum” (Sliva Tigrovaya). It is sometimes confused with “Striped Plum”, though growers note they are genetically different. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly versatile. When grown outdoors … Read more
Quick Summary of Solokha 🌍 Origin & Name: A popular Eastern European variety. “Solokha” is a female name, famously known as the lively, mischievous village witch in Nikolai Gogol’s classic tale “The Night Before Christmas”. 🔍 The “Two Strains” Mystery: Forum discussions reveal there are at least two distinct genetic lines circulating under this name: … Read more
.jpg.770ac4465abe546b727301f0efd48514.jpg)
Quick Summary of Salut Viktorii (Victoria’s Salute) 🌍 Origin: A stunning modern collectible variety bred by Russian breeder Sofia Saakova. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Performs exceptionally well in greenhouses when pruned to 2 stems. Highly productive with fruits that tend to ripen quite uniformly. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Gorgeous burgundy-brown fruits with striking anthocyanin (dark … Read more
.jpg.f978adbc71ca885fd0de7f7988d63706.jpg)
Quick Summary of Pomodoro del Nonno di Eupilio 🌍 Origin: A wonderful Italian heirloom whose name translates to “Grandpa Eupilio’s Tomato”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-late season variety. Performs exceptionally well and produces heavy yields when grown in a greenhouse. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Distinctive red “pouch” or ribbed pear-like shape. The fruits are large and … Read more
Quick Summary of Aunt Swarlo’s Polish Plum Appearance & Shape: Huge, chubby, ribbed red plums/hearts. There is some initial confusion in the thread, but true-to-type fruits are red (not pink) and notably ribbed, rather than smooth. Plant Habit: The plant has classic “wispy” or weeping foliage. Don’t be alarmed if the bush looks frail … Read more