Harvesting tomato seeds
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FredMunson
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Does anyone have any tips on harvesting seeds from tomatoes for next years plants? I have some Grubbs mystery green tomatoes that I would like to grow again next year but the seeds are not readily available elsewhere.
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Tony Hague
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There's a paragraph or two on saving tomato seeds here:
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html
It suggests fermenting them for a few days to get rid of the jelly like stuff coating the seeds. For small quantities I have had success by skiping this step, but just rubbing the jelly off with the seeds in a sieve under a running tap, then leaving to dry on kitchen towel. Less smelly !
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html
It suggests fermenting them for a few days to get rid of the jelly like stuff coating the seeds. For small quantities I have had success by skiping this step, but just rubbing the jelly off with the seeds in a sieve under a running tap, then leaving to dry on kitchen towel. Less smelly !
Anne Swithinbank has a few tips on this in the forthcoming February issue of KG (on sale Friday 30 Dec) - I wont' steal her thunder but it's basically leaving the seeds for 10 days in a jar of water to disengage the sticky coating around the seeds, then washing them followed by drying - she says it so much better though 
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PLUMPUDDING
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We talked about this recently. Choose seeds from the best looking tomatoes when they are very ripe. I don't think you need to soak them for as long as 10 days. In water in a lidded jam jar they usually start fermenting in about four days. Just shake the jar up every day and when the seeds look clean tip them into a sieve under a tap to finish cleaning them. Scum and gunge usually forms on top of the water. Tip them onto a saucer and dry them thoroughly for a couple of weeks on a sunny windowsill. Don't packet them until you are sure they are dry or they will go mouldy.
This way produces nice clean seeds, although they still usually do ok cleaned as Tony says, or even just stuck to kitchen towel and dried.
They are easy and quite tough. Just make sure they are dry.
This way produces nice clean seeds, although they still usually do ok cleaned as Tony says, or even just stuck to kitchen towel and dried.
They are easy and quite tough. Just make sure they are dry.
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Westi
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PP's good advice was received to late for my seed saving - I soaked them for too long. The seeds did dry eventually but they didn't germinate when I tried a few. They aren't mouldy though, but early days. Will give them another test when Spring comes if they survive that long!
Westi
Westi
Westi