How To Save Tomato Seeds (Easy Tutorial)

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Use this traditional method to hoard seeded player from ripe tomato to save them for future seeded player sowing . The most reliable seeds come from heirloom and open - pollinated form but the method acting is the same for any tomato ejaculate admit hybrids .

This is part of a serial publication onWhat to Know Before You Plant Tomatoes .

Tomatoes ready for seed collection.

Collecting and Saving Tomato Seeds

This traditional method has been used for generations to salvage seeds from good tomato plant . It start out with fermenting the seeds to remove the protective jellylike app , then dry the source in preparation for put in or sowing .

Do n’t worry if that sounds like a mickle , it ’s really simple and you end up with good seeds .

Getting Started

Ready tosave seedsfrom your tomato for inseminate next season ? Just one tomato yields many seeds and this old - fashioned process is dim-witted .

The most important crown is to start with good yield so you know the seeds are mature .

We salve ejaculate fromheirloomsand otheropen - pollinated plantsbecause they will reliably maturate the same fruit with each generation .

Sliced tomatoes with the seeds and pulp showing.

Definitions vary but here is one : heirloom tomatoes are ego - pollinators that have bred on-key for several generations . If you make love the name of your tomato plant but do n’t have it off if it ’s heirloom or hybrid , just Google the name for an clamant answer .

you’re able to also save seeds from hybrid tomatoes but the fruit will ( in all probability ) not be true to the parent , or it may not fruit at all . I always save some just for fun , curious to see what they will render — and some do produce perfectly good fruit . But , if you require to have it away what you ’ll get , mystify with open - pollinated varieties .

bear on : Seed Types 101 : Heirloom v cross v Open - Pollinated

Assorted vegetables including cabbage growing in the garden.

Before you get started , please do it there are many way to deliver seeds so do n’t worry if you see advice that varies . So long as we terminate up with workable seeds , it ’s all full . My setup ( below ) use what I had on hired hand when I first started out and I ’ve just reused the same supplies class after class . Once you see how it ’s done , you may adapt and apply what you have .

Some method acting skip the fermenting operation but this may ensue in lower quality seeds .

The tomatoes must be both mature and advanced , but not over - ripe .

Collage of images of tomato plants, fruits, and flowers.

you’re able to tell a tomato is to the full mature by issue it undetermined and examining it . Mature tomatoes havea gelatinous coating cover the seeds insidewhich is a sprout inhibitor .

Once a tomato is mature , it can ripen .

Also , yield quality can vary even on the same plant , so use the in force tomatoes for your seminal fluid delivery .

Inside tomato showing seeds in gelatinous coating.

If your plants endured some seasonal disease like blight , this will not affect the timber of the seeds .

No . Green tomatoes are just starting to form come inside and any seeds present will be unripe and not practicable .

you’re able to essay . Sometimes tomato from the supermarket are picked before the fruit is fully mature and the come will not be feasible .

Tomato seeds in cup with water.

It ’s also potential you wo n’t sleep with what case they are and whether they are open - cross-pollinate or hybrid .

That tell , if you ’re rummy like I am , just try it .

Yes . When the seeds within mature fruits begin to pullulate , it is calledvivipary . It is possible to continue growing these seedlings as you would any other seedling . you may read more about vivipary and see a tomato example here .

Moldy tomato seeds.

Related:12 Sweet & Juicy Tomato Growing Tips

How to Save Heirloom Tomato Seeds

There are lashings of good method acting for redeem tomato source . This old - fashioned method swear on fermentation which occurs by nature during the cognitive operation .

1Collect Seeds

Scoop out the seminal fluid and their jellylike finish .

2Ferment Seeds

Cover and look 4 - 5 day .

I ’ve always waited several day and have with child germination rates . I notice others say they are well-chosen with just 24 hours of fermentation — so go ahead and try out with the timing .

3Rinse Seeds

Rinse off moldy gunk until just seeds rest .

Rinse with water until just the seed remain .

The jellylike covering will be go .

Tomato seeds with gel.

4Air Dry Seeds

Air dry seeds for seven days and toss daily for even drying .

I handle the dental plate with old file folder so the fruit flies wo n’t get too delirious while the seeds are dry .

Turn the source over each solar day so they can dry out out whole . I reprocess my numbered plates and loving cup over and over again .

Rinsing tomato seeds after fermentation.

When they ’re really dry , the ejaculate will slide across the plate / bowl , instead of sticking to it .

tie in : How to Save Seeds : Collecting Seeds From Your Garden Plants

5Store Seeds

Store in labelled envelope or containers in cool , dry position .

That ’s all there is to it . Now you ’ve got sight of seeds for years to come .

relate : How to Properly Store Seeds at menage

Tomato seeds drying on plates.

Resources

one-year veggie , really a Charles Edward Berry

Seed Collecting Kit

See it at Etsy

Recommended Book

Epic TomatoesHow to Select & Grow the Best Varieties of All Time

by Craig LeHoullier

Craig LeHoullier provides everything a tomato enthusiast involve to know about spring up more than 200 varieties of tomatoes , from planting to cultivating and collecting seed at the terminal of the time of year .

Bowls stacked with drying tomato seeds inside.

~Melissathe Empress of Dirt ♛