Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ispolin Malinoviy (Raspberry Giant) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety. The name translates to “Raspberry Giant” and it is widely distributed by the Siberian Garden (Sibsad) seed company. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching anywhere from 3.2 to 5.9 feet (1 to 1.8 m) depending on whether it’s grown outdoors or … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ilya Muromets 🌍 Origin: Commercial variety from the “Poisk” seed company. It is named after Ilya Muromets, a legendary folklore hero and knight known for his immense strength. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, reaching about 5-6 feet (150-180 cm). A very sturdy, strong plant that is not overly sprawling and shows great … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Italyanskiy Riflenyi (Italian Ribbed) 🌍 Origin: A “working name” for a variety circulated through Russian seed swaps online. As growers noted, it is highly likely a strain of the famous Costoluto Genovese. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Mid-season maturity with very good yields. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Red, heavily ribbed (fluted) fruits … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Izumrudnoe Yabloko (Emerald Apple) 🌍 Origin: A classic commercial green-when-ripe (GWR) variety dating back to the Soviet era. Released by multiple Russian seed companies over the years. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indet. Mid-height. Highly adaptable, performs well in both greenhouses and outdoors in the dirt. It is known for pushing megablooms and … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Inzhir Rozoviy (Pink Fig) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety released by the seed company Gavrish. It is part of their popular “Fig” series, which also includes Inzhir Krasniy (Red Fig) and Inzhir Zheltyy (Yellow Fig). The red version is widely considered to be a renaming of the Italian heirloom Abruzzo. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Imperator Chu Fu (Emperor Chu Fu) 🌍 Origin: Circulated in the seed market as a commercial heirloom of Chinese origin. 🌿 Plant Habit: Mid-season, indeterminate. A very resilient plant that performs well outdoors in open ground. Growers note it recovers easily if topped or damaged during the seedling stage. 🍅 Fruit … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zvart Heil Lekken 🌍 Origin: A rare dark heirloom. The name appears to be of Dutch/Flemish origin (Zwart meaning black). In Eastern European seed circles, it is widely traded under its translated Russian name: Istochnik Schastya Cherny (Black Source of Happiness). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A mid-season variety that is … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zarevo (Glow) 🌍 Origin: A very rare Russian heirloom variety popularized and distributed by the well-known tomato seed collector V. Kolyakov. The name translates to “Glow” or “Blaze”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. A tall, powerful, and vigorous plant that performs exceptionally well in greenhouses. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright red, round beefsteaks … Read more
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Quick Summary of Starburst Nebula 📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Starburst Nebula 🌍 Origin: A stunning and somewhat rare bicolor variety. Known in the Russian heirloom community as Zvezdnaya Tumannost (which literally translates back to Starburst Nebula). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall vine). Mid-season ripening. Vigorous plants that easily reach 5 ft (1.5 m) and keep … Read more
Quick Summary of Zoloto Khakasii (Gold of Khakassia) 📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zoloto Khakasii 🌍 Origin: A stunning heirloom from the Republic of Khakassia in Siberia. The name translates to “Gold of Khakassia”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall vine), mid-season ripening. Vigorous growth typical of Siberian varieties. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, chubby oxhearts (blunt heart … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zheltye Dlinnye (Yellow Long) 🌍 Origin: A true, unnamed family heirloom from Russia. It has been passed down and saved by the thread author’s family since her great-grandmother’s time. The name “Yellow Long” is simply a working title. 🌿 Plant Habit: Semi-determinate to indeterminate. Reaches about 5.2 ft (160 cm) in … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Yellow Striped Boar 🌍 Origin: A famous American novelty variety bred by Brad Gates at Wild Boar Farms (California, USA). It is widely grown and traded among Eastern European and Russian heirloom collectors. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). A mid-season producer that performs very well in greenhouse environments. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: … Read more