How to save tomato seeds

I’ve saved seeds before and have even tried saving tomato seeds once. I’ve had success growing tomato seedlings from my seeds, but they do seem to be weaker than other seedlings that I’ve grown. So, I did a little research and found that tomato seeds do better if they are fermented for a few days prior to drying them out.

Save tomato seeds by starting with cutting your tomato in half

What I’ve read is that you want to scoop out the seeds from your best tomato so that you are getting the best genetics for your next plants. To do this, cut the tomato in half in a horizontal manner to expose the seed cavities. Use a spoon and just scoop the seeds with the pulp into a glass jar.

Saving tomato seeds by scooping out the seeds and putting them into a jar

Fill the jar with enough water to cover the seeds, stir everything up, and then cover the jar with material that is breathable but will keep out fruit flies. I used paper towels and wrote on the paper the variety and date.

Saving tomato seeds by adding seeds, pulp, and water to jar and then label it

Let them ferment in a warm spot and out of direct sunlight for a few days and up to a week. There should be a fine layer of mold and/or bubbles from the fermentation process. That is alright because you are going to scoop out the mold and rinse the seeds in a fine mesh strainer with cold water to get rid of all the excess pulp. All that should remain are the seeds.

Saving tomato seeds by allowing them to ferment in the jars

You can dry the seeds right there in the strainer or move them to a plate. If it is a paper plate, they will stick to the paper as they dry.

Saving tomato seeds by straining the fermented seeds and allowing them to dry

Once they are dry, package them and write down the tomato variety and the date! Keep them stored in a cool, dry place. That is all there is too it!

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