How to Save Tomato Seed

[MissS]

The seed saving season is upon us. We host some fantastic seed offers and swaps on this site. If you wish to participate quite often you will need seed to exchange. Here is how to do it.

Saving Tomato Seeds.jpg

Many times you will not need to add any water at all. If you do add water, make sure it is a very small amount or it will not work. I allow my seed to ferment for 3-5 days until all of the seeds sink to the bottom and there is a moldy formation on the top of the brew. The brew will have an odor so this is best kept outdoors, in the garage or shed.

[Rockoe10]

I'll stress the labeling part. Lable at all stages. It is nerve racking when you shuffle up a few varieties and can't remember which is which.

[JRinPA]

I always wait for the mold. It came last week, but I was busy. Then it got weird stick mold on top a couple days ago. I washed the seeds last night...the weird stick mold was skinny little maggots that were pink from eating the tomato broth.....

Yeah, 5 days is enough. The SECOND cup was marked 8/23 and I believe the first was 3 days older. We had a bunch of little flies in the house from an AC install two weeks back. Never had that happen before, other than fruit flies.

[rdback]

I pretty much follow this process, except I use ziplock snack bags. I also stick to the 3 day fermentation rule. Depending on how warm it is, I've found that fermenting anything over 3 days is playing roulette. I've had seeds actually germinate in 3 days, so that's my max. ymmv

[Amateurinawe]

I follow this as well, except i put some cling film stretched over a small plate so when i have washed the seeds and shaken dry i place them on the cling film. They dry quickly and are very easy to separate - glass is good too but find i have to use a thin blade to lift them off.

[JRinPA]

I have never seen tomato seeds germinate in the cup..and I've forgotten a few. I wonder what causes that? Mine are usually on the NE face window sill in clear plastic cups, uncovered, 70-80 degrees. I've had them turn black when forgotten, but never sprouted any.

[ddsack]

I think they germinate in the cup when you seed tomatoes that are on the overripe side. At the end of the season, I figure out which tomatoes I still need to save for, and often have to find fruit which has been abandoned on the vine and is deteriorating. These are the ones that are more likely to sprout in the seed fermentation cup since they likely already are at least partially fermented in the spoiling tomato. Overripe fruit ferments should be checked daily, and a day or two should be enough regardless of fungal mat.

If it's a variety I really need, I may use the Oxiclean method to prevent possible sprouting. Briefly scrub seeds in a sieve to get rid of excess pulp, dump into a cup with enough water to barely cover and stir in some Oxiclean, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp for an inch of water is what I use. Stir a couple of times during a half hour wait, then rinse thoroughly and dry. Timing is not critical, I have forgotten them for hours. I do make note on my seed packet whether they were fermented or Oxi'd in case of future problems. I do not mix batches, in case of a bee cross or bad germination I have others to fall back on.

[Cole_Robbie]

I use oxy clean, too. I don't think the exact amount matters too much. I use a heaping kitchen teaspoon to about a cup of water and juice. I have forgotten jars and left them overnight and the seeds were fine. I dry my seeds on wax paper, which is easy to write the variety name on.

[MissS]

For those not knowing what the Oxy Clean method is, I will explain. Mix 1 teaspoon of Oxy Clean to 1 cup of hot water. Once the water has cooled add your seeds that are all the same variety and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse them well in a strainer while pressing with your fingers to be sure that all of the gel from the seed coat has been removed. Then place out on something to dry the seeds on. Paper plates are used frequently. Be sure to label the seeds and do not keep any that have fallen off of the plate so that you don't have a mix-up.

[Moth1992]

How do i know when they are ready to wash? Im getting a bit of mold and quite some smelliness but the seeds still look the same with the gel around them. Its been 3 days

[Tormahto]

How do i know when they are ready to wash? Im getting a bit of mold and quite some smelliness but the seeds still look the same with the gel around them. Its been 3 days

It sounds like you should go one more day. Even though you can still see the gel around the seeds, as I often do, it usually washes off easily (unlike just harvested tomato seeds). You can also try extracting a few of the seeds from the container today, and see how they clean up.

If any problems arise, get any other tomato that has plenty of gel, Extract the gel from that tomato, and strain off/remove ALL of the seeds. Use that gel and the original partially fermented seeds and start it again.

Seedless gel from another tomato can also be used with dry paste-type tomatoes that have almost no gel.

[rxkeith]

length of time to ferment is partially dependent on ambient temperature.
i have no issues going 5 to 7 days, but i am usually doing my seed saving in the fall.
temps in the house are on the cooler side unless the wood stove is cranking, and someone
didn't push the damper in soon enough. i use jars with a lid lightly attached. before i rinse the seeds,
i tighten the jar lid, and give the jar a vigorous shake to separate any seeds from the muck. then i remove
the lid, and start adding water, and pouring it off until i have just seeds in the jar. those seeds then go into
a small strainer for a final rinse before getting plopped on a firm paper plate which can be reused. make sure
the strainer is inspected, and rinsed to remove any stray seeds stuck in there. check your hands too. i have a sticky
on the lid of the jar that goes on to the paper plate before the seeds go on it. the sticky will have the date i started
the seeds fermenting in case i forget, life gets busy, and i will add the date the seeds hit the plate to make sure they
have had enough time to dry. do one batch at a time to avoid any mix ups. label, label, label.


keith

[Moth1992]

How do i know when they are ready to wash? Im getting a bit of mold and quite some smelliness but the seeds still look the same with the gel around them. Its been 3 days

It sounds like you should go one more day. Even though you can still see the gel around the seeds, as I often do, it usually washes off easily (unlike just harvested tomato seeds).

Thanks! I left it an extra day and rinsed now and it worked. Now left them to dry.

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

@Moth1992 wrote: "Im getting a bit of mold and quite some smelliness but the seeds still look the same with the gel around them."

Have tried twice to save Boxcar Willie seed and ended up with a smelly, moldy mess; the only variety to display this result. Am I to understand that even those seeds can be resurrected?

@MissS; "Oxy Clean method" Is there an Oxy Clean substitute for us the benighted who possess none?

The Gotch

[Tormahto]

In hot weather, with indoor temps higher than now, there should almost always be a smelly, moldy mess. This time of year, it's hit or miss on the smelly, moldy mess. Underneath that mold, should be liquid and seeds (where the gel around the seeds is breaking down), but no mold. Do not stir the container while the several day fermentation is going on.

And, if there is something, or someone, in the house that could cause a spill, it will happen.

[MissS]

Have tried twice to save Boxcar Willie seed and ended up with a smelly, moldy mess; the only variety to display this result. Am I to understand that even those seeds can be resurrected?

@MissS; "Oxy Clean method" Is there an Oxy Clean substitute for us the benighted who possess none?

The Gotch

The smelly moldy mess of seeds are probably the only ones that you have processed correctly. That is exactly what you want to happen when your ferment seeds. This is the very best way known to process your seeds. I kills pathogens that might infect the next generation.

I don't know of another product that will remove the gel and not damage the seed. Oxy Clean is quick and painless but doesn't do much for killing disease spores.

[Moth1992]

So one of my batches worked great, they are drying ( not sure how to know when they are done? )

The other one didnt work. Maybe its too cold. Ill try the oxyclean, good to learn both methods I guess

[ddsack]

@Moth1992 wrote: "Im getting a bit of mold and quite some smelliness but the seeds still look the same with the gel around them."

Have tried twice to save Boxcar Willie seed and ended up with a smelly, moldy mess; the only variety to display this result. Am I to understand that even those seeds can be resurrected?

@MissS; "Oxy Clean method" Is there an Oxy Clean substitute for us the benighted who possess none?

The Gotch

@Cornelius_Gotchberg
Before Oxyclean became widely available, people did use powdered kitchen cleansers like Ajax and Comet in the same manner. I used it myself on occasion, but did not keep track of success rates compared to fermentation. I even remember reading about a person that claimed they would dry the seeds with the powder coating left on, rather than rinsing them clean. I always rinsed mine. Here is a link that talks about using powered cleansers in Step 4 ---- http://www.tomatodirt.com/easy-seed-saving.html
I have the impression that people started using OxyClean because it was less caustic, but have no idea if that is really true.

[Tormahto]

So one of my batches worked great, they are drying ( not sure how to know when they are done? )

The other one didnt work. Maybe its too cold. Ill try the oxyclean, good to learn both methods I guess

Drying can sometimes be tricky. Since I mostly do my seed fermenting in late August through September, I have a few months to let them dry. When cold weather comes, and the heat goes on, the air in my house gets much dryer, which helps with drying the last of the harvest. I've heard several recommendations of two weeks minimal for drying, but I've always gone way beyond that.

And, seeing tens of thousands of seed packs from others, every once in a while I'll come across seeds that needed more time to dry. Seeds in paper envelopes have to be opened to see the mold. Seeds in clear plastic zip baggies start to get a cloudy look to the plastic where it is in contact with the seeds.

[Moth1992]

NOOOOOO

There was a storm lastnight and I didnt even think about it but my seeds are all scattered in the floor today and two varieties all mixed.

Starting again. @Tormato I promise seeds will be coming your way at some point.