Saving Heirloom Tomato Seeds

Collect seeds from standard or open-pollinated varieties only—not from store-bought fruit or F1 hybrids whose seeds may be impure or not breed true. Tomatoes are mainly self-pollinating; however, to maintain seed purity when growing your own, and to foil insects that may occasionally bring in foreign pollen, allow five feet between varieties in the row. To learn more about tomato seed saving techniques, see Carolyn Male's book 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American GardenSeed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners, Chelsea Green Publishing (2002).

What You Need:

* Knife

* Paper plates

* Paper envelopes

* Glass or plastic bowl/container; colander

* Glass or metal storage container with airtight seal

* Cut the tomato in half and squeeze the juice and seeds into a glass or plastic bowl.

* Tomato seeds must be fermented. The fermentation process destroys seed-borne diseases and removes the gel cap surrounding the seeds that inhibits germination.

* Let seeds sit and ferment for about 48 to 72 hours. A friendly caution: this is a smelly process! A thick foam will form and smell like really bad beer.

* After fermentation, add an equal amount of water to the mass of tomato seeds and stir it up a little bit.

* Let the seeds settle. The good seeds that are dense will descend to the bottom and the empty seed cases will float to the top.

* Pour off the debris. Add water.

* Repeat process a couple of times until you are left with pure beautiful seeds.

* Empty seeds into a colander and blot on a paper towel.

* Place seeds on a paper plate and label.

* Dry at room temperature and keep ventilated for a couple of weeks until brittle and dry.

Do the brittle test:

When the seeds break rather than bend they are dry enough to go into long-term storage.

Storing harvested seeds:

* The enemies of seeds in storage are heat and humidity. If you want to store seeds for a long period of time, they must be very well dried and kept in a cool, dry, dark place. But don't forget about them: Grow seeds out from time to time and then replenish your seed stock.

Recommended readings:

Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties by Carol Deppe, Chelsea Green Publishing (2000)

The New Seed Starters Handbook by Nancy Bubel, Rodale Press (1988)

100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden Carolyn Male, Workman Publishing (1999).

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners by Suzanne Ashworth, Chelsea Green Publishing (2002)