saving tomato seed

**zazen999** · 14-07-2010, 07:27 AM

From Real Seeds' instructions:

To collect the seed, allow your tomatoes to ripen fully. Then collect a few of each variety that you want to save seed from. Slice them in half across the middle of the fruit, and squeeze the seeds and juice into a jar. You then need to ferment this mixture for a few days - this removes the jelly-like coating on each seed, and also kills off many diseases that can be carried on the seeds. To do this put the jar of seeds and juice in a reasonably warm place for 3 days, stirring the mixture twice a day. It should develop a coating of mould, and start to smell really nasty!

After 3 days, add plenty of water to the jar, and stir well. The good seeds should sink to the bottom of the jar. Gently pour off the top layer of mould and any seeds that float. Then empty the good seeds into a sieve and wash them thoroughly under running water. Shake off as much water as possible, and tip the sieve out onto a china or glass plate (the seeds tend to stick to anything else). Dry somewhere warm but not too hot, and out of direct sunlight. Once they are completely dry, rub them off the plate and store in a cool dry place, where they should keep well for at least 4 years.

**Dane End Dolly** · 14-07-2010, 07:51 AM

So do you think i should empty it out of the jar and try and rinse off the gunk and do it correctly for the next batch?. The tomatoes were very ripe oh well i hope i can get all of the gunk off them and still save the seeds

**zazen999** · 14-07-2010, 08:01 AM

no - just leave for 3 days; and carry on.

**Flummery** · 14-07-2010, 08:54 AM

I don't find it gets smelly. I put the seeds in a jam jar with water for about 3 days. What happens is that the gel softens, sometimes ferments, but at that point I put the stuff into a nylon sieve and wash it through with cold water. You can gently rub the seeds on the sieve (that's why I use nylon) to remove the last of the coating. Then I spread the seeds out on a saucer to dry. Peasy!

You can also simply wipe the seeds individually onto kitchen roll or even newspaper to dry. Then cut them apart and sow paper and all.

**Nik** · 14-07-2010, 10:24 AM

I don't know if this is helpful, but I am pretty chuffed. I planted some salad leaves in some homemade compost earlier this year and a tomato plant started growing out of it - I replanted it in the veggie patch and it is now doing well and has two trusses of green toms on in. I presume the seed survived in my compost bin all year after I threw away some left over salad. So maybe it is possible to simply bung some chopped tomatoes in a bucket of compost and something will come up a year later.

**rustylady** · 14-07-2010, 10:32 AM

Originally posted by Nik View Post

I planted some salad leaves in some homemade compost earlier this year and a tomato plant started growing out of it

I had tomatoes growing in my front border under the window last year after I had mulched with home-made compost.

**trish60** · 14-07-2010, 10:39 AM

Originally posted by Flummery View Post

You can also simply wipe the seeds individually onto kitchen roll or even newspaper to dry. Then cut them apart and sow paper and all.

Did this last year with a tasty baby plum tomato I bought from the greengrocers.
Had 100% germination & they are growing really well.
One truss (outside) has 50+ toms on it.

**zazen999** · 14-07-2010, 11:07 AM

Originally posted by Flummery View Post

You can also simply wipe the seeds individually onto kitchen roll or even newspaper to dry. Then cut them apart and sow paper and all.

I used to do this, but got a few sarky comments about loo roll when I swapped with other Grapes; so I now use the Real Seeds method all the time.

It just looks better when in little bags the next spring when you come to sow.

**Incy** · 14-07-2010, 11:40 AM

I used the real seeds method to save seeds from my 100's and 1000's. I had great germination and the resultant plants are coming along nicely. Mind you I also had self sown alicantes from a tom that fell unnoticed into a pot with a chilli plant in. They grew indoors through the winter and have been supplying me with ripe toms since May

**Flummery** · 14-07-2010, 11:54 AM

I use the fermentation method for seeds to swap but I'm less bothered by aesthetics for my own seeds!

How rude of people to be sarky when they're getting free seeds! Come on Grapes, that's not the spirit!

Nik, you COULD just bung a chopped up tomato in a bucket of compost but you want to sow your seeds early in the year, not now. The toms you'll be getting in February, March or April will be imported, flavourless and often of unspecifed variety. I like to grow special tomatoes and for that I need the seeds saved when the fruits are at their best, and I need them sown in Spring. We had someone on here a few months ago who had a clump of tomato plants, which is what you'll get from a chopped up tomato, and was having trouble untangling them.

**Dane End Dolly** · 15-07-2010, 07:38 AM

Thank you guys, i shall keep doing what i am doing.

I agree with flum, people who are getting free seeds, should keep sarky traps shut, what is wrong with a bit of toilet paper, once it is in the ground you (a) do not see it and (b) it disintergrates. Some people are just plain rude.

Kxx

**lottie dolly** · 15-07-2010, 11:00 AM

You can also simply wipe the seeds individually onto kitchen roll or even newspaper to dry. Then cut them apart and sow paper and all.[/QUOTE]

thats what i do,kitchen roll,first of all write the variety and date on paper,squeeze seeds and gunk alike onto it,spread,place it on a cake cooling wrack to dry,...fold up put into either onvelope or an empty herb jar,no bother,easy,as long as you remember where you have put them for safe keeping lol,

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