{"id":5193,"date":"2026-10-12T16:22:58","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T16:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/?p=5193"},"modified":"2026-10-12T16:42:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T16:42:02","slug":"korol-rannikh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/korol-rannikh\/","title":{"rendered":"Korol Rannikh (King of the Earlies) Tomato Review & Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\ud83c\udf45 Quick take:<\/strong> Korol Rannikh (King of the Earlies) is an early, determinate<\/strong> to semi-determinate variety famous for producing absolutely massive first fruits (up to 28 oz \/ 800 g) on surprisingly short bushes. While it pumps out impressive early yields with a classic tart tomato flavor, its biggest drawback is poor disease resistance. Growers often treat it as a “hit-and-run” variety: harvest the early giants and pull the plants before late blight sets in. Full summary \u2193<\/a><\/div>\n

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Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 4-6 Experience)<\/h2>\n

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Sweet (Svetlana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (8,792 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Belgorod Region, Russia (USDA Zone 5b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Description from the seed packet: Mid-early variety. Days to maturity from germination is 115-120 days. Bushes are medium-height, sprawling, 2.3-2.6 ft (70-80 cm) tall. Yield is 13-15 lbs\/sq m (6-7 kg\/m2). Fruits are oblate, large. The first fruits can reach 25-28 oz (700-800 g) or more, with subsequent ones weighing 5-7 oz (150-200 g). The variety has low disease resistance.<\/code><\/strong>. Valued for its large fruit size.
\nPhoto credit: Galya-64<\/p>\n

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Marina (Marina) \u2b50 Pro Grower (5,182 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I grew it in 2011. It was just like Galya’s, very productive. The flavor is classic tomato with a nice acidic tang, and it’s extremely early. The only downside is that it catches diseases really easily. I want to grow it again this year specifically for an early harvest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Sweet (Svetlana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (8,792 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Belgorod Region, Russia (USDA Zone 5b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Yeah Marina, even the seed packet explicitly mentions that it has weak disease resistance, which is surprising for a commercial description.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Andrey_K (Andrey) \ud83c\udf31 Vegetable Grower (994 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Marina wrote:<\/strong>
\nThe only downside is that it catches diseases really easily. I want to grow it again this year specifically for an early harvest.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That one flaw outweighs everything else. Why bother planting it if it’s just going to succumb to disease again?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Marina (Marina) \u2b50 Pro Grower (5,182 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Andrey_K wrote:<\/strong>
\nThat one flaw outweighs everything else. Why bother planting it if it’s just going to succumb to disease again?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You plant it early, pull the harvest off, and then yank the plant out of the garden bed! \ud83d\ude06<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Blondi (Lina) \ud83c\udf31 Vegetable Grower (186 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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If I started my seeds around March 20th, where is the best place to put it? The greenhouse?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Galya-64 (Galina) \u2b50 Pro Grower (4,414 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Blondi wrote:<\/strong>
\nIf I started my seeds around March 20th, where is the best place to put it? The greenhouse?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s actually much better suited for outdoors in the dirt.
\nRegarding the diseases: In 2013 we had early late blight, and it got sick right along with everything else. Last year it didn’t get sick at all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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latoia (Tatiana) \ud83c\udf31 Beginner (6 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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It looks more like a light raspberry-pink color to me. Overall, I’d say it’s a 3 out of 5 tomato.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Galya-64 (Galina) \u2b50 Pro Grower (4,414 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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This year I planted “King of the Earlies and Productive” from Angelina, I think it’s the exact same variety. Sown on Feb 29, potted up into 3-liter pots, and planted out in the greenhouse in early April. The first photo is from the greenhouse (we already pulled 2 ripe ones off the bottom truss before taking the photo). The second photo is outdoors in the dirt. In the greenhouse, it’s already about 5.5 ft (1.7 m) tall, but outdoors it’s only about 2 ft (60 cm). Crazy difference, right? \ud83d\ude32
\nAs for taste: rich tomato flavor with a nice tang. I brought some to work and everyone loved them.
\nSorry about the second photo, our resident wagtail flew in to check on the garden bed. That same bird family has been living here for four years \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n

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Elena 62 (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (2,063 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I also grew King of the Earlies and Productive this year. Thanks to Angelina for the seeds. It really is both early and productive! I sowed it on March 5th, just like all my indets. Had two bushes side-by-side in the greenhouse, pruned to a single leader each. They surprised me right away: the bottom trusses had 3 to 4 massive tomatoes each. Then they threw out another 2 trusses with 4 fruits each. Maxed out at 2.6 ft (80 cm) tall. It definitely acted like a determinate. I will absolutely plant it again, but outdoors under row covers next time. I waited for my daughter to come visit to take the picture, so the plant looks a little wilted here.<\/p>\n

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Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Disease Resistance<\/h2>\n