Saving Tomato Seeds

Sep 13, 2012

by Dale Odorizzi, Lanark County Master Gardeners

Did you grow a tomato you loved this summer? Try saving its seeds so you can enjoy the same great taste next year.

Select a tomato you loved. There is no point saving seeds from an inferior plant. It will result in inferior tomatoes next year. Save seeds from tomatoes that are:

open-pollinated or heritage plants. Seeds saved from hybrid tomatoes won't come true.

fully ripe, but not over-ripe.

the best-looking, best-tasting fruits on the plant.

Slice the tomato across the tomato, not from stem end to blossom end. Squeeze the seeds and surrounding gel into a plastic or glass container. Pour 2-3 inches of water over the seeds in your container. Cover the container with plastic wrap and poke a hole in the centre. Label your container and set it in a spot where it won’t be in the way or disturbed too much. Let it sit for 2-3 days until you see white mold growing on top of the water. This is a sign that the gel coating surrounding the seeds has broken down. This process will smell bad.

Pour off the mold and as much water as possible and any seeds that are floating as they will not germinate. Rinse a few times, pouring off the rinse water. Dump seeds into a fine mesh strainer and rinse well, using your fingers to dislodge gel that sticks to the seeds.

Write the name of your tomato variety on a paper plate or coffee filter and dump your seeds onto it. Make sure that the seeds are in a single layer so they dry well and don’t get moldy. Set labeled seeds aside for a few days to dry completely.

Once your seeds are completely dry, put them in an envelope, small baggie or other container to store. Label them properly and store in a cool, dry place. When stored properly, tomato seeds will germinate reliably for up to 10 years or even more.

While most tomato seed savers use this fermentation approach, you can also try the “non-fermentation” method. Slice the tomato in half horizontally. Scoop out the seeds and place them on the paper towel. Note that each seed is enclosed in a gel-like sac. As you spread the seeds on the paper towel, space them so that they're one-half to one inch apart from each other. When placing each seed, gently press the gel into the paper to disburse it a bit.

After arranging your seeds on the paper towel, set your paper towel on wax paper or plastic wrap, and move to a warm, dry environment. The towel will wick moisture away from the seeds quite quickly. Allow several days drying time.

Once the towel and seeds are completely dry, separate the towel from the wax paper and fold the towel so that the seeds are on the inside. Use the top outside of the folded towel to label your seeds. Store the seeded towel in a relatively airtight container at room temperature.

When it is time to plant the seeds, you can plant the paper towel and all in your pot. Next August, you will be enjoying this same great taste.