Heirloom Tomato Varieties & Reviews | Tomat-Pomidor
Honest reviews of global tomato varieties from a 15-year-old growers community.
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
Quick Summary of Faworyt 9 (Favorite 9) 🌍 Origin: A unique Polish breeding line created by crossing Rebelpik Sakiewka with Malinowa Sakiewka. The name translates to “Favorite 9”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate (tall-growing). 🍅 Fruit Characteristics: Striking, uniquely shaped tomatoes: they look like elongated truffles (pears) with a pronounced little beak (point) at the blossom … Read more
Quick Summary of Faworyt 17/1 (Favorite 17/1) 🌍 Origin: A new Polish breeding line resulting from a cross between Malinowa Sakiewka and Bordo. The name translates to “Favorite 17/1”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Growers note that the line might still be slightly segregating. It can present with either Regular Leaf (RL) or Potato Leaf (PL) foliage. … Read more
Quick Summary of Sweet Cherry Iskra (Sweet Cherry Spark) 🌍 Origin: Developed by Russian amateur breeder Nikolay Alexandrov from the city of Chelyabinsk. Fun fact: The breeder himself actually chimed in on this very thread to comment on the grower’s results! 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, very vigorous, reaching over 2 meters (6.5 ft) in height. … Read more
Quick Summary of Sweet Kiss (Sladkiy Potseluy) 🌍 Origin: A commercial Russian cherry variety produced by the Siberian Garden (SibSad) seed company. The name translates directly to “Sweet Kiss”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Highly adaptable. In open ground, it behaves as a robust semi-determinate, growing to about 80 cm (31 inches). However, inside a greenhouse, it … Read more
Quick Summary of Jade Gem F1 (Samotsvet Nefritovyi F1) 🌍 Origin & Name: A Russian commercial green cherry tomato from the popular “Gem” (Samotsvet) series by the SeDek seed company. The name translates to “Jade Gem”. 🔍 The F1 Hybrid Confusion: Officially registered in the Russian State Register as an F1 hybrid. However, SeDek has … Read more
Quick Summary of Brown Sugar (Sakhar Korichnevyi) 🌍 Origin & Marketing: A dark/brown Russian commercial variety, famously sold by the SeDek seed company. The packet description makes wild marketing claims, calling it a “rejuvenating apple” with anti-cancer and anti-heart-attack properties. The name translates to “Brown Sugar”. 🌿 Plant Habit: Officially listed as an indeterminate. However, … Read more
Quick Summary of Stan Ley 🌍 Origin: A bit of a mystery! Cultivated and popularized by Russian seed collector Alexey Kulik, who lists its origin as the USA. The name is likely a transliteration of “Stan Ley” (or Stan Lee). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, but on the shorter side. Outdoors in open ground, it reaches … Read more
Quick Summary of Sensei 🌍 Origin: A popular commercial variety from the Russian seed company “Siberian Garden” (Sibsad). The name translates directly to “Sensei” (Master/Teacher). 🌿 Plant Habit: A semi-determinate or compact indeterminate. It stays very manageable, growing to about 1 meter (3.2 ft) outdoors in open ground, and up to 1.3–1.5 meters (4–5 ft) … Read more
Quick Summary of Sladkoe Chudo (Sweet Miracle) 🌍 Origin: A highly prized Russian heirloom. The name translates to “Sweet Miracle.” Warning: This thread reveals that many commercial seed companies sell incorrect, off-type seeds under this name. The “true” variety described here was circulated among collectors (originating from N. Berezhnova). 🌿 Plant Habit: Indeterminate, reaching about … Read more
Quick Summary of Samokhval (The Boaster) 🌍 Origin: A commercial variety released by the Russian seed company “Siberian Garden” (Sibsad). The name translates to “The Boaster” or “Show-off.” 🌿 Plant Habit: Mid-season, indeterminate plant. Reaches heights of 1.2–1.7 meters (4 to 5.5 ft) depending on whether it is grown outdoors or in a greenhouse. It … Read more
Quick Summary of Virginia Sweets 🌍 The “Full Circle” Journey: Virginia Sweets is a well-known American bicolor heirloom. However, watching it grow in the harsh climates of Russia and Siberia offers fascinating insights! In Eastern Europe, the name is often literally translated as “The Sweets of Virginia” or “Virginia’s Candies,” leading to some funny linguistic … Read more