{"id":6401,"date":"2026-10-26T15:58:58","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T15:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/?p=6401"},"modified":"2026-10-26T15:58:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T15:58:58","slug":"gargamel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/gargamel\/","title":{"rendered":"Gargamel Tomato Review & Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\ud83c\udf45 Quick take:<\/strong> Gargamel is a stunning indeterminate<\/strong> anthocyanin variety bred by Phil Seneca<\/strong> (Secret Seed Cartel). It produces small, egg-shaped fruits with deep purple\/black shoulders and striped orange\/red bottoms. Growers here universally praise its jaw-dropping looks, excellent storage capabilities, and heat tolerance. However, flavor reviews are highly polarized: it needs abundant sunshine and full vine-ripening to develop its sweet, complex taste, otherwise, it can be bland with a notably thick skin. Full summary \u2193<\/a><\/div>\n

Jump to: Evgeny’s Feeding & Storage Tips<\/a><\/p>\n

Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 3a – 7a)<\/h2>\n
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Sandr (Alexander) \u2b50 User (339 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Planted late, it’s growing, yield isn’t super high but it was in a really shaded spot. These antho tomatoes love the sun; in full sun they get almost brown\/purple, but in the shade there’s barely any dark color. Flavor is really good, absolutely beautiful fruit.<\/p>\n

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Sandr (Alexander) \u2b50 User (339 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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And these got more sun, the color is totally different.<\/p>\n

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Svetikk (Svetlana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (29,463 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Moscow Region (USDA Zone 4b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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One of the most beautiful and productive “blue” varieties I’ve ever grown! \ud83d\udc4d \ud83d\udc4d \ud83d\udc4d The vine in my high tunnel was an indeterminate, double-stemmed, and pumped out gorgeous, egg-shaped, red-striped fruits with blue shoulders and stripes all the way to the ceiling. Weighed up to 8.5 oz (240 g). I absolutely loved the flavor! \ud83d\udc4d \ud83d\ude0b Seeds came from Natalia. \ud83c\udf3a<\/p>\n

I also grew one vine outdoors in a 2.5-gallon (10 L) pot (it reached about 3 ft \/ 1 m, and then I topped it off). The fruits were smaller and almost pitch black. All my guests were amazed, asking what kind of “black eggs” I had growing among my flowers! \ud83d\ude04<\/p>\n

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Evgenia 03 (Eugenia) \u2b50 Pro Grower (1,589 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Ulan-Ude, Buryatia (USDA Zone 3a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mine was a shorter plant, maybe around 3 ft (1 m). Extremely beautiful – when unripe it’s completely black, and as it ripens, a red blush creeps up from the bottom. A real stunner, and the flavor was actually pretty decent, too.<\/p>\n

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Inn@ (Inna) \u2b50 Pro Grower (6,399 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Sverdlovsk Region (USDA Zone 3b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mine was just over 3 ft (1 m) tall as well. The tomatoes look like perfect little ornaments. Tasty. It just didn’t turn out very productive for me.<\/p>\n

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Yaroslavna (Natalia) \u2b50 Pro Grower (6,275 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd N. Yaroslavl Region (USDA Zone 4a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Svetikk said:<\/strong>
\nOne of the most beautiful and productive “blue” varieties I’ve ever grown! \ud83d\udc4d \ud83d\udc4d \ud83d\udc4d The vine in my high tunnel was an indeterminate, double-stemmed, and pumped out gorgeous, egg-shaped, red-striped fruits with blue shoulders and stripes all the way to the ceiling. Weighed up to 8.5 oz (240 g). I absolutely loved the flavor! \ud83d\udc4d \ud83d\ude0b Seeds came from Natalia. \ud83c\udf3a
\nI also grew one vine outdoors in a 2.5-gallon (10 L) pot (it reached about 3 ft \/ 1 m, and then I topped it off). The fruits were smaller and almost pitch black. All my guests were amazed, asking what kind of “black eggs” I had growing among my flowers! \ud83d\ude04<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thanks for the stunning photos of this variety, Svetlana! \ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f<\/p>\n

Same here, I had one vine in the greenhouse this year that drove all my visitors crazy – they couldn’t believe their eyes! Literally perfectly calibrated eggs, and ink-colored at that! Unreal! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

The whole plant was loaded with these unearthly little tomatoes; I guess it got acclimated! Last year the plants only managed to push out a few small fruits…<\/p>\n

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TatianaSh (Tatiana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (5,471 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Moscow Region (USDA Zone 4b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In my garden conditions – it was just a pretty face, nothing more. Turned out flavorless and bland for me. Honestly don’t know if I’ll ever plant it again. Highly doubt it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Tatiana Kemerovo (Tatiana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (2,694 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Kemerovo (USDA Zone 3a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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It’s a stunner, you can’t deny that. Wasn’t very productive for me. Flavor started out sour, then just went bland. I got mad – I don’t need that in my garden! \ud83d\ude04<\/p>\n

In the fall, though, I sliced one into a salad and it was actually sweet! I went ahead and saved seeds! Even though I try to stick to varieties that taste good all season long. But this one is just too darn pretty! \ud83d\ude1b<\/p>\n

One poor thing came out heart-shaped, got fused from the cold, bless its heart!<\/p>\n

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Belka (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (5,499 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Chekhov (USDA Zone 4b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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One of the best-tasting ones in my patch. Crisp with a complex flavor profile. You often get that taste with green varieties. Sweet and spicy!<\/p>\n

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Shevyachok (Lyudmila) \u2b50 Moderator (12,118 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Omsk Region (USDA Zone 3a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Indescribably beautiful! But the taste really shocked me – thick skin and terrible flavor inside… Don’t know what it was missing in my garden. I see folks on the forum have completely polar opposite reviews on the flavor.<\/p>\n

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Pomidornaya zemlya (Mila) \u2b50 User (241 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Shevyachok said:<\/strong>
\nIndescribably beautiful! But the taste really shocked me – thick skin and terrible flavor inside… Don’t know what it was missing in my garden. I see folks on the forum have completely polar opposite reviews on the flavor.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I’d bet it has to do with excess moisture. Mine grew out in the dirt. July was atypically wet, honestly just soggy. There really was no flavor then. But once a blazing hot August rolled around, the tomato actually developed some taste. The skin definitely is thick, though.<\/p>\n

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SvetaR (Svetlana) \u2b50 Pro Grower (27,558 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Moscow Region (USDA Zone 4b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Try telling the difference between Gargamel and Long Shadow Boxing. Even I forgot which was which (didn’t label them, so yeah…)<\/p>\n

Anyway, on topic. Cool little tomato. But it’s mostly for looks and giving away. I just couldn’t take it seriously. Flavor is good, but the skin is a bit too thick.<\/p>\n

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ALIANNA (Galina) \u2b50 Pro Grower (8,189 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Stavropol Territory (USDA Zone 7a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Is Gargamel the shorter one on the right? I had one like that.<\/p>\n

Edited October 27, 2018 by ALIANNA<\/em><\/p>\n

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Evgenia 03 (Eugenia) \u2b50 Pro Grower (1,589 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Ulan-Ude, Buryatia (USDA Zone 3a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Shevyachok said:<\/strong>
\nIndescribably beautiful! But the taste really shocked me – thick skin and terrible flavor inside… Don’t know what it was missing in my garden. I see folks on the forum have completely polar opposite reviews on the flavor.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lyudmila, taste is probably just subjective, too. Delicious to some, not to others.<\/p>\n

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Shevyachok (Lyudmila) \u2b50 Moderator (12,118 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Omsk Region (USDA Zone 3a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Eugenia, I honestly used to believe there was no such thing as a bad-tasting tomato for me.<\/p>\n

Until I tried Gargamel. But at least I got to admire it every day.<\/p>\n

By the way, is Gargamel a “he” or a “she”? I always think of it as a guy…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Inn@ (Inna) \u2b50 Pro Grower (6,399 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Sverdlovsk Region (USDA Zone 3b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Gargamel is definitely a guy. He’s the main villain from the Smurfs cartoons. Gargamel was one of my fails this year. Grew one little plant in the poly tunnel. It only got to about 3 ft (1 m) tall. Not much fruit, but they were pretty and on the sweet side. I didn’t bother saving seeds.<\/p>\n

Guess I didn’t even take pictures of it. Found this one photo from August 5th.<\/p>\n

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Anela (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (3,218 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Kazan, Tatarstan (USDA Zone 4a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Grew it outdoors, productive, beautiful, but I wasn’t a fan: the skin is super thick and the flavor is just so-so…<\/p>\n

Edited December 4, 2018 by Anela<\/em><\/p>\n

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Gortenzia (Lidia) \u2b50 User (74 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Grew outdoors, in the absolute sunniest spot. Wasn’t a huge yielder, but soooo tasty. I’ll definitely be repeating it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Olya Pskovishna (Olga) \u2b50 Moderator (14,072 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Pskov (USDA Zone 5a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Gargamel<\/p>\n

Beautiful, tasty, and… unproductive. For me, at least.<\/p>\n

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alio-nka (Alena) \u2b50 User (98 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Baltic Coast (USDA Zone 6b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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My yield was average, but it was a tall, vigorous plant. Fruits ranged from 2.5-5 oz (70-140 g). The flavor didn’t blow me away, but it didn’t disappoint either. I’ll probably repeat it, since I only grew one plant, and this summer’s weather wasn’t a great indicator anyway.<\/p>\n

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BelFast (Sergey) \u2b50 User (1 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Chernihiv Region (USDA Zone 5b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Beautiful, but I didn’t like the taste at all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Landysh (Lily) \u2b50 User (230 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Tatarstan (USDA Zone 4a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I’m so glad we have these variety reviews, glad I stopped by and read up. My conclusion: toss it. I don’t see the point in growing something just for looks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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nierika (Gala) \u2b50 User (238 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Tula (USDA Zone 4b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Landysh said:<\/strong>
\nI’m so glad we have these variety reviews, glad I stopped by and read up. My conclusion: toss it. I don’t see the point in growing something just for looks.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I have to disagree. It has a classic tomato flavor and it stores for a very long time. People just expect something mind-blowing because of how gorgeous it is (myself included), and that’s why they get disappointed. But come fall, you realize the flavor is actually quite good, and it’s a lifesaver when all your slicing tomatoes are eaten or have gone bad.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Valentina-11 (Valentina) \u2b50 User (49 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Poltava (USDA Zone 5b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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My Gargamel.<\/p>\n

Very beautiful little tomato. Reviews on the flavor are super contradictory. Some sing its praises, others say it’s garbage. I can confidently say it’s tasty if it’s dead ripe – then it’s interesting and sweet. But if it’s not, it’s just a run-of-the-mill tomato, nothing special.<\/p>\n

Fruits are about the size of a chicken egg. Inside, it’s just a standard red tomato.<\/p>\n

It’s just extremely pretty.<\/p>\n

And Gargamel isn’t a girl, he’s a boy – the wizard from the Smurfs cartoon. Wears black clothes and red shoes.<\/p>\n

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Podmoskvichka (Natalia) \u2b50 User (694 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Serpukhov (USDA Zone 4b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Gargamel really impressed me this year. It survived the scorching heat without dropping many blossoms, and the shoulders ripened up nicely (unlike a lot of varieties this year that had massive, rock-hard yellow-green shoulders. I fed them potassium, babied them, did a rain dance – nothing helped). It gave a solid harvest, there are still fruits hanging in the high tunnel slowly ripening, and the fact that the skin is thick is actually a plus. I pack a week’s worth of tomatoes to take with me, and they hold up perfectly. They taste good, I enjoy eating them. The looks are a whole other story, a bunch of them went out as gifts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Yulia Antsifrova (Yulia) \u2b50 User (191 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Medyn, Kaluga Region (USDA Zone 4b)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I really loved Gargamel for its yield and looks. The skin is thick, so the variety stores well and is great for canning. Mine grew in the darkest corner, so the flavor turned out just standard tomato, no frills. But the color still developed beautifully. I pruned it to 2 leaders, but you could easily let it go to 4 – I just didn’t have the space for that many vines.<\/p>\n

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Evgeny’s Feeding & Storage Tips<\/h3>\n
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Yardacha (Evgeny) \u2b50 User (169 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Yaroslavl (USDA Zone 4a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Eugenia just helped me ID this variety, thanks for the help!<\/p>\n

Gargamel is an indeterminate tomato, in my high tunnel it topped 6.5 ft (2 m). I grew it to 2-3 leaders, it set fruit well all the way to the top. I fed it with MKP (monopotassium phosphate) and wood ash. It gets the best ripening and color in a sunny spot. The flavor of a fully ripe fruit is amazing, mostly sweet, and the skin is thick but perfectly edible.<\/p>\n

I gave my nephew in Moscow a whole 2.5-gallon (10 L) bucket; they stored it under their bed and not a single tomato went bad. Great for transporting and keeping in storage.<\/p>\n

I’m planting at least 20 of them this season (thankfully I have three high tunnels). I highly recommend it. As the saying goes: “Without a shadow of a doubt.”<\/p>\n

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Tomato girl (Eugenia) \u2b50 User (121 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Leningrad Region (USDA Zone 5a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Yardacha said:<\/strong>
\nEugenia just helped me ID this variety, thanks for the help!
\nGargamel is an indeterminate tomato, in my high tunnel it topped 6.5 ft (2 m). I grew it to 2-3 leaders, it set fruit well all the way to the top. I fed it with MKP (monopotassium phosphate) and wood ash. It gets the best ripening and color in a sunny spot. The flavor of a fully ripe fruit is amazing, mostly sweet, and the skin is thick but perfectly edible.
\nI gave my nephew in Moscow a whole 2.5-gallon (10 L) bucket; they stored it under their bed and not a single tomato went bad. Great for transporting and keeping in storage.
\nI’m planting at least 20 of them this season (thankfully I have three high tunnels). I highly recommend it. As the saying goes: “Without a shadow of a doubt.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Glad I could help!)<\/p>\n

I’m planting Gargamel this season too, but only two vines (if they sprout, just sowed them the day before yesterday). Unfortunately, space in my greenhouse is pretty tight right now. )<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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tomatinka (Vera) \u2b50 Pro Grower (14,911 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Tyumen Region (USDA Zone 3a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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tomatinka (Vera) \u2b50 Pro Grower (14,911 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Tyumen Region (USDA Zone 3a)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Storage<\/h2>\n