Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
Quick Summary of Bobbie 🌍 Origin & Strains: A well-known heirloom oxheart tomato. There is an interesting discussion among growers about the color: seeds sourced from Tatiana’s TOMATObase (Canada) typically produce pure red fruits, while strains sourced from some US vendors produce pink/raspberry-pink fruits. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-season. Like many oxheart varieties, it features … Read more
Quick Summary of Blue Jolies 🌍 Origin & Stability: A relatively new and visually stunning exotic variety. However, many growers report that the genetics are still highly unstable (it frequently segregates, producing green cocktail-sized fruits or green pears instead of the intended large orange beefsteaks). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, mid-season. The bush is tall, strong, … Read more
Quick Summary of Brandywine Covlik’s Strain 🌍 Origin: A specific strain of the famous American Brandywine heirloom tomato. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), featuring large, wide potato-type leaves. The bush is described as tall, slender, and somewhat sparse in foliage. It responds very well to fertilization. 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Large, smooth, rounded-oblate beefsteaks. The color … Read more
Quick Summary of Beauty Mark 🌍 Origin: Created by the famous American tomato breeder Tom Wagner. Fun fact: Due to a funny translation mix-up on Russian forums, some growers initially called it “Mark’s Beautiful” (Прекрасный Марка) before others corrected it to the actual meaning (a beauty mark or mole). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Very … Read more
Quick Summary of Bursztyn (Amber) 🌍 Origin: A European heirloom variety. “Bursztyn” translates to “Amber” in Polish, perfectly describing its vibrant orange color. The seeds in this thread trace back to notable Russian and Latvian collectors (D. Gusev, Valdis Pulinsh). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall). Very vigorous and productive. Growers report excellent results both in … Read more
Quick Summary of Elfie 🌍 Origin: A classic heirloom variety. The name “Elfie” is a traditional female name. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, requires staking. Best grown in a greenhouse in cooler climates, pruned to 2 stems. Yields can vary depending on the region: growers in Central Russia report excellent harvests, while those in Siberia note … Read more
Quick Summary of Blue Pineapple Lineage 🌍 Origin: A rare collectible variety originally developed in Belgium. Interestingly, in the Russian tomato community, the English word “Lineage” was somewhat lost in translation and it is commonly sold under the name “Epoch of the Blue Pineapple”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, tall and vigorous. It reaches about 150 … Read more
Quick Summary of Matt’s Hornet 🌍 Origin: A beautiful artisan-style novelty tomato. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate. It is a very manageable plant, reaching about 1.3 meters (4.3 ft) when grown in a greenhouse. Pro Tip: Growers recommend letting it branch out freely—after the first flower truss appears, you can completely stop pruning (suckering) the plant. … Read more
Quick Summary of Dwarf Shimofuri (Frost Waterfall) 🌍 Origin & History: An incredibly unique variegated variety created by US tomato breeder and enthusiast Applestar. She crossed the trailing variety Whippersnapper with Faelan’s First Snow. The name “Shimofuri” is a Japanese term meaning “marbled” or “white-veined” (often used to describe premium Wagyu beef), which perfectly describes … Read more
Quick Summary of Tsindao (Qingdao) 🌍 Origin: A well-known dark/black tomato variety popular among Russian and Eastern European heirloom growers. Originally named after the Chinese city of Qingdao. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall), but growers frequently note that the plant has a rather fragile, wispy structure (not overly aggressive in growth) and usually stops around … Read more
Quick Summary of Citrina 🌍 Origin: A highly sought-after commercial heirloom variety of Czech breeding. Its name hints at its appearance—the bright yellow fruits are shaped exactly like miniature lemons, complete with a distinct little point (beak) at the blossom end. 🌿 Plant Habit: Vigorous and incredibly productive (indeterminate). Because it sets such massive amounts … Read more
Quick Summary of Faworyt 17/2 (Raspberry Pouch) 🌍 Origin: A Polish breeding line resulting from a cross between Malinowa Sakiewka and Bordo. The name “Malinowa Sakiewka” translates to “Raspberry Pouch,” which perfectly describes its shape and color. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall-growing). 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Beautiful raspberry-pink tomatoes in the shape of a truffle (or … Read more