{"id":5640,"date":"2026-10-16T20:02:59","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T20:02:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/?p=5640"},"modified":"2026-10-16T20:02:59","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T20:02:59","slug":"michael-pollan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/michael-pollan\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Pollan Tomato Review &#038; Photos: Green Striped Pear"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div class=\"kk-star-ratings kksr-auto kksr-align-left kksr-valign-top\"\n    data-payload='{&quot;align&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;5640&quot;,&quot;slug&quot;:&quot;default&quot;,&quot;valign&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;ignore&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;reference&quot;:&quot;auto&quot;,&quot;class&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;count&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;legendonly&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;readonly&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;score&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;starsonly&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;best&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;gap&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;greet&quot;:&quot;Rate this&quot;,&quot;legend&quot;:&quot;0\\\/5 - (0 votes)&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;24&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Michael Pollan Tomato Review \\u0026amp; Photos: Green Striped Pear&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;_legend&quot;:&quot;{score}\\\/{best} - ({count} {votes})&quot;,&quot;font_factor&quot;:&quot;1.25&quot;}'>\n            \n<div class=\"kksr-stars\">\n    \n<div class=\"kksr-stars-inactive\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"1\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"2\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"3\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"4\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"5\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    \n<div class=\"kksr-stars-active\" style=\"width: 0px;\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" style=\"padding-right: 5px\">\n            \n\n<div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 24px; height: 24px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n                \n\n<div class=\"kksr-legend\" style=\"font-size: 19.2px;\">\n            <span class=\"kksr-muted\">Rate this<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<div class=\"tldr-box\" style=\"background: #f4f9f4; padding: 20px; border-left: 5px solid #4CAF50; margin-bottom: 30px; border-radius: 4px;\"><strong>\ud83c\udf45 Quick take:<\/strong> <em>Michael Pollan<\/em> is a highly distinctive, <strong>green-and-yellow striped cocktail<\/strong> tomato famous for producing massive, <strong>multi-flora<\/strong> (grapelike) clusters. Originally <strong>bred by Brad Gates<\/strong>, this <strong>indeterminate<\/strong> variety can be polarizing. Aesthetically, it is a garden showstopper with incredible yields. However, the flavor reviews are highly mixed\u2014some growers find it wonderfully sweet and tangy when perfectly ripe (developing a bronze\/orange tint), while others find it bland and sour. It is widely debated for canning, with the consensus being that it must be canned slightly underripe to prevent the skins from splitting and turning into mushy &#8220;green frogs.&#8221; <a href=\"#full-summary\">Full summary \u2193<\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Growers&#8217; Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3-6 Experience)<\/h2>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">N<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Nadia (Nadezhda) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (10,763 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Kaluga Region, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Indet, not aggressive, doesn&#8217;t overgrow with suckers. The clusters are complex; mine managed to set three full clusters and two small ones. The fruits are very beautiful, dense, and don&#8217;t crack in canning. The taste is ordinary.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/23\/10291-080714155604.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/23\/thumb_10291-080714155604.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan green tomato cluster\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/28\/10291-310714112352-285002397.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/28\/thumb_10291-310714112352-285002397.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan cocktail tomatoes in hand\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">T<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">tomatinka (Vera) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (14,911 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Tyumen Region, Russia (USDA Zone 3)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Yes, the clusters and fruits are gorgeous. The first few years I grew it, the taste seemed subpar to me, kind of like Cuban Black. Now it seems to be getting tastier. It&#8217;s earned a permanent spot in my garden.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">K<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Kaliningradka (Elena) <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf45 Member (211 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Hey folks, can someone give me a few more details on this one? \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n<p>So it&#8217;s a green-fruited cocktail type? What are the planting and ripening times like? And whose seeds are you growing? Sorry for all the questions, I just really like the look of this tomato \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">T<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">tomatinka (Vera) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (14,911 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Tyumen Region, Russia (USDA Zone 3)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>It&#8217;s late-season, like most of these heavy-cluster types. And yes, it&#8217;s definitely a cocktail tomato. The bushes didn&#8217;t get much taller than 3 ft (1m) for me outdoors in the dirt. The clusters are massive.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">N<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Nadia (Nadezhda) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (10,763 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Kaluga Region, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>My vines in the greenhouse were 5 ft (1.5m). In terms of maturity, it&#8217;s acting like a mid-season for me. Seeds were from Redko.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">T<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Tatiana <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (2,372 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Mshinskaya, Leningrad Region (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>It was mid-late for me. In the greenhouse, it hit the roof by August, meaning it grew over 6.5 ft (2m). Interestingly, in September, tiny little nubs started filling out and swelling on the lower clusters. I didn&#8217;t like the taste, but maybe that&#8217;s because I had plenty of large, sweet slicers ripe at the same time. The whole harvest went into marinades, where it looks very beautiful.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">Y<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Yaroslavna (Natalya) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (6,274 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Northern Yaroslavl Region (USDA Zone 3b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Mid-season variety, grew it in a poly tunnel, the bushes were 4-5 ft (1.3-1.5m)&#8230; The cluster is complex, loaded with beautiful emerald-colored &#8220;pears&#8221;&#8230; For its unusual beauty, I can forgive the merely &#8220;satisfactory&#8221; taste (well, not all green varieties are destined to be super sweet \ud83d\ude42).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/8\/318-070214102909.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/8\/318-070214102909.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan green teardrop tomatoes\" width=\"570\" height=\"760\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">L<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">LLL (Vyacheslav) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (15,626 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>A perfectly high-quality tomato across all parameters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">L<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Ladoga (Angela) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (1,816 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Grew this for the first time this season, seeds from Popenko. It throws massive clusters, but pollination wasn&#8217;t great for me. Grew to about 4 ft (1.2m). Cute little pear-shaped tomatoes, but I didn&#8217;t like the taste and don&#8217;t plan to grow it again. The skins also split when I canned them; the skin isn&#8217;t very thick.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/39\/13551-021114080013.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/39\/thumb_13551-021114080013.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan harvest\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">L<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Ladoga (Angela) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (1,816 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Opened a jar of canned tomatoes today. Michael Pollan tomatoes are absolutely unfit for whole canning. The fruits turned into total mush, looked like green frogs, tasted terrible, and nobody wanted to eat them\u2014I just took a sample bite. There were other varieties in the same jar, and they all handled it differently. For example, Roman Candle was so firm I could cut that icicle into three slices with a knife. Just offering a comparison from the same jar.<\/p>\n<p>I didn&#8217;t sterilize during canning, just used the triple-pour method.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">L<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">LLL (Vyacheslav) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (15,626 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>Ladoga:<\/strong> Opened a jar of canned tomatoes today. Michael Pollan tomatoes are absolutely unfit for whole canning&#8230;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That\u2019s most likely because they were overripe when you canned them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">L<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Ladoga (Angela) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (1,816 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I don&#8217;t know if they were overripe. They looked just like the photos above. Slightly yellowed. But the skin split on every single fruit of this variety when pouring the boiling marinade. They were much more edible raw, but in preserves\u2014yuck.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">O<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">o-lya-lya (Olga) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (9,989 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd NE Moscow Region (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Not a single seed of this Michael sprouted for me last year. \ud83d\ude1e Oh well, no big deal, means I&#8217;ll just plant more Chocolate Bunnies. \ud83d\ude06<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">P<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Pani Tomat (Irina) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (8,773 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I liked the variety, productive, huge branching clusters. Taste ??? But it works in preserves. If I plant it again, it&#8217;ll probably just be for the fun of it.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/62255_d315380c0ad784bff12317a1cf2d77f6455de52e.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/62255_d315380c0ad784bff12317a1cf2d77f6455de52e.jpg\" alt=\"Massive Michael Pollan flower cluster\" width=\"800\" height=\"601\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/62253_cc05ee28a3f7378033781d2bba143ce906ba967a.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/62253_cc05ee28a3f7378033781d2bba143ce906ba967a.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan green unripe cluster\" width=\"700\" height=\"526\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">S<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Svetikk (Svetlana) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (29,393 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Moscow Region, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>Ladoga:<\/strong> Today I opened a jar of canned tomatoes. Michael Pollan is absolutely unfit for whole canning. Turned to mush&#8230;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>I also marinate using the triple-pour method. And I also love firm icicle tomatoes that you can slice with a knife. BUT, I put Michael Pollan into the jars without waiting for the fruits to yellow\u2014meaning, I canned them slightly underripe. They turned out delicious! The skin didn&#8217;t split, nothing turned to mush, and they looked amazing in the assorted jars! \ud83d\udc4d The stem end of the fruit is firmer, making it easy to pull out of the jar, while the round bottom is juicy\u2014you can practically drink the Michael in one bite and just be left holding the skin \ud83d\ude0b \ud83d\ude06<\/p>\n<p>Grew it outdoors in the dirt, plant was about 3 ft (1m), huge clusters, but not all flowers set. Mid-season, over half the harvest ripened outdoors by mid-August. Average weight 1.5 oz (40g). Very striking variety. Eaten fresh it&#8217;s not bad, but lacks sweetness\u2014it&#8217;s definitely not a sweet cherry.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/47\/166-070115110418.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/47\/thumb_166-070115110418.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan jarred green tomatoes\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/47\/166-070115110656.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/47\/thumb_166-070115110656.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan canned tomatoes close up\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/33\/166-040914233349.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/33\/thumb_166-040914233349.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan plant in the garden\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">P<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Pani Tomat (Irina) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (8,773 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>Svetikk:<\/strong> I put Michael Pollan into the jars without waiting for the fruits to yellow\u2014meaning, I canned them slightly underripe.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>I also canned them without waiting for them to start &#8220;bronzing.&#8221; \ud83c\udfa9<\/p>\n<p><em>Edited September 6, 2016 by Drosera<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">S<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Svetikk (Svetlana) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (29,393 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Moscow Region, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Found a photo of the flowering bush \ud83d\udc4b \ud83d\ude1b<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/22\/166-030714143825.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/22\/thumb_166-030714143825.jpeg\" alt=\"Flowering Michael Pollan plant\" width=\"120\" height=\"160\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">N<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Natalya 83 (Natalya Saburova) <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf45 Member (308 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Here is what my Michael Pollan looks like on August 4, 2015.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/81\/5088-040815165345.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/81\/thumb_5088-040815165345.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan striped fruits\" width=\"160\" height=\"89\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">N<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Natalya 83 (Natalya Saburova) <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf45 Member (308 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>In marinade, every single tomato of this variety splits: I tried pasteurization and the double-pour method. But the clusters are mind-blowing. I will definitely plant it again, and a friend has already ordered seedlings of this variety for next year.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/90\/5088-200915155542.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/90\/thumb_5088-200915155542.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan split canned tomatoes\" width=\"160\" height=\"160\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">C<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">cat2008 (Oksana) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (5,827 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Orsha, Belarus (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Gorgeous variety &#8211; I&#8217;m thrilled! \ud83d\udc4d Grew outdoors in the dirt &#8211; indeterminate, didn&#8217;t push too many suckers, the clusters were amazing \ud83d\udc4b, and the taste was honey-sweet&#8230; but honestly, all my green tomatoes were sweet this year..<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/142\/12397-280816161738.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/142\/12397-280816161738.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan heavy cluster harvest\" width=\"1000\" height=\"562\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">L<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Lana_s_Kavkaza (Svetlana) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (19,268 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Pyatigorsk, Russia (USDA Zone 6)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I liked the taste, gave it a 5 out of 5, but it barely set any clusters in the greenhouse heat. I&#8217;ll try planting it outdoors in the dirt next time.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/159\/5102-040117095502.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/159\/thumb_5102-040117095502.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan green teardrops\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">C<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">cat2008 (Oksana) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (5,827 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Orsha, Belarus (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>Lana_s_Kavkaza:<\/strong> I liked the taste, gave it a 5 out of 5, but it barely set any clusters in the greenhouse heat. I&#8217;ll try planting it outdoors in the dirt next time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Svetlana, definitely plant it outdoors\u2014if it&#8217;s this beautiful for me, it will be absolutely gorgeous in your climate \ud83d\udc4d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">L<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">LiliyaYa (Liliya) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (11,777 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Rostov-on-Don, Russia (USDA Zone 6)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I planted this variety in 2016, outdoors in the dirt. The vine was tall, grew to about 6.5 ft (2m), was productive, and the fruits looked beautiful. But the taste wasn&#8217;t nearly as good as the looks \ud83d\ude1e The tomatoes were sour; a hint of sweetness only appeared when the color shifted from light green to lemon-yellow and they started getting soft. I rated the taste a B- (4-). But for the beauty and yield, I&#8217;ll keep planting 1 bush. Thanks Vera for the seeds \ud83c\udf3a<\/p>\n<p><em>Edited February 7, 2017 by LiliyaYa<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/162\/14526-060217070654.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/162\/thumb_14526-060217070654.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan hanging cluster\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/162\/14526-060217072052.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/162\/thumb_14526-060217072052.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan green striped fruit\" width=\"160\" height=\"120\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/162\/14526-060217072026.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/162\/thumb_14526-060217072026.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan teardrops\" width=\"120\" height=\"160\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/162\/14526-060217071955.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/162\/thumb_14526-060217071955.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan tomato bunch\" width=\"120\" height=\"160\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">M<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">m_Kallista (Yuliya) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (9,801 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Neftegorsk, Samara Region (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I liked the taste, very productive, I believe the photo shows just a single cluster. But for canning\u2014not my thing, too watery. Maybe you really do need to marinate them slightly underripe.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/130\/15021-090716113737.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/130\/15021-090716113737.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan massive multiflora cluster\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">A<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Alena SPb (Alena) <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf45 Member (225 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I liked it. In the greenhouse it reached 4-5 ft (1.2-1.5m), the fruits were around 1 oz (30g) or slightly more, but there were tons of them. Pleasant taste with characteristic green tomato notes. Very decorative. I picked them for canning slightly underripe, right before the yellow tint appeared, and they held their shape well.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/66295_dc03e51a434873070867ade735b565af3f111d4f.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/66295_dc03e51a434873070867ade735b565af3f111d4f.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan green cocktail cluster\" width=\"810\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">C<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">CUCSA (Larisa) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (7,263 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Lipetsk, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Hey folks, has anyone grown a Michael Pollan with potato leaves (PL)? Last year at a meetup, Nadyushka brought seeds from her mom&#8217;s stash. I snagged 4 seeds labeled Michael Pollan. Planted 2, and both plants have potato leaves. I thought this was supposed to be a regular leaf (RL) variety. Now I&#8217;m wondering what&#8217;s actually going to grow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">T<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Tomatanya (Tatiana) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (10,247 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Sinyavino-2, Leningrad Region (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Larisa, mine is growing with regular leaves.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">O<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">OlgaP (Olga) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (2,913 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Mine is also growing with regular leaves. Planted it 2 years ago, but forgot to save seeds, so I planted it again just for that. Very beautiful, but I won&#8217;t put it in the greenhouse again. People wrote that it grows to 5 ft (1.5m), but mine was definitely no less than 10 ft (3m). It hit the roof and started bothering the neighboring plants. Yield was great. It also grew outdoors in the dirt, but I completely forget how it performed outside.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">C<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">CUCSA (Larisa) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (7,263 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Lipetsk, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I&#8217;ll wait and see what grows. Might just be a crossed seed\/mix-up. If it does turn out to be Michael Pollan, I&#8217;ll report back that this leaf type exists. Just have to wait now.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">L<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Lelikovna (Olya) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (14,504 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Samara Region (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Growing this for the first time. Here is what it looks like today. Hasn&#8217;t ripened yet. What immediately catches the eye are the huge clusters (even though early summer wasn&#8217;t easy weather-wise) and the beauty of the fruits \ud83d\ude18<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/182\/14201-200717104703-1825871873.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/galleries\/182\/14201-200717104703-1825871873.jpeg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan green tomato cluster\" width=\"500\" height=\"333\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">I<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">ilja (Ilya) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (758 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Klin District, Moscow Region (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Michael Pollan in the greenhouse was productive, tall (5 ft \/ 1.5m), and mid-season. Fruits are tasty, sweet with a nice tang.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/67445_adaffdf72f1b33a5395389bf472a88355c61a123.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/67445_adaffdf72f1b33a5395389bf472a88355c61a123.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan bronze ripe fruits\" width=\"499\" height=\"499\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/67447_038180f99cd4165facb541ed12b8f0faf0c38b56.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/newforum\/attachments01\/67447_038180f99cd4165facb541ed12b8f0faf0c38b56.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan ripe green and yellow\" width=\"499\" height=\"499\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">E<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Elena from Chekhov (Elena Nikolaeva) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (1,969 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Didn&#8217;t like it at all. I love green tomatoes, but this was my biggest failure. Grew several vines, and that&#8217;s when I regretted not just planting one to test it out like everyone else does. Keep in mind, all my other varieties ate well this year and were very pleasant tasting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">D<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">DenIra (Irina) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (4,007 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Nizhny Novgorod Region (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>I also didn&#8217;t like it. Grew it about 5 years ago, didn&#8217;t even bother saving seeds \ud83e\udd37\u200d\u2640\ufe0f Turned out very sour for me.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">O<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Olvika70 (Olga) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (9,803 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Voronezh Region, Russia (USDA Zone 5)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>The taste didn&#8217;t impress me either. I canned them in jars, we&#8217;ll see how they are in marinade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">L<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Lelikovna (Olya) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (14,504 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Samara Region (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<blockquote><p><strong>Olvika70:<\/strong> The taste didn&#8217;t impress me either. I canned them in jars, we&#8217;ll see how they are in marinade.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Olya, so how was yours in marinade? Slugs chewed up my Michael Pollan pretty badly \ud83d\ude1e Because those massive, productive clusters were resting on the ground \ud83e\udd37\u200d\u2640\ufe0f I can&#8217;t say I disliked the taste\u2014it wasn&#8217;t particularly amazing, but not gross either, just an ordinary tomato flavor. It has both sweetness and tang, not bland. But it is insanely beautiful, and worth planting just for the looks \ud83d\udc4d I also shoved them into jars, and I can&#8217;t figure out if it&#8217;s because they were slightly underripe&#8230; or something else, but the skins are super hard to peel off in the preserves, though the taste is good.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">C<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">CWERT (Serge) <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf45 Member (743 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Latitude 53 (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>VERY TASTY VARIETY! I regretted only planting 2 bushes. When it&#8217;s green with stripes &#8211; it&#8217;s hard and underripe. But when the orange tint appears (the green color shifts toward an orange, coppery tone) and the skin gets slightly soft &#8211; it&#8217;s finger-licking good! Definitely making the cut for next season. Seeds from Biotechnica. Height was about 4 ft (120 cm). Was in a poly tunnel for the first half of summer, then open dirt. Latitude 53. Well-amended bed. Prone to whiteflies, which were swarming like clouds for us this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">S<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Svetikk (Svetlana) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (29,393 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Moscow Region, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Michael Pollan. Repeated this variety, really love it for its beauty and uniqueness.<\/p>\n<p>It went through a lot during the seedling stage &#8211; got snapped in half and had to be re-rooted, so I ended up growing both the top cutting and the rootstock in pots. The rootstock pushed out two sucker stems, grew quickly in the pot, and was planted outdoors in the dirt where a zucchini had just finished fruiting. Managed to pump out several beautiful clusters \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p>Fruits are sweet-and-sour, up to 1.7 oz (50g).<\/p>\n<p><em>Edited September 25, 2019 by Svetikk<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2019_09\/DSCN1975.JPG.8cc8c3f9b46ac8134353aa8eb6bfc270.JPG\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2019_09\/DSCN1975.thumb.JPG.0b1f64e279f43aa9e70c294c10297e03.JPG\" alt=\"Michael Pollan green stripes close up\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2019_09\/DSCN0909.JPG.e79e4a149c36383b63c9dc631e8a5aef.JPG\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2019_09\/DSCN0909.thumb.JPG.54ede60e9db21c9ecd7b10046ed4b249.JPG\" alt=\"Michael Pollan clusters on plant\" width=\"225\" height=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">P<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Pelaponessa (Natalia) <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf45 Member (20 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Kaliningrad, Russia (USDA Zone 6b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Unfortunately, this tomato disappointed me with its taste. Thick skin and not sweet, just bland. It&#8217;s only good for its external beauty with those massive fan clusters. Maybe it grows better outdoors in the dirt rather than in a greenhouse, because it set fruit very poorly for me in the heat. Turned out mid-late. Seeds were from Siberian Garden, germination was good. I&#8217;ll add that the plant is not disease-prone, didn&#8217;t suffer from Blossom End Rot (BER). Maybe I just got lucky.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">V<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">Vinogradinka (Olga) <span class=\"author-stats\">\ud83c\udf45 Member (8 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Michael Pollan ripened a bit late for me. Grew outdoors, picked on August 27 along with the others because I was afraid of late blight.<\/p>\n<p>Today we finally finished the last 5 fruits. Apparently, they were fully ripe because they were soft, but the taste was ordinary, nothing to rave about. It&#8217;s very hard to determine the level of ripeness, you can only really tell by touch\u2014that&#8217;s a minus. Photo is from today. Matches the variety description. Won&#8217;t plant again.<\/p>\n<p>Sat indoors in a room for 1.5 months without any damage, didn&#8217;t even shrivel up\u2014that is a plus.<\/p>\n<p><em>Edited October 19, 2022 by Vinogradinka<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2022_10\/IMG_20221019_083714.jpg.7b08b4e4ac29a98ae1d8510e45d3e1df.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/uploads\/monthly_2022_10\/IMG_20221019_083714.thumb.jpg.ce552fc8fc5510c1ac004f47f75e1d43.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Pollan green tomatoes indoors\" width=\"225\" height=\"600\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"forum-post\">\n<div class=\"author-header\">\n<div class=\"forum-avatar\">S<\/div>\n<div class=\"author-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-name\">sofochkamai (Svetlana) <span class=\"author-stats\">\u2b50 Pro Grower (4,293 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-geo\">\ud83d\udccd Yekaterinburg, Russia (USDA Zone 3)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"post-content\">\n<p>Beautiful, productive, but alas, the taste didn&#8217;t impress at all. Bland. Went straight into a sweet marinade, didn&#8217;t bother saving seeds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- ===== FULL SUMMARY ===== --><\/p>\n<div id=\"full-summary\" class=\"tldr-box\" style=\"background: #f4f9f4; padding: 20px; border-left: 5px solid #4CAF50; margin-top: 30px; border-radius: 4px;\">\n<h2 style=\"margin-top: 0;\">Full Summary: Massive Clusters, Green Flavor, and Canning Debates<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\ud83c\udf3f <strong>Plant &amp; Foliage:<\/strong> Indeterminate, mid-to-late season. The height varies wildly depending on the environment\u2014staying around 3-4 ft (1-1.2m) outdoors in the dirt, but easily shooting up to 10 ft (3m) in a warm greenhouse. Produces massive, multi-flora branching clusters. Can struggle to set fruit in extreme greenhouse heat.<\/li>\n<li>\ud83c\udf45 <strong>Fruit &amp; Shape:<\/strong> Cocktail-sized teardrops\/pears averaging 1-1.5 oz (30-50g). The coloring is green with striking yellow, bronze, and copper stripes when fully ripe. Very firm with a thick skin. Because the color change is subtle, ripeness is best determined by touch (slight softness).<\/li>\n<li>\ud83d\udcc8 <strong>Yield &amp; Health:<\/strong> Exceptionally high yielding due to the sheer size of the flower clusters. Generally highly disease-resistant, though one grower noted susceptibility to whiteflies. Stores exceptionally well off the vine (up to 1.5 months indoors).<\/li>\n<li>\ud83d\udc45 <strong>Taste &amp; Culinary Use:<\/strong> Highly polarizing. Some growers rave about its sweet\/tangy balance once the skin turns a coppery bronze, while others find it sour and completely bland. For canning, it must be harvested slightly underripe (before yellowing). If canned fully ripe, the skins will aggressively split and the fruits turn to mush.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- ===== CTA ===== --><\/p>\n<div class=\"add-review-cta\" style=\"margin: 20px 0; padding: 15px; background: #f9f9f9; border-left: 4px solid #4CAF50; border-radius: 4px;\"><strong>\ud83c\udf45 Have you grown the Michael Pollan tomato?<\/strong> <a href=\"#wpdcom\">Drop a comment below!<\/a> Do you love the flavor of green tomatoes, or do you strictly grow this one for its insane floral clusters?<\/div>\n<p><!-- EDITOR'S NOTE --><\/p>\n<div class=\"editor-note\" style=\"background: #eef7ff; padding: 15px; border-left: 4px solid #2196F3; margin-top: 15px; font-size: 1.2em;\"><strong>\ud83d\udc68\u200d\ud83c\udf3e Editor&#8217;s Note: The Origins of Michael Pollan<\/strong><br \/>\nThe unique <em>Michael Pollan<\/em> tomato was bred by Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms (California). It originated as a natural genetic mutation of the famous <em>Green Zebra<\/em> tomato. Gates stabilized the mutant plant, which retained the green-and-yellow striped aesthetics of its parent but shifted from a standard round slicer into a teardrop cocktail shape that grows on massive, multi-flora (grapelike) trusses. He named it in honor of Michael Pollan, the renowned American author, journalist, and food activist (author of <em>The Omnivore&#8217;s Dilemma<\/em> and <em>The Botany of Desire<\/em>). The polarization of its flavor profile is common with &#8220;green-when-ripe&#8221; varieties, as picking them even a few days too early results in a highly acidic, tart experience.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83c\udf45 Quick take: Michael Pollan is a highly distinctive, green-and-yellow striped cocktail tomato famous for producing massive, multi-flora (grapelike) clusters. Originally bred by Brad Gates, this indeterminate variety can be polarizing. Aesthetically, it is a garden showstopper with incredible yields. However, the flavor reviews are highly mixed\u2014some growers find it wonderfully sweet and tangy when &#8230; <a title=\"Michael Pollan Tomato Review &#038; Photos: Green Striped Pear\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/michael-pollan\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Michael Pollan Tomato Review &#038; Photos: Green Striped Pear\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5640,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[162,66,443,196],"tags":[1347,1346,1348,1345,422],"class_list":["post-5640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-plum-tomatoes","category-bicolor","category-exotic","category-green-when-ripe","tag-brad-gates-tomatoes","tag-cocktail-tomatoes","tag-green-canning-tomatoes","tag-green-striped-tomatoes","tag-wild-boar-farms"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5640"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5640\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5641,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5640\/revisions\/5641"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5640"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}