The Best Collector Tomatoes of 2021: Names and Descriptions

Rare and exotic tomato seeds are available from breeders. The planting material has a high germination rate and is protected from fungal diseases. Before purchasing tomato seeds from collectors for 2021, it's important to research the varietal characteristics of the vegetables and become familiar with the selection and care guidelines.

Tips for choosing tomato varieties

When choosing tomatoes, consider the growing season and climate conditions where the vegetables will be grown. Breeders have developed varieties suitable for both greenhouse and open-field cultivation. Important qualities to consider when purchasing:

1. Color, weight, shape of fruits.
2. Country of origin, possibility of adaptation to the Russian climate.
3. Stem arrangement: Climbing, standard, and bush tomatoes. Climbing varieties require support. Standard tomatoes are easy to maintain and require less care, and their fruits store well.
4. Ripening periods: early, mid-season, late.

When choosing tomatoes, consider their shelf life. Tomatoes with overly soft and juicy flesh are not suitable for long-term storage; they are best used for juice or preserves immediately. Determinate varieties grow successfully in open ground, while indeterminate varieties are grown only in greenhouses. Breeders have developed tomatoes that can be grown in containers on a balcony or windowsill.

Varieties from collectors

The catalogs feature domestic and international varieties. Collectible varieties are characterized by high germination rates and excellent yield quality. To ensure uniform germination and a consistent fruit yield, select varieties with appropriate regionalization. Catalogs are available on collectors' websites; before purchasing, be sure to review the tomato descriptions and photos.

Valentina Redko's collection

Valentina Vladimirovna grows tomatoes in the Kurgan region, and has developed both indoor and greenhouse varieties. Her catalog features exotic varieties in all colors: pink, green, red, yellow, and brown. These tomatoes are suitable for canning, pickling, and salads. Popular tomatoes from the catalog include:

1. Golden Pearl is a high-yielding, yellow-fruited variety. The fruits are spherical, weighing up to 30 g. The bush height is 20-25 cm, and the plant is resistant to natural stress.
2. Korean Creeping Tomato is an early variety, ready for harvest in mid-July. The tomatoes are scarlet in color, weighing 30-40 g. The bushes are densely covered with fruit. Suitable for growing in baskets and pots.
3. Sweet and neat, Red has compact bushes up to 20 cm tall. This high-yielding variety can yield up to 5 kg per bush with proper care. Suitable for growing on a balcony or windowsill.
4. Balkan Tiger is a mid-season variety. Fruits weigh up to 100 g, are heart-shaped, and pale pink. The flesh is juicy, sweet, and grainy. This variety is resistant to late blight.
5. The White Bush is a plant up to 1 m tall, abundantly covered with pale yellow fruits. The tomatoes are round in shape and have a slightly sweet taste.

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The collection comprises 2,000 varieties. These species are resistant to fungal diseases and natural stress. The catalog is updated in mid-September. Planting material can be ordered by mail, in a 5-seed package.

Alla Kondratieva's collection

Alla Nikolaevna's tomato catalog features 500 varieties. The collection includes high-yielding varieties for both greenhouse and open-field cultivation. Browse the full collection at the "Tomatoes from Alla" online store. Popular tomato varieties include:

1. Abakansky Rozov (Abakansky Pink) is a mid-season variety recommended for cultivation in southern and central Russia. The bush is spreading, reaching up to 2 m in height. The fruits are large and fleshy, weighing up to 0.5 kg. These tomatoes are suitable for canning and salads, but do not store well.
2. Absinthe is a mid-season variety with bushes up to 2 meters tall. The fruits are light green with a pinkish tint. This variety is highly productive, yielding up to 3 kg of tomatoes from a single stem. It is resistant to fungi and requires consistent humidity and protection from drafts and sudden temperature changes.
3. 42 days – the variety's name reflects the growing season, making it an early-ripening tomato. The fruits are red and weigh up to 50 g.

Tomatoes from Ilya Korolev

The breeder cultivates and breeds tomatoes on his private plot located in the Moscow region. The catalog features domestic and foreign varieties:

1. Blue Forest is a mid-season tomato. The plants are tall, reaching up to 2 m in height. The fruits are blue, round, and weigh an average of 70 g.
2. Azoyushka is an early variety with a high yield. The tomatoes are yellow and flattened and round. The flesh is juicy, slightly sweet, and slightly tart.
3. Accordion Pink is a mid-season variety suitable for both greenhouse and open-ground cultivation. The fruits are raspberry-colored and round. The bush is spreading, reaching a height of up to 2 m.

Ilya Korolev's website features a complete collection of tomatoes with convenient filters by fruit color, plant height, and ripening time. Orders are processed quickly, and seeds are shipped by mail throughout Russia.

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Varieties by origin

The most popular varieties for cultivation are those of American, German, and Italian selection. When purchasing planting material, consider the possibility of growing in Russia, as climate conditions vary across the country. Foreign varieties and hybrids are distinguished by their resistance to natural stress and fungal diseases.

USA

America is a country with advanced plant breeding, and plant growing is popular here. Scientists have created hybrids of unusual shapes and colors that are resistant to late blight:

1. Chalilis is an exotic variety bred in Illinois. The fruits are distinguished by their unusual color—a variegated mix of orange and red. The flesh is juicy, with a consistency reminiscent of pineapple. This mid-season variety produces tall bushes, reaching up to 2 meters in height.
2. Sunrise Jass is a popular American early-ripening tomato. With proper care, it yields up to 5 kg per bush. The fruits are yellow with a pinkish-marbled hue. The flesh is tender, meaty, and juicy.
3. Dirty Curty is a mid-season variety, ripening in late July. The tomatoes are medium-sized, round, and red with a black tip.
4. Yellow Fire is an exotic tomato with a sweet, creamy flavor. The fruit is bright orange and the flesh is tender. The plant produces clusters of vegetables, with an average yield of up to 10 kg per bush.

Large-fruited varieties are often prone to cracking and fruit damage. To avoid this problem, maintain air humidity below 70% and fertilize with organic and mineral fertilizers. American tomatoes can be purchased from agricultural companies and specialized nurseries.

Italy

In Italy, they successfully cultivate varieties of various shapes—oblong and elongated, cherry, and ribbed. These tomatoes can be used for juice and preserves, as well as eaten fresh. These varieties are adapted to Russian climate conditions. Popular varieties include:

1. Russo Sicilian Togetta is a mid-season Italian tomato. The bushes are spreading, reaching up to 2 m in height. The fruits weigh up to 0.2 kg, are flattened to round, and ribbed. These tomatoes are suitable for salads and canning, but do not store well.
2. Pera D'Abruzzo is an early-ripening variety with a high yield (up to 10 kg per plant). The fruits are large—0.3 kg—and have a unique ribbed shape.
3. Coure de Albenga is an Italian mid-early variety distinguished by its long fruiting period. The tomatoes are scarlet, juicy, and virtually seedless. These tomatoes are used for juice and preserves.
4. San Marzano Nano is a new tomato variety that is resistant to drought and minor temperature fluctuations. The fruits are oblong, with firm flesh and minimal seeds.

Germany

German heirloom varieties are carefully selected to offer the best qualities—yield, flavor, weight, and appearance. In central and southern Russia, greenhouse cultivation is recommended. Popular German tomatoes from breeders for 2020:

1. Vater Rhein is a mid-season variety, growing up to 1.7 m in length. The fruits are red, heart-shaped, and average 0.5 kg in weight. The consistency is tender and fleshy.
2. German Orange Strawberry is a mid-season variety. The tomatoes have an exotic shape, resembling strawberries. The average fruit weight is up to 0.7 kg, and the bushes are highly productive.
3. Flaschentomaten are sprawling plants, up to 2 m tall. The fruits ripen on clusters; for proper bush formation, 2-3 stems are required. The tomatoes are bright scarlet with sweet flesh.
4. Schtrauch is an exotic tomato variety that ripens on the trusses. It is drought-resistant. The tomatoes have a good marketable appearance and are easy to transport. With proper care, the plant can yield up to 8 kg of tomatoes.

If growing sprawling bushes in a greenhouse, pruning and shaping the stems is required—for successful fruiting, 2-3 shoots should be left. The cultivation techniques are simple; basic care is sufficient—providing good lighting, watering, loosening the soil, and removing weeds.

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Collectible seeds are highly productive planting material, known for their high yields. Breeders develop new tomato varieties and refine older varieties. When purchasing hybrids, keep in mind that you won't be able to collect the tomato seeds; they will need to be reordered each year. It's important to read the information on the variety label, but cultivation techniques rarely differ from those for regular tomatoes.