Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: IPK LYC 859 El Salvador is an indeterminate, mid-season, multi-purpose red plum tomato with a distinctive pointed tip. While the flavor is described as mild or slightly bland (making it better suited for processing or canning rather than fresh eating), its main standout feature is its massive yield. Growers report that this … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Limbo is a mid-season determinate bush variety known for producing heavy yields of elongated, somewhat triangular red paste tomatoes weighing 2.8-4.2 oz (80-120 g). While the seedlings can be notoriously spindly and leggy indoors, the mature plants stay under 3 feet (90 cm) and are highly praised as a bulletproof, long-storing canning … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Legenda Tarasenko is a legendary indeterminate multiflora variety bred by the famous Ukrainian breeder Feodosiy Tarasenko. It is known for producing massive, fan-shaped trusses that can hold up to 30-40 small, red paste tomatoes weighing about 3.5 oz (100 g) each. The fruits typically feature a sharp little beak on the blossom … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Lebyazhiy Pukh (Swan’s Down) is a classic Ukrainian heirloom that has been circulating for over 40 years. It is a highly productive determinate bush that produces small red plum tomatoes, traditionally featuring a sharp little “beak” on the blossom end. The plants stay compact, reaching only about 24-28 inches (60-70 cm) tall … Read more
🍅 Quick take: Chinese Tree (Kitayskoe Derevo) is an indeterminate red tomato that produces heavy yields of large, meaty plum/paste fruits weighing 5-9 oz (150-250 g). Growers praise it for its excellent sweet flavor, firm texture, and outstanding shelf life. It even retains its taste well when ripened on the counter. Full summary ↓ Growers’ … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Kimmeriec (Cimmerian) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial variety. The name translates to “Cimmerian” (referencing the ancient nomadic Indo-European people). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Very compact, topping out around 24 to 28 inches (60-70 cm). Needs plenty of lateral space and strong staking due to the massive weight of the fruit. Best … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Izumitelnye (Amazing) 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom/commercial variety. The name “Izumitelnye” translates directly to “Amazing” or “Marvelous”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Appears to be semi-determinate or a shorter indeterminate, reaching about 4 feet (1.2 m) in height. It is highly valued by growers for its strong resistance to Late Blight. 🍅 Fruit … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zemlyak (Countryman) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety released by the Siberian Garden (SibSad) seed company. The name “Zemlyak” translates to “Countryman” or “Fellow Countryman”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). It has a very wide, sprawling growth habit. It requires virtually no maintenance and can be grown without pruning (suckering). 🍅 … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): De Barao (Red) 🌍 Origin: An absolute legend in the post-Soviet gardening world. Supposedly originally hailing from Brazil, it was introduced to the USSR in the 1990s and became a staple for millions of gardeners. This thread focuses on the classic Red version, though there are Black, Pink, and Yellow variants. … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Damskie Palchiki (Ladies’ Fingers) 🌍 Origin: A legendary old commercial and home garden variety. The name directly translates to “Ladies’ Fingers”, perfectly describing its shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate to semi-determinate. Very compact outdoors, but can grow taller if staked in a greenhouse. Known for being incredibly reliable and low-maintenance. 🍅 … Read more
Quick Summary of Slivka Bendrika (Bendrik’s Plum) 🌍 Origin: Bred by Alexander Bendrik in Gorodnya (Chernihiv region, Ukraine). It comes in two color variations: Red and Yellow (which often has a deep orange tint). The name translates to “Bendrik’s Plum”. 🌿 Plant Habit: There is some debate about its growth habit. The originator calls it … Read more
Quick Summary of Sibirskoye Zastolye (Siberian Feast) 🌍 Origin: A very reliable Russian variety bred specifically for regions with short, difficult summers. The name translates to “Siberian Feast”. ⚠️ Naming Confusion: Do not confuse this variety with “Sibirskie Zastolnye” from the Siberian Garden (SibSad) company, which is a completely different variety that produces round fruits. … Read more