Are you looking for a versatile tomato that even the newest gardener can succeed in growing? While the average tomato prefers the warmer climate of the south to thrive, the Moskvich Tomato flourishes even in cooler climates! This makes it an ideal tomato to grow in the northern states or in during the colder growing months.
If you’ve tried your hand at growing tomatoes in the past and haven’t had any luck, give this variety a try. As long as your area gets sun, you can grow this delicious variety on your own!
Keep reading to learn all about the Moskvich tomato and how to grow it yourself to enjoy cold-hardy tomatoes straight from your garden.
What is a Moskvich Tomato?
This heirloom tomato variety was cultivated in the early 1970s in Russia, and produced by the Vavilov Institute of Plant Industry located in St. Petersburg. The Plant Industry was established after Nikolai Vavilov, a Russian scientist who was integral in identifying the origins of cultivated plants. Since Vavilov himself was a native of Moscow, the Moskvich Tomato means “man from Moscow.”
This versatile fruit will be the first tomato your garden produces at the beginning of the growing season, and it will be the last to yield. This season-long yield makes it different when compared to your average tomato variety.
The Moskvich Tomato is perfect for slicing as a mid-afternoon snack or for use in your favorite tomato-based recipe! These juicy tomatoes also work wonderfully for canning purposes.
Defining Characteristics
This high-yielding, early-season fruit thrives in cool, short-seasoned climates, making it a great tomato choice when considering what to plant this season. As an indeterminate plant, you can expect this fruit to grow between 4-6 feet, and to yield ripe tomatoes in 60-70 days.
What Does the Fruit Look Like?
Moskvich tomatoes are larger than your average tomatoes, usually 3-4 inches in diameter. The average weight is 4-6 ounces but can grow larger.
They’re usually a deep red and tend to remain symmetrically round with resistance to cracking.
This beauty is what you envision when you imagine a nice ripe tomato plucked from the vine!
What Does It Taste Like?
These heirloom tomatoes have an outstanding flavor with a sweetness that sets them apart from other tomatoes. This fruit is a great choice to be eaten right off the vine! As a slicer variety, don’t feel pressured only to eat them cooked. Indulge yourself by slicing one up and sprinkling it with a bit of salt.
Health Benefits
Just like other tomatoes, several notable health benefits should make the Moskvich Tomato a fruit for you to consider for your own dining table. These fruits are low in carbohydrates, a good source of fiber and lycopene, and are rich in vitamins A, C, KI, and B9!
Tomatoes have been known to decrease the risk of cancer, aid with constipation, lower blood pressure, and aid in eye, oral, and heart health.
Visit our blog post on Tomato Health Benefits to read more about how tomatoes are good for you! We also offer a full guide on Tomato Nutrition to inspire you to make tomatoes a regular part of your meals.
Useful Recipes
These tomatoes are hardy enough to be grown throughout the summer and well into the fall, so you’ll have plenty of tomatoes for every kind of recipe. Try a few of these for the freshest and best-tasting meals!
Stuffed Tomatoes
Stuffed Tomatoes are not only beautiful to look at, they are delicious! With such simple ingredients, they make a versatile meal you can tweak each time you serve, making it a family favorite.
Play around with this recipe, adding some parmesan, herbs, or garlic to the panko mixture for a new flavor!
Tomato Galette
This beautiful Tomato Galette can be served as an appetizer or the main dish of your meal. It will look like you spent hours prepping it for your guests when it’s actually quite a quick meal to prepare…as long as you have those tomatoes on hand!
Don’t forget to sprinkle some fresh basil on the finished product. Yum!
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Are you ready for a delicious summertime salad to cool you off? This Heirloom Tomato Salad takes just five minutes to combine and is perfect as the main part of the meal or a simple side dish.
Growing the Moskvich Tomato
Good news! This particular tomato variety is one of the easier tomatoes to grow, making it the perfect tomato for a first-time gardener to tackle. It thrives in small gardens but can also be grown in a large container, such as a half-wine barrel.
Start early by planting outside in early April and expect to see a yield through early November. These tomatoes do just fine when started indoors as seedlings, 6-8 weeks ahead of time, and transported outside once the growing season arrives.
Space the plants 24-36 inches apart and plant at a 1/4 inch depth. Be sure to plant them where they’ll get full sun for six or more hours daily!
The ideal outdoor growing temp should remain between 50-95 degrees, with a minimum soil temperature of 60 degrees. This plant is both drought-tolerant and high-heat tolerant.
Plan for these plants to grow to a height of 4-6 feet. A Moskvich Tomato is ripe when it reaches a deep red color and has a slight give when squeezed.
You’ll be ready to serve these heirloom tomatoes in your favorite tomato dishes in just 60-70 days!
Where to Buy Seeds
Are you ready to add these tomatoes to this year’s gardening lineup? You can buy Moskvich Tomato seeds online at Amazon. Order in time for spring planting!
Be sure to order early so you’ll be ready for this year’s tomato season!
A Tomato for Cool Climate Gardens!
If you’re looking for an early-season tomato that can handle a cool climate, the Moskvich Tomato is the one you’re looking for! Why not try your hand at growing these unique fruits in your garden for a yummy tomato sandwich or tomato salad?
To learn more about growing and caring for tomatoes, visit our Tomato Plants page for helpful tips and guidance!
- About the Author
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Laura L. Zimmerman is an author of both indie and traditionally published books. She lives in a tiny rural town in south-central Pennsylvania with her husband, daughters, four adorable kitties, and one energetic puppy!
After earning a BMUS with a Certification in Music Therapy, she decided to homeschool her children. Here she discovered a passion for learning and teaching, which led her to make writing a priority. She currently enjoys reading and writing YA sci-fi and fantasy, as well as middle-grade mysteries.
Having come from a family where cooking wasn’t a priority, she quickly discovered her love of cooking and baking soon after she married. Twenty-three years later it’s still a passion for her as she enjoys creating new recipes for her family and friends. She found her green thumb in the garden soon after her family bought their first house and appreciates the yummy food grown in her own backyard!
Laura can be reached at lauralzimmauthor@gmail.com