Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Selecting Seeds
• Method 2 of 3: Fermenting the Seeds
• Method 3 of 3: Collecting Seeds
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

You can save good tomato seeds and plant them for the next season. Choose seeds from the finest and tastiest tomatoes and grow your own year after year.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Selecting Seeds

1. 1 Choose seeds from tomatoes that have been naturally pollinated. These tomatoes were grown from real seeds, while hybrid tomatoes were grown by seed companies. They are produced by agamogenesis (asexual reproduction); their seeds will not produce crops.
   • If you don't have naturally pollinated tomatoes in your garden, you can buy so-called “heirloom” tomatoes at the market or grocery store. All family tomatoes are grown by natural pollination.

Method 2 of 3: Fermenting the Seeds

1. 1 Collect tomato seeds. To do this, cut a ripe family tomato in half.
2. 2 Scoop out the inside of the tomato. This will remove both the seeds and the liquid that surrounds them.
3. 3 Pour this mixture into a clean glass, bowl, or other container. It is not necessary to separate the seeds from the liquid, as this will happen during the fermentation process.
4. 4 Label the container with the name of the tomato seed. This is very important if you want to keep different varieties of seeds.
5. 5 Pour water into a container to coat the seeds. It doesn't matter how much water you pour. The main thing is that the seeds are completely submerged. After that, the mixture may become slightly watery.
6. 6 Cover the container with paper towels, gauze, or plastic wrap. Be sure to leave some empty space for air circulation. Evaporation of the air promotes the fermentation of the seeds.
   • If you cover the container with plastic, be sure to make a few holes in it.
7. 7 Place the covered container in a warm place out of direct sunlight. It is best to leave the containers indoors and not take them outside, so that nothing interferes with the sourdough process.
8. 8 Open the container once a day and stir the mixture. Then cover again with paper towels or plastic wrap.
9. 9 Wait. This process can take up to four days until a film forms on the water and most of the seeds are at the bottom of the container. Seeds that float on the surface of the water can be thrown away as they are no longer suitable.

Method 3 of 3: Collecting Seeds

1. 1 Use a spoon to remove any moldy film and any floating seeds. Throw away these seeds as you will not be able to use them to grow tomatoes.
2. 2 Clean the container and pour fresh water into it. The water should be at room temperature.
3. 3 Rinse the seeds by gently stirring them in fresh water. Take a spoon for this or something else long enough to reach up to the day of the container.
4. 4 Pour the water out gently. Cover the container with something when pouring out the water to avoid accidentally pouring out the seeds and water.
5. 5 Place the seeds in a strainer. Check that the holes in the sieve are not too large for the seeds and rinse them under water.
6. 6 Arrange the seeds in one layer on a paper plate. Do not use plates of any other material, as seeds tend to clump together if placed on a non-paper surface.
7. 7 Let the seeds dry in direct sunlight.
   • Fry and stir the seeds from time to time to expose their entire surface to the air. They will become completely dry if they roll easily on the plate and do not stick to each other.
8. 8 Place the seeds in a jar with a tight lid. Label the jar with the seed name and today's date.
9. 9 Store the jar in a cool and dark place, such as a basement.

Tips

• When properly dried and stored, the seeds stay good for several years.
• You can store seeds in an envelope, but the envelope itself is best placed in a sealed container.
• If you are not sure whether a particular tomato variety is a hybrid, you can find out about it on the Internet or in the horticultural catalog. You won't be able to save hybrid seeds, so if the word hybrid appears in the description of a tomato, don't try to save those seeds.
• Ripe fruits contain ripe seeds, so always choose perfectly ripe tomatoes.
• Give your seeds something like a gift.Buy from a nursery or order an empty self-sealing seed bag.
• The water should drain from the seeds, so do not use plastic or ceramic plates when drying them.

Warnings

• There is no need for mandatory fermentation of seeds, but this way you reduce the chances of developing diseases in them. The sourdough also destroys the germination retardant.
• Be very careful if you choose to store your seeds in a plastic bag. If moisture remains in one of the seeds, it will be transferred to all seeds. This can promote the growth of mold and rot, making your seeds unusable.
• If you have stored your seeds in the refrigerator or freezer, allow the package to warm up to room temperature before opening. Otherwise, moisture from condensation will enter the container.

What do you need

• Small jar or bowl
• Paper towels, gauze, or plastic wrap
• Sieve
• Paper plate
• Tags and pen
• Envelope (optional)
• Glass container with lid