Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
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📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gigante Farina 🌍 Origin: A spectacular large-fruited Italian heirloom. It is the result of the meticulous breeding work of Rimo Farina from Bleggio, Italy. The name “Farina” is also tied to a town in the Frosinone province. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching over 6.5 ft (2 m) in a greenhouse. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Gigante di Pavia 🌍 Origin: A fantastic large-fruited Italian heirloom originating from Pavia, an ancient city in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Locally in Italy, it is often simply called “Tumatica Giganta” (Giant Tomato). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall) and mid-season. The vines can reach up to 6 feet (1.8 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Vasilina 🌍 Origin: A Russian/Ukrainian collector’s variety. In this thread, one of the seed sources is the well-known Ukrainian breeder and collector Aleksey Kulik. The name “Vasilina” is a traditional Slavic female name. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Out in the open ground, it reached about 4 feet (1.2 m), but … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Vechnyi Zov (Eternal Call) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety from the well-known seed company “Siberian Garden” (SibSad). The name translates to “Eternal Call”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate. The seed packet claims it’s a short 28-inch (70 cm) bush, but growers in this thread report highly variable heights. Depending on pruning … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Vanka (Little Ivan) 🌍 Origin & Name: A private Russian heirloom variety that gained popularity through seed collector Anzhelika Manusha. The name “Vanka” is an affectionate, colloquial diminutive of the name Ivan (essentially meaning “Little Ivan” or “Johnny”). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but highly praised for not being an overly … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Vareniki 🌍 Origin & Name: A fantastic commercial heirloom originating from Northern Kazakhstan. The name “Vareniki” translates to traditional Eastern European dumplings (similar to pierogi). It was named this because the ideal fruit shape is supposed to resemble a dumpling – a plump, half-moon or boat shape, often finishing with a … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Vedro s Kusta (A Bucket per Bush) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic family heirloom originating from Barnaul (Siberia, Russia). The name translates literally to “A Bucket from a Bush” or “A Bucket per Bush”, which perfectly describes its massive yield potential. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), reaching about 6.5 ft (2 m). … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Bolshaya Deva (Big Maiden) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety. The name “Bolshaya Deva” translates to “Big Maiden” or “Big Virgin.” Note: It should not be confused with the pink variety simply named “Deva.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Officially listed as determinate, but acts more like a semi-determinate. Grown outdoors in open … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Big Zac 🌍 Origin: Bred in the USA by Minnie Zaccaria. It is famous worldwide among competitive growers for producing record-breaking giant tomatoes. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, vigorous, and noted for producing exceptionally thick stems. It can easily exceed 2 meters (6.5 ft) in a greenhouse. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Red, oblate … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Beefsteak Albi 🌍 Origin: A famous giant heirloom from Russia. This variety is a known champion at the prestigious annual “Minusinsk Tomato Champion” festival in Siberia, where growers compete to raise the heaviest tomatoes in the country. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. An absolute beast of a plant. Growers describe it as … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Brutus 🌍 Origin: A well-known commercial variety originating from the Czech Republic, famous for its massive size. Note: Some commercial seed companies label it as an “F1 Hybrid,” but many growers suspect this is a marketing trick to discourage seed saving, as saved seeds grow out true to type. 🌿 Plant … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Basajaun 🌍 Origin: A highly prized family heirloom from the Basque Country (Biscay province, Spain). Introduced to the wider heirloom community by Secret Seed Cartel. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), though some greenhouse growers report it staying around 5 feet (1.5m). It is a sturdy but slow-growing plant that absolutely requires … Read more