Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dary Volkhvov (Gifts of the Magi) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety. The name beautifully translates to “Gifts of the Magi” (referencing the Biblical Wise Men). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Grows to about 5 feet (1.5 m) tall. Performs well in greenhouses. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Red, elongated oval (plum/paste) tomatoes. They … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dina 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate. Generally stays compact at around 24-28 inches (60-70 cm) in full sun, but demonstrates extreme shade tolerance. If planted in the shade, it will stretch significantly to reach the light. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright yellow-orange fruits. The packet claims they have … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Da Chilo 🌍 Origin: A massive heirloom variety from Italy. The name “Da Chilo” translates to “Weighing a kilo” (2.2 lbs), which perfectly describes its size potential! 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. A highly vigorous, tall plant that thrives in a greenhouse environment when pruned to two main stems. Mid-season maturity. 🍅 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dieticheskiy Chempion (Dietary Champion) 🌍 Origin: A Ukrainian variety developed by the Institute of Irrigated Agriculture in Kherson. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall, mid-season variety. Thrives in both greenhouses and open ground. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Oblate (flattened) beefsteaks weighing 8.8-12.3 oz (250-350 g). They ripen to a stunning dark purple/black-raspberry color. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Detskaya Sladost (Children’s Sweetness) 🌍 Origin: Сommercial variety from the “Gavrish” seed company. The name translates to “Children’s Sweetness”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, compact bush growing about 20-24 inches (50-60 cm) tall. Suitable for open ground or container growing. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright red, firm, egg-shaped/oval tomatoes weighing 3.5-4.2 oz (100-120 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dvortsovyi (Palace) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety. The name translates to “Palace”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, but grows vigorously to about 4 feet (1.2 m) tall outdoors, meaning it can easily be grown in a greenhouse as well. It has a long fruiting window. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, red, oblate … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dzhan (Jan) 🌍 Origin: A historic Russian heirloom bred by the famous Voronezh amateur breeder N.S. Bykhanov. He named it “Dzhan” (meaning “friend” or “soul” in Turkic languages) in honor of his friends and the legendary Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, medium vigor with somewhat pale green, regular … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dobrynya Nikitich 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety. It is named after Dobrynya Nikitich, a famous, legendary bogatyr (knight/hero) from ancient Russian folklore known for his immense strength and size. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, growing 5-6.5 feet (1.5-2 m) tall. It is recommended to top the plant after the 8th-10th truss … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): De Barao Kabardinskiy (Kabardian De Barao) 🌍 Origin: A very rare, old amateur “folk breeding” variety. The name references Kabardino-Balkaria, a republic in the North Caucasus region. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. Produces tall, highly vigorous, and powerful vines. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Despite the “De Barao” name (which is typically a small … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dikovinnyi Tsvetok (Wondrous Flower) 🌍 Origin: A rare Eastern European variety. The name translates beautifully to “Wondrous Flower” or “Exotic Flower”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Performs exceptionally well in a greenhouse setting when pruned to 2 main stems. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Absolutely stunning appearance. The tomatoes are oblate (flattened) and … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Denezhnyi Meshok (Money Bag) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety. The name translates directly to “Money Bag,” hinting at its supposed high yield and profitability. 🌿 Plant Habit: Officially listed as indeterminate, growing up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall. However, forum members frequently report getting off-type seeds that grow into … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Dieticheskiy Zdorovyak (Dietary Big Guy) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety from Siberian Garden (SibSad). The name translates to “Dietary Big Guy”, referencing both its massive fruit size and its orange color (which in Russia is often marketed as “dietary” or hypoallergenic). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Reaches about 3 feet (1 … Read more