Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: Orange Orangutan is an indeterminate, mid-season heirloom bicolor circulating out of Germany. It produces heavy, trouble-free clusters of massive 10.5-21 oz (300-600 g) beefsteaks with glowing yellow-orange skin that blushes deep raspberry pink at peak ripeness. Praised by northern growers across Zones 3 to 7, it stands out for its luscious, buttery, … Read more
🍅 Quick take: OSU O Blonde avec Tetons is an indeterminate, mid-season specialty plum derived from Oregon State University anthocyanin genetics and refined in Europe. It bears variable 4.2-8.8 oz (120-250 g) red plum-shaped fruits splashed with dusky purple shoulders, frequently sporting a prominent pointed beak. In cool northern greenhouses, it yields firm yet remarkably … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Our Own Pink is an American family heirloom featuring vigorous indeterminate vines with broad potato-leaf foliage. It yields large, thin-skinned pink beefsteaks mid-season. Grower trials show it shines far brighter when grown outdoors in full summer sun than inside a humid greenhouse, where its classic sweet-tart flavor can fall a bit flat … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Orange Jazz is an indeterminate, mid-season beefsteak bred by Fred Hempel (Artisan Seeds, California). It puts on massive 10.5-24.5 oz (300-700 g) oblate orange slicers, capable of topping 2 lbs (900 g+), marked with subtle pearlescent yellow striping. Celebrated for its bold, tropical sweet-tart kick reminiscent of sparkling lemonade, growers note it … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Ozark Sunrise is a stunning compact indeterminate slicer bred by the late Dr. Mark McCaslin of Frogsleap Farm (Minnesota). It yields 3.5-9 oz (100-250 g) fruits that seem to glow from the inside out, pairing warm red-pink (and occasional gold) flesh with deep indigo-black anthocyanin shoulders wherever kissed by the sun. Northern … Read more
🍅 Quick take: One Trick Pony is an indeterminate, mid-season dark beefsteak bred by acclaimed Canadian breeder Karen Olivier (Ladysmith, BC). Bred with regular foliage as a tongue-in-cheek retort to critics who claimed she could only breed potato-leaf varieties, it bears gorgeous 7-17.5 oz (200-500 g) smoky purple-brown slicers. Northern growers report incredible melt-in-your-mouth texture, … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Negrillo de Almoguera is a historic Spanish heirloom from Castilla-La Mancha that was saved from extinction by university researchers. An indeterminate vine reaching over 6.5 feet (2 m), it yields hefty 10.5 oz (300 g) dusky brownish-pink beefsteaks with scalloped olive-green shoulders and rich garnet flesh. Gardeners prize it for two exceptional … Read more
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🍅 Quick take: Not Purple Strawberry is an indeterminate, mid-season dark tomato bred by Tomatoville member Jay (BrazosRiverGardener) from a cross between Cherokee Purple and German Red Strawberry. Despite the name, it produces medium-to-large purplish-brown beefsteaks rather than heart-shaped fruits, growing on a manageable 4.5-5 ft (1.4-1.5 m) vine. Most growers here rave about its … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Nicky Crain is an indeterminate, mid-season American heirloom tomato from Kentucky, famous for its wispy foliage and plump, medium-to-large pink oxheart fruits. All three growers here praise its reliable heavy yields, thin skin, and dense, meaty flesh that is almost completely seedless. Full summary ↓ Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 4-6 … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Negro Azteca is an indeterminate, mid-season dark cherry heirloom originating from Mexico. It produces high yields of dusky purple-brown, 0.7 oz (20 g) cherries accented by striking, extra-long green sepals. Renowned for its vigorous habit, heat tolerance, and total resistance to splitting, it thrives outdoors trained to multiple leaders with a smooth, … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Negro de Silex (Negro de Siles) is a rare Spanish heirloom originating from the mountain village of Siles in Jaén, Andalusia. It is an indeterminate, mid-season beefsteak producing oblate, heavily ribbed dusky fruits weighing 3.5-17.5 oz (100-500 g) with plump shoulders and a faint anthocyanin blush. Growers praise it for its repeatable, … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Napa Giant is an American heirloom originating from California’s Napa Valley. An indeterminate, mid-season beefsteak, it is renowned for throwing giant, broad, oblate pink fruits capable of topping 2.2 lbs (1 kg). While capable of stellar size and rich old-fashioned flavor when pruned, outdoor trials show it can drop blossoms in extreme … Read more