Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Skifeya (Scythian Fairy) 🌍 Origin & Fascinating History: This variety has an incredible backstory. The seeds were discovered by a Russian collector in a remote Siberian village near Abakan, right next to the ruins of Zinkhir—the oldest stone city in the world, once belonging to the ancient Scythian civilization. The local village … Read more
Quick Summary of Sibirskiy Khottabych (Siberian Khottabych) 🌍 Origin: A beloved Russian heirloom originating from the Altai Mountains region. Named “Khottabych” (a famous genie from a Russian fairy tale), likely owing to the magical, bottle-like shape of the fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and very tall (reaching up to 3m / 10ft in a greenhouse). … Read more
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Quick Summary of Slivka Gurman (Gourmet Plum) 🌍 Origin: A stunning novelty striped anthocyanin variety popular among Russian collectors. The name translates to “Gourmet Plum”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but known for being quite slender and well-behaved—it doesn’t produce an overwhelming amount of suckers. It performs very well in cooler greenhouse conditions and is … Read more
Quick Summary of Sinyaya Grusha (Blue Pear) 🌍 Origin: A very popular and beautiful anthocyanin variety. Widely grown in Russia as “Sinyaya Grusha”, which literally translates to “Blue Pear”. It is often listed in European catalogs under the English name. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very vigorous, and tall (frequently reaching 2-2.5m / 6.5-8 ft). Despite … Read more
Quick Summary of San Marzano 🌍 Origin: The legendary, world-famous Italian heirloom originating from the Campania region in Italy. It is considered the gold standard for tomato paste and sauces worldwide. 🌿 Plant Habit: Varies heavily depending on the specific line/biotype you grow. It can range from a compact 60 cm (2 ft) bush (Nano/Dwarf … Read more
Quick Summary of Red Hunter (Krasnyi Okhotnik) 🌍 Origin: A highly reliable, time-tested commercial Russian variety. 🌿 Plant Habit: Determinate, tree-type dwarf (stout bush). It grows very compact, no taller than 50-60 cm (20-24 inches), with strong, thick foliage. Excellent for outdoor growing. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Bright red, firm, barrel-shaped “blocky plums” weighing 80-90 g … Read more
Quick Summary of Rozovyi Tyulpan (Pink Tulip) 🌍 Origin: A stunning collector’s variety of unknown exact origin, widely circulated among Russian and European tomato enthusiasts. Sometimes grown under the translated name “Tulip Pink”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate and late-season. Reports on its growth habit vary: some growers note a wispy, fragile structure (up to 1.5m … Read more
Quick Summary of Priz Ispytaniy (Prize of the Trials) 🌍 Origin: A fantastic Russian variety. The name translates to “Prize of the Trials”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), mid-season variety. Typically grows to about 1.6–1.8 meters (5.2–6 ft). It is highly reliable and sets fruit perfectly without dropping blossoms (no blossom drop). It may take … Read more
Quick Summary of Palmira 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian variety originally from the “Gavrish” seed company. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall (around 2 meters / 6.5 ft). Known for its incredibly thick, strong stems. Grows well both in greenhouses and outdoors. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Orange, elongated “icicle” or paste-type tomatoes. Very dense, firm, with a … Read more