Saving Tomato Seeds

I was surprised when tomato plants sprouted in my flower planters. Not wanting to look a gift horse (or fruiting plant) in the mouth, I transplanted three to my garden. When they produced I got suspicious. There were two grape tomatoes and one that look like the "vine ripe" ones we get at the market. Then I remembered, I used compost toilet soil on the flowers, and seeds do survive digestive tracts. That's nature's way of planting.

Fermenting tomato seeds.

I figure, if nature saves seeds, why can't I? I found directions on the web and here are my results.

I picked prime tomatoes from the plants and removed the seeds including their gelatinous covering. To remove the covering, I used the fermentation method.

Place the seeds in water and leave them in a warm place for several days. A moldy scum will form.

Rinse the seeds and put them in fresh water until they rinse clean. I used my finger to stir them in the strainer and pick out any last bits of gelatinous material.

Then place the tomato seeds on a paper plate to dry. Do not use an absorbent material, the seeds will stick.  I only saved a few from each plant, so I separated them on one plate.  Stir the seeds as they dry. They will even stick somewhat to the hard surface of a paper plate.

When the seeds are dry, store them in labeled paper envelopes.

In spring, I'll plant my tomato seeds and see who's better, Margy or Mother Nature. I'll let you know. -- Margy