Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3-5 Experience)
Tarasenko’s Dream (Mechta Tarasenko) specs:
- Height: 3.3-5 feet (100-150 cm)
- Fruit size: Large
- Color: Pink; deep pink.
- Flavor profile: On the sweeter side
- Growing method: Greenhouse/Indoors
- Best use: Fresh slicing
- Shape: Oblate/flattened beefsteak
Photo credit to Danko. Info pulled from the Tarasenko Hybrids directory.
Edited March 16, 2019 by Pomidoroved
Hey y’all, I’m starting to think I didn’t even get the real Tarasenko’s Dream! 😂 This vine turned into an absolute monster, grew way taller than advertised, and the fruits were gnarly as hell. To top it off, it was a late producer for me. Yeah, won’t be growing this one again 😲
Tall, indeterminate vine. Hit about 6.5 feet (2 meters) in my greenhouse. Really heavy yielder and falls right into the mid-season category. Throws large, raspberry-pink oblate beefsteaks. The flavor is top-tier, really nice and sweet.
Tarasenko’s Dream… This one totally won over my whole family. The vine is vigorous and super healthy. Threw massive fruits, every single one was over 10.5 oz (300 g). Gorgeous raspberry color and the flavor is just so rich 😋 Definitely earning a permanent spot in my garden. Big shoutout to Polina (Borochanochka) for the seeds! 🙏
Flawless tomato flavor. Eating this one is literally like drinking fresh tomato juice, at least that’s how mine turned out.
Got my seeds from Valery (Northern Seeds). Just an all-around solid tomato: heavy yielder, tasty, and super juicy. Making the permanent rotation for sure.
Full Summary: Plant Habit, Yields, and Flavor Profile
- 🌿 Plant & Foliage: Indeterminate vine. Vigor depends on the growing conditions, but in a greenhouse, it easily hits 6.5 feet (2 meters). Very robust and generally healthy foliage.
- 🍅 Fruit & Shape: Large, flattened beefsteaks (oblate). They ripen to a beautiful deep raspberry-pink color. Keep an eye on your seed source, as one grower noted receiving off-type seeds that resulted in gnarly, misshapen fruits and late yields. True-to-type fruits should be smooth and heavily ribbed.
- 📈 Yield & Health: Excellent production. Mid-season maturity. Performs exceptionally well under greenhouse cover, setting fruit reliably.
- 👅 Taste: Universally praised for its intense, sweet flavor. It has a high moisture content, making the eating experience “like drinking fresh tomato juice.” Perfect for fresh slicing.
Feodosiy Tarasenko (1912-1997) was a legendary high school physics teacher turned amateur tomato breeder from Ukraine. He is most famous for developing multiflora varieties (tomatoes that produce massive, complex flower trusses holding dozens of fruits). While Tarasenko’s Dream differs from his usual multiflora type by producing large beefsteaks, it still carries his signature traits: aggressive vine vigor and phenomenal yields.
