Ukrainian, Soviet, and Russian Tomatoes

[William S.]

I think I have planted a few seeds of each of my collection of Ukrainian, Soviet, and Russian Tomatoes listed below for 2022. I didn't carefully curate my list so it may include some mistakes and I may have left out some. I am thinking about Soviet tomatoes a lot lately because of the war in Ukraine. I am reminded of the story of Bill McDorman bringing back some tomatoes from the Soviet Union. I am also reminded of how Soviet people were big gardeners. I wonder how things are going for Ukrainian and Russian seed companies and gardeners.

https://www.seedsavers.org/the-rise-of-heirloom-seeds-bill-mcdorman

https://realestate.boston.com/gardening/2019/09/11/russian-influence-on-tomatoes/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/paul-robeson-tomato

0-33 - might be another of Saraev's tomates
Amurski Tigr - Ukrainian and the father of my exserted tiger
Ararat flame
Betalyuks
Ditmarsher
Grushovka
Matina
Nevsky
Saraev I-2
Saraev M-22
Saraev Shtambovyi
Saraev Druzhnyi
Siberia
Stupice also known as Stupike
Zagadka
Galina
Moskvich
Micro Dwarf Monetka
Utyonok
Perestolka
Jagodka Earl's Strain
Jagodka tomato Joseph Lofthouse strain which seems to be a different tomato from Earl's strain
Kalinka
Kibits - Ukrainian
Krainiy Sever

[Steph S]

Things are very rough in Ukraine with so much being destroyed... it's truly terrible.
There's a big list of Ukrainian tomato and veg seeds here:
https://www.tomatojunction.com/ukraine-tribute-grow-out-interested-t3259.html
Someone in that thread reported that Ruslan's greenhouse had been destroyed (he is a breeder in the Ukraine).
The word from Belarus, Finland and other European countries is that everyone is extremely stressed about this.  I know our Russian friends are also helpless to do anything, and that many Russians are continuing to be arrested for protesting the war, but it just keeps on getting worse.

Tatiana is having a sale of tomato seeds through her facebook page to raise money to help seed vendors and friends there.
https://www.tomatojunction.com/topic3335.html

[Garrett Schantz]

Saw mention of Tatiana - don't forget that she also has a list of tomatoes by country of origin on her website!

At the top of this page (http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Category:Russian_Tomatoes), there are subcategories of Belarus, Ukraine and Moldovan tomatoes.


J&L Gardens has a nice selection of Ukrainian and Russian tomatoes as well:

https://jandlgardens.com/xencart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=88_90 (Russian varieties)

https://jandlgardens.com/xencart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=88_92 (Ukrainian varieties)


I have some Aladdin's Lamp seeds planted. Aladdin's Lamp is a Russian variety, it doesn't seem overly common - but it is for sale here in the U.S.

I also have Saraev M-22 seeds like William does. I could find a place for a seedling of it. Might have Stupice seeds lying around somewhere.


Normally, I don't grow things to preserve them, but I wouldn't mind growing these things in order to give them back to Ukrainians sometimes (hopefully) in the near future. Russian civilians are apparently starting to starve, having other issues.

If I do send seeds / preserve a few varieties, I would probably toss in some of the habrochaites hybrids because they may be early / cold tolerant.

[Greenie DeS]

Russian tomatoes have been more reliable for me than most in the cool up here. Perhaps the only thing that saving me from leaning hard into growing those particular varieties this year is lack of certainty around seed saving with my move.

[Randy Simmons]

Stupice was developed in Czech Republic but it is/was sold in Russia.  Seeds for that variety were sold by Moravo to suppliers in Russia as Moravsky Div.  I have some but haven't planted them yet.