The Cosmonaut Volkov tomato is a Ukrainian heirloom that was renamed after a Russian cosmonaut who died while returning from the first visit to the Earth's first space station. Cosmonaut Volkov is one of the best tasting fresh tomatoes with its rich, deep, balanced, sweet and tangy flavor. Indeterminate plants set generously sized, 2–3 inch, slightly squat, deep orange/red fruit with green-tinged shoulders, and bright red interiors.
*Simone's Garden note: although the official description says the fruit is 2 to 3 inches, I've found the fruit gets larger each season. In 2024 most Volkovs from my garden were a good 4 inches across. Photos are from my garden in 2024.
Companions: borage, carrot, nasturtium, asparagus, parsley, onion, sage, thyme
Cosmonaut Volkov
This tomato was named by the former space engineer Igor Mikhailovich Maslov after his friend Vladislav Volkov, a Russian cosmonaut, who was killed during the landing of the Russian spaceship Soyuz 11, along with the other crew members. When Igor Maslov retired, he trialed more than 300 tomato varieties and he thought that Cosmonaut Volkov was the best.
- Indeterminate
- Full sun
- Beefsteak variety