Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
🍅 Quick take: Kamennoe Serdtse (Stone Heart) is an indeterminate, mid-early to mid-season pink oxheart. Growers rave about its exceptional yields, reliable blossom set in fluctuating temperatures, and most notably, its extremely dense, heavy fruits that perfectly match the “Stone” in its name. It features a wispy plant habit ideal for greenhouse spacing. Full summary … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Kubiki (Cubes) 🌍 Origin: An unnamed Russian family heirloom that has been passed down and grown for over 25 years. The original name was lost to time, so the grower dubbed it “Kubiki” (Cubes) due to its blocky shape. 🌿 Plant Habit: A true determinate (bush) variety. It stays short, maxing … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Krem Brule (Creme Brulee) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial dark tomato variety. The name translates to “Creme Brulee”. It is at the center of a famous seed-market confusion, as two major Russian companies (Aelita and Gavrish) sell completely different tomatoes under the exact same name. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Reaches around … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Karamelka (Little Caramel) 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial dwarf/patio variety bred specifically for container and balcony gardening. The name translates to “Little Caramel” (a hard candy). 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate (bush). Generally stays very short, sprawling, and compact. It requires no pruning or suckering. However, some growers warn that if planted in … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Korol Londona (King of London) 🌍 Origin: A famous Russian heirloom name surrounded by confusion. There are at least two completely different varieties sharing this name. The original old strain comes from Russian breeder N.S. Bykhanov and produces large, oblate beefsteaks. Modern commercial seed companies (like Siberian Garden) sell a variety under … Read more
📌 Quick Summary: Kilechki (Sprats) Named after the famous tiny forage fish, this unique Russian heirloom is catching the eye of cherry tomato collectors. But is it just a novelty shape, or does it actually perform in the garden? 🌍 Origin: A Russian collector’s variety. The name “Kilechki” translates to “Little Sprats” (tiny fish), perfectly … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Korol King-2 (King King-2) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic Russian heirloom variety famously circulated by collectors like Valentina Redko and Vera Monakhova. The name literally translates to “King King”. There are two known variations in circulation: the original “Korol King” and the updated “Korol King-2”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Depending on … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Ivanushka 🌍 Origin: A very old Russian commercial variety. The name “Ivanushka” is an affectionate diminutive of Ivan (John), a name incredibly popular in classic Russian folklore and fairy tales. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate bush. It stays relatively compact, reaching around 31.5 inches (80 cm) in height, making it a great … Read more
📌 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): Ivan Ivanych 🌍 Origin: A Russian heirloom variety. The name “Ivan Ivanych” is a traditional and respectful Russian first name and patronymic combination. 🌿 Plant Habit: A mid-sized plant with potato leaf (PL) foliage. It is a very early season variety known for uniform ripening, meaning the fruits tend to flush … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Irish Liqueur 🌍 Origin: A Russian commercial green-when-ripe (GWR) variety. Initially released by seed companies like “Sortsemovosch” and “Uralskiy Dachnik”. While sometimes commercially labeled as an F1 hybrid, it has been widely circulated as a stable open-pollinated heirloom among growers. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indet. Sturdy and relatively compact for an indeterminate … Read more
📌 Quick Summary (TL;DR): Zoloto Kolchaka (Kolchak’s Gold) 🌍 Origin: A prolific Russian heirloom variety named after a famous historical legend surrounding the lost gold of the Russian Empire. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. A very vigorous, powerful plant that sets heavy clusters of fruit and requires excellent staking to prevent branches from snapping under the … Read more