tomato seed saving

[Ridgerunner]

I've had insects and rodents eat seeds I was saving before. That's why I put them in jars with tight lids. My favorite jars are those small brown jars that yeast comes in, but I've used clear pint jars before. I just store them in a dark place. I put some masking tape on the side and write on it what the seeds are and the year I stored them.

I scrape the seeds off the paper towels before I start them because they are too thick on the paper towel. Sometimes I do that before I store them and sometimes when I take them out. It really does not matter which. The bits of paper towel or newspaper sticking to them is not a problem. That does not stop them from germinating or growing at all.

 

[Kassaundra]

I store my paper towel seed "pkts" in a rodent proof container too. I just don't bother scraping them off until I plant them.

 

[ducks4you]

The fermenting is supposed to kill off any bacteria that might grow if there is any moisture in the container that you store the seeds in. Please don't just throw your seeds away! Try putting them next to your compost pile, and put a marker there. They'll come up for you next year. I started some 30yo seeds earlier this year, forgot about the container, and found 2/5 sprouted, but died bc they dried out! (I'll try again next year with those old seeds. =b) I have about 50 volunteer cherry and even two heirloom tomato plants that I've transplanted in April. They've been producing since mid-June, even in this drought, but I have been watering. Tomato seeds have to been known to sprout in the tomato before it's harvested, btw. Tomatoes are tough, and that's why we all like growing them.

 

[catjac1975]

I really don't know why I took them off. Guess I thought I was supposed to.

I have been fermenting the seed as well and drying on a paper towel. Those that are drying on paper towel why is it you are taking them off??? I just fold it over on itself to form a pkt, the seeds stick to the towel great and stay put, I label the outside of the towel once dry and store the seeds like that

 

[Kassaundra]

I really don't know why I took them off. Guess I thought I was supposed to.

I have been fermenting the seed as well and drying on a paper towel. Those that are drying on paper towel why is it you are taking them off??? I just fold it over on itself to form a pkt, the seeds stick to the towel great and stay put, I label the outside of the towel once dry and store the seeds like that

I was only asking b/c I didn't know if there was some reason they should be taken off before storing

 

[MontyJ]

I ferment the seeds, dry them on paper towels then put the seeds into coin envelopes. I label the envelopes and put several varieties into a pint mason jar. For those that don't know, coin envelopes are small manilla envelopes perhaps 1" x 2". You can buy them at most office supply stores...Staples, Office Max.