Sprouting supermarket tomatoes

[Primrose]

We recently bought some supermarket tomatoes and on cutting them open found that many of the seeds inside had actually started to sprout. I've occasionally had this happen with an odd tomato in the past but every tomato in the pack was similarly affected. I was tempted to put one or two of the sprouting seeds into compost to see whether they would actually produce plants but it's obviously far too early to be sowing them for any success.

But does anybody know why this happens? I wondered whether perhaps the tomatoes had, at some point, been put in a very warm environment and this had triggered the seeds to start sprouting.

[FelixLeiter]

Very odd behaviour. The jelly which surrounds each seed inside a tomato fruit contains inhibitors to germination. It is only when this gel is digested away through decomposition or passing through an animal's gut that the seeds are free to germinate. I've seen seeds sprout in partially-decomposed fruits, which I guess is to be expected, but not in fresh ones.

It's not too early to sow tomatoes. You could bring them on in a warm place, even it's only to the point that it's obvious that they are going to make proper plants.

[Westi]

Give it a try Primrose - not going to cost much & the toms will only be going in the compost anyway. Use foil to capture as much light as possible - Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I had it happpen once with a lottie grown tom - it had a full green stem inside that didn't really look like a tom as was quite thick so I assumed a insect inadvertently pierced the tom & left another seed behind. Didn't plant it on although was tempted.

Westi

[Ricard with an H]

My only tomato growing success was 15 years ago with some seed taking from what was then a new variety of small tomato exclusive to Sainsbury at the time.

Sorry, the name of the tomato will come but right now it's staying within the reluctant grey-matter.

Anyway, my neighbour and gardening mentor who's name was Fred said they won't grow. The seeds sprouted and I had a greenhouse full of lovely sweet tomato to the point I had to fight to get into the greenhouse at one point.

Will somebody help me with the name of that tomato ?

[mikepearce45]

Not sure about the name of the Sainbury's tomato you are talking about but back in 2008 Tesco brought out a new cherry variety , exclusive to themselves, called Moruno. They were superb flavour and excellent eaters despite the rather thick skin.

I actually dried some seeds from one and grew on about six plants in the greenhouse. The taste was better than those purchased but the plants were not heavy croppers.

I no longer have any of the saved seeds and have not seen them recently in Tescos. If anyone sees them, then I recommend that you try them.

[Ricard with an H]

It'll come to me, I still don't remember the name though I do remember they were a plum shape and yes they did have quite a thick skin. I'm now wondering if we're talking about the same tomato because whilst I did say they were. "Exclusive-to-Sainsbury", that may not have continued to be the case because i'm going back to 2000. Maybe before.

I also remember my family referring to them as, "Triffids" because they grew out of the window-vents.

Since that experience I moved to Wales, I haven't owed a greenhouse and whilst a green house is in the pipeline it's proving to be a difficult commitment in practical terms.

Because of that experience I would never buy tomato seed in a packet with a promise, rather I would approve of the taste of something i've eaten, then grow it from the seed inside. Considering Fred's comment, is that such a wild idea ?

[Primrose]

A few years ago I kept some seeds from a similar supermarket - a cherry sized plum with a thick skin and have grown at least one plant from their heirs and successors every year since. Several different supermarkets seem to sell similar varieties although I don't know whether they are the same. Anyway, the one I grow is fairly prolific and because of its thick skin is a good keeper.

[Shallot Man]

Would suggest these toms with a thick skin is deliberate, so they do not bruise.