Sprouting Tomato

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Bren
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Is this an unusual tomato,tea time I cut open a tomato to find it had sprouted inside the outside was perfect no marking on it the only thing was that the end was a bit pointed rather than round .I have been grown tomatoes for years and never seen one like this.
Bren
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oldherbaceous
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Dear Bren, i've seen lots of tomatoes with bits growing on the outside, but never anything growing on the inside, most strange!
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Motherwoman
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I have seen this before but it's not common. the slimey bit inside a tomato (the aril) is designed to inhibit germination of the seeds because when you think about it the inside of a tomato provides good conditions for germination! The seeds are meant to germinate when the aril is broken down either by passing through a gut system or by going mouldy. I suppose occassionally the tomato's production system doesn't get the chemical balance right and seeds can start to germinate.

When I save seeds from toms I hook the seeds and aril out from the flesh and drop into a jam jar and let them grow mould for 3 or 4 days then rinse them off in a sieve and dry on a saucer (they don't stick to a saucer) that way I make sure I've got rid of the aril and, hopefully, improve germination. I know many seed savers don't bother with this process but that's the way I find works for me.

MW
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Diane
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That's good seed saving info MW. I've done similar and then spread the seeds out to dry separately spread out on kitchen paper, which I shall then lay in a seed tray to sprout in the spring. Have I done the right thing? How do you actually save your seeds once they're dry?
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Motherwoman
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Hi Diane,

Sounds fine to me. I know of other seed savers who do it that way and get good germination. I drop mine into little round film canisters, they have such a good airtight seal on the lid. Have to ensure they're really dry first though! I'm lucky to have a son who's into 'real' film... :)

MW
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