{"id":6869,"date":"2026-11-01T17:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T17:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/?p=6869"},"modified":"2026-11-01T17:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T17:03:13","slug":"matina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tomat-pomidor.com\/en\/matina\/","title":{"rendered":"Matina Tomato Review & Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\ud83c\udf45 Quick take:<\/strong> Matina<\/strong> is a classic early-season<\/strong>, indeterminate<\/strong> German potato-leaf heirloom that produces round, 1.8-2.8 oz (50-80 g) bright red saladette tomatoes. Ranked in the top 10 out of 3,500 varieties in the University of G\u00f6ttingen outdoor trials for home gardeners, it is prized by growers in USDA Zones 4-7 for its balanced sweet-tart classic flavor, impressive cold and late-blight tolerance, ability to set in heat, and long production window. Full summary \u2193<\/a><\/div>\n

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Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zones 4-7 Experience)<\/h2>\n

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Rodebielesumer (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (1,832 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Germany-Luxembourg-France Tri-Border Area (USDA Zone 7)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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This is an old German heirloom that hasn’t been ruined by bad modern crosses chasing size, fruit shape, or commercial yield. The best thing about this variety is the flavor – a really nice sweet-tart tang. Back when we only grew 30 tomato varieties, this one held the #1 spot for taste among our earlies. Now that we’re up to 88 varieties, Russian earlies like Uboynaya Sila and Taimyr have edged it out on flavor, and plenty of mid- and late-season varieties give it a run for its money too.<\/p>\n

Still, Matina ripens its crop completely, gives up to 4.4 lbs (2 kg) per plant over a long production window, and grows up to 4 ft (1.2 m) tall. It definitely needs staking. The fruit are firm and store well after picking as long as you don’t let them get overripe on the vine. It has light green potato-leaf foliage that almost looks like bell pepper leaves. The fruits are around 1.8-2 oz (50-60 g), round red balls. Second photo shows the same plant after thinning out some foliage.<\/p>\n

Edited February 2, 2015 by Drosera<\/em><\/p>\n

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Rodebielesumer (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (1,832 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Germany-Luxembourg-France Tri-Border Area (USDA Zone 7)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Found a cross-section photo of one sliced open – it has two seed chambers.<\/p>\n

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Rodebielesumer (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (1,832 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Germany-Luxembourg-France Tri-Border Area (USDA Zone 7)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Matina was trialed at the University of G\u00f6ttingen*<\/a> for home gardeners growing outdoors, specifically looking at late blight resistance alongside yield and flavor. Out of 3,500 varieties tested, it made the top 10 recommended for home gardens. That tracks with our own experience, because this variety shrugged off two straight weeks of pouring rain followed by heavy fog, whereas a Yablonka Rossii plant – which some folks claim is derived from Matina – growing right next to it got completely wiped out by late blight before a single fruit could ripen.<\/p>\n

Right across the border in Luxembourg, they also trialed Matina at two locations: down in a lowland valley at Ettelbruck, and up on a windy ridge at Junglinster, which the trial report noted gets strong winds. We can actually see Junglinster right from our hill. Late blight resistance up on the windy hill scored a 2, while down in the valley it scored a 6. A score of 1 was reserved for zero late blight infection, which not a single variety in the trial achieved.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Rodebielesumer (Elena) \u2b50 Pro Grower (1,832 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Germany-Luxembourg-France Tri-Border Area (USDA Zone 7)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Matina is taller and more vigorous this year thanks to letting plenty of suckers go. It set fruit really well in the heat and gave us an even bigger harvest. Also, having finally grown out Yablonka Rossii, I can confirm for sure that it’s related to Tamina, not Matina. I used to think Tamina and Matina were the exact same tomato based on forum discussions here in Germany, but growing all three varieties side by side finally cleared that misconception right up.<\/p>\n

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Uriahp (Yuri) \ud83c\udf31 Growing Enthusiast (61 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Yaroslavl, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Gave this one a try this year and really liked it. Vigorous indeterminate vine with potato leaves. Stayed healthy, set fruit right through the heat, and produced a really solid crop. I barely suckered it at all – just let each plant run 5 or 6 leaders. The tomatoes have a bold, old-school tomato flavor with a nice balance of tang and sweetness. Fairly thick, meaty walls, though still plenty of gel and seeds inside. Saladette size, around 2-2.8 oz (60-80 g). Just a solid classic all around. Will definitely grow it again.<\/p>\n

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Uriahp (Yuri) \ud83c\udf31 Growing Enthusiast (61 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Yaroslavl, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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With the non-stop frosts we’ve been having this season, Matina is making a serious bid for the ultra-early title. Grew it from my own saved seed from last year’s harvest. Looks like it acclimated to my local climate a bit \ud83d\ude42.<\/p>\n

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Uriahp (Yuri) \ud83c\udf31 Growing Enthusiast (61 posts)<\/span><\/div>\n
\ud83d\udccd Yaroslavl, Russia (USDA Zone 4)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The plants have sized up a bit since last time. \ud83d\ude04<\/p>\n

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