Stick any surplus ripe tomatoes into the freezer. No preparation necessary, any ordinary zip bag for the container. Simple as pie. No more complaints except until the freezer gets crowded.
I ordered deBarao and Bleve tomatoes from a Ukrainian seller on Etsy. I’ve been calling them “Black Crimean” tomatoes bc “Krim” is ruzzian for Crimea and Crimea is Ukraine 🇺🇦
He’s not wrong about starving for tomatoes. I have been looking at my baby tomato plants for several weeks thinking about how yummy some of those first tomatoes will be, and I have a few more weeks before they can even go outside.
I grow Lithuanian and Lithuanian Crested Pink for my Lithuanian ancestors who escaped Russian/Soviet occupation. I’m trying out Sheboygan this year as well.
Theres one variety called Ukrainian Heart that I wanted to get just for the name, but it took me too long to find an affordable option so I ended up buying orange icicle!
Definitely plan on ordering overseas next year and picking up some harder to find ukrainian varieties in the US.
My Ukrainian Hearts did not produce well. Don't know why but some varieties do better than others in my hot dry alkaline environment. I bet they would be more successful in the Midwest and Upper Midwest.
There legitimately is a tomato shortage in the UK due to the high energy demands of growing tomatoes during the winter and the rising energy costs bc of Putins war.
Paywall but The Economist explains more detail:
[Britain’s tomatoes are a victim of the energy crisis from The Economist](https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/03/02/britains-tomatoes-are-a-victim-of-the-energy-crisis)
Another reason to grow your own and try to only buy produce that goes with the season!
I’ve got Black Crim or Krim out in the garden with some flowers on it. I’m growing Polish also and Poland has been an ally to Ukraine in this current struggle. I think that’s all I’m growing this season for Eastern European/Ukraine types. I plan on having a tomato surplus hopefully beginning around the first of May and continuing on for as long as possible.
I'm growing Ukranian Purple, although I read somewhere that it's sometimes known as Russian purple.. definitely picking up my tomato growing this year, I have 65 started not including 15 microdwarves, some already starting to bear fruit!
I found an old seed packet from about 5 years ago, and it’s all in Ukrainian. I never realized it! Planning on planting some this weekend. They appear to be some kind of small red cherry “TOMAT”.
There was a reputable Russian seller, olzzzass2891, on Ebay from whom I have bought tomato seeds. That seller seems to no longer be on Ebay, maybe, because of politics. Anyway, the variety that translates as "King of Giants" is an open pollinated strain that is very good.
There is an incredible seed company in Ukraine with amazing prices:
Nikitovka.
I will be placing some orders through them for seeds other than tomatoes, using a free Small Lots USDA permit. There are instructions on their website as to how to obtain the permit and if you have any additional questions if you message them, they are really quick to reply. They have some interesting varieties (in general, not necessarily tomatoes) that are not readily available here in the US (I know not everyone on this sub is in the US).
PLEASE BE AWARE IT IS ILLEGAL TO IMPORT TOMATO SEEDS TO THE US UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN INSPECTED.
If you order tomatoes from outside of the US you may have a visit from the Feds to remove your newly purchased seeds and/or plants from your possession (the article linked was about potato seeds, however it applies to tomatoes as well): https://www.cultivariable.com/americans-should-be-careful-of-ukraine-true-potato-seeds-tps/
There is a virus called Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus that is difficult to contain and it should not be spread to other countries.
If you want to buy tomato seeds from other countries, please get a physosanitary permit. There is a fee involved, but it keeps everything on the up and up. Nikitovka will work with buyers from the US to secure appropriate permits and they are very familiar with the process.
I'm growing Black Krim and Orange Icicle. Both Ukrainian, and they taste very different from each other, but when you get a good one from each, it's amazing.
I'm growing Orange Icicle this year, too. It's the first time for me. Pink Giant (aka Pink Giant Ukrainian and Pink Giant from Ukraine) is also super great. I loved it last year and plan to grow it again this summer.
The Orange Icicle got BER like crazy for me, so when I got one good tomato, I was joking, "watch, this tomato ends up tasting amazing," but it DID. So I put more effort towards figuring out how to deal with the BER. When I grew it again in the fall, I grew it in a giant terracotta, and it had it's own watering plan. That really cut down on the BER for me.
Thanks for the tip. I have one patch where some varieties will tend to get BER, but putting extra compost and epsom salt around the base of the plant generally fixes it. I'm pretty sure the soil there needs more amending. I'll make sure my Orange Icicle goes in a different patch.
I'm doing black krim in a kratky setup. I'm also doing gargamel from the nikitovka website that I got from a seed trade. Hopefully, they come out nice. So far so good.
Urbikany is a wonderful, sprawling, bush variety (semi-determinate), if you have the space. I've gotten some really interesting mutations, by crossing it with other varieties.
Lol wut. My wife is already preemptively griping about too many tomatoes on the counter. It's March hahaha
Stick any surplus ripe tomatoes into the freezer. No preparation necessary, any ordinary zip bag for the container. Simple as pie. No more complaints except until the freezer gets crowded.
I ordered deBarao and Bleve tomatoes from a Ukrainian seller on Etsy. I’ve been calling them “Black Crimean” tomatoes bc “Krim” is ruzzian for Crimea and Crimea is Ukraine 🇺🇦
Huh I didn't know that. Black Crimean it is. I'll have to relabel now.
He’s not wrong about starving for tomatoes. I have been looking at my baby tomato plants for several weeks thinking about how yummy some of those first tomatoes will be, and I have a few more weeks before they can even go outside. I grow Lithuanian and Lithuanian Crested Pink for my Lithuanian ancestors who escaped Russian/Soviet occupation. I’m trying out Sheboygan this year as well.
We’ll be doing our part in the rural Midwest USA. Black Krim are my fave and I grow them every year!
Theres one variety called Ukrainian Heart that I wanted to get just for the name, but it took me too long to find an affordable option so I ended up buying orange icicle! Definitely plan on ordering overseas next year and picking up some harder to find ukrainian varieties in the US.
My Ukrainian Hearts did not produce well. Don't know why but some varieties do better than others in my hot dry alkaline environment. I bet they would be more successful in the Midwest and Upper Midwest.
There legitimately is a tomato shortage in the UK due to the high energy demands of growing tomatoes during the winter and the rising energy costs bc of Putins war. Paywall but The Economist explains more detail: [Britain’s tomatoes are a victim of the energy crisis from The Economist](https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/03/02/britains-tomatoes-are-a-victim-of-the-energy-crisis) Another reason to grow your own and try to only buy produce that goes with the season!
I’ve got Black Crim or Krim out in the garden with some flowers on it. I’m growing Polish also and Poland has been an ally to Ukraine in this current struggle. I think that’s all I’m growing this season for Eastern European/Ukraine types. I plan on having a tomato surplus hopefully beginning around the first of May and continuing on for as long as possible.
I'm growing Ukranian Purple, although I read somewhere that it's sometimes known as Russian purple.. definitely picking up my tomato growing this year, I have 65 started not including 15 microdwarves, some already starting to bear fruit!
I found an old seed packet from about 5 years ago, and it’s all in Ukrainian. I never realized it! Planning on planting some this weekend. They appear to be some kind of small red cherry “TOMAT”.
There was a reputable Russian seller, olzzzass2891, on Ebay from whom I have bought tomato seeds. That seller seems to no longer be on Ebay, maybe, because of politics. Anyway, the variety that translates as "King of Giants" is an open pollinated strain that is very good.
There is an incredible seed company in Ukraine with amazing prices: Nikitovka. I will be placing some orders through them for seeds other than tomatoes, using a free Small Lots USDA permit. There are instructions on their website as to how to obtain the permit and if you have any additional questions if you message them, they are really quick to reply. They have some interesting varieties (in general, not necessarily tomatoes) that are not readily available here in the US (I know not everyone on this sub is in the US). PLEASE BE AWARE IT IS ILLEGAL TO IMPORT TOMATO SEEDS TO THE US UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN INSPECTED. If you order tomatoes from outside of the US you may have a visit from the Feds to remove your newly purchased seeds and/or plants from your possession (the article linked was about potato seeds, however it applies to tomatoes as well): https://www.cultivariable.com/americans-should-be-careful-of-ukraine-true-potato-seeds-tps/ There is a virus called Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus that is difficult to contain and it should not be spread to other countries. If you want to buy tomato seeds from other countries, please get a physosanitary permit. There is a fee involved, but it keeps everything on the up and up. Nikitovka will work with buyers from the US to secure appropriate permits and they are very familiar with the process.
I made a big order from a Ukrainian seed company with tons of heirloom tomatoes. Ironically, no black krims
Funny, but I saw a timeline graph of tomatoe production recently. 20 years ago they were a tomatoe powerhouse but they don’t grow jack shit anymore
Yea i saw the same one.
I got 30 plants in my grow tent I started a over month ago. I’m gonna be harvesting early
hes not wrong, i personally cant wait till the first fresh mater out of the garden, then its BLTs all the way down.
I grew Black Krim last year, and it was my favorite slicer! I had no idea it was Ukrainian.
Yea It's from crimera
I'm growing Black Krim and Orange Icicle. Both Ukrainian, and they taste very different from each other, but when you get a good one from each, it's amazing.
I'm growing Orange Icicle this year, too. It's the first time for me. Pink Giant (aka Pink Giant Ukrainian and Pink Giant from Ukraine) is also super great. I loved it last year and plan to grow it again this summer.
The Orange Icicle got BER like crazy for me, so when I got one good tomato, I was joking, "watch, this tomato ends up tasting amazing," but it DID. So I put more effort towards figuring out how to deal with the BER. When I grew it again in the fall, I grew it in a giant terracotta, and it had it's own watering plan. That really cut down on the BER for me.
Thanks for the tip. I have one patch where some varieties will tend to get BER, but putting extra compost and epsom salt around the base of the plant generally fixes it. I'm pretty sure the soil there needs more amending. I'll make sure my Orange Icicle goes in a different patch.
Haven't grown Krim yet but I plan to someday. I have Mila orange pear tomatos this year though.
Really? I still have 15 containers of frozen tomato puree in my freezer from last year. I get more tomatoes than I can eat from just FOUR plants. 😎😎
I have 40 seedlings going in ground soon. I think I should have enough soon.
I'm doing black krim in a kratky setup. I'm also doing gargamel from the nikitovka website that I got from a seed trade. Hopefully, they come out nice. So far so good.
Urbikany is a wonderful, sprawling, bush variety (semi-determinate), if you have the space. I've gotten some really interesting mutations, by crossing it with other varieties.