I have been reading not to save seeds from tomatoes if there were problems with blight in the garden. I imagine, it would be difficult to get those really ripe seeds anyway if you did have late blight.

Forget to save seeds?

You are SO funny, Token! :)

Lynda

evonnestoryteller,
it's true, you shouldn't save seed if late blight was a problem for you (as it was for me!). you also really shouldn't save them if you're growing more than one variety (in the same area).

Thanks for the reminder, token. It's not that long till first frost, and if your maters have been late to produce, there is a tendency to just gobble them up as soon as they ripen, forgetting that you might not get many more nicely shaped, ripe ones to sacrifice for seeds.

Also, remember you can save them a new way, using bleach-based kitchen cleaner to scrub the gel off and kill germs.

Scroll down on the wintersown.org page to download the pdf file called Learn to Save Tomato Seeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wintersown.org

I never "sacrifice" a tomato for seeds. I just scoop out the seeds and eat the rest. They're way too precious to waste! Especially this year with all our cold, rainy weather and now blight. I hope next year is better.

Martha

Thank you Token for the reminder that we should be saving our heirlooms. I love the different colors in the photo!

Saving tom seeds is very easy. With the method, because you're doing it in a sanitary manner, you're eliminating pathogens that can be borne on the exterior of the seed. Contaminated seeds can transfer late blight to your garden ;-(

I have a photo essay on the process at WinterSown. Use the link below and click on Lil Scrubber to advance the pages.

T

Here is a link that might be useful: How To Clean Tomato Seeds

After posting concerning saving seed from tomatoes affected by late blight, I began questioning if my statement was correct (though it's what I've read on many sites). According to the Plant Pathogen Department of the CT Agriculture Experiment Station, the late blight fungus cannot survive on/in tomato seeds--period.
trudi_d~Your tomato seed saving tutorial is excellent!

There's a lot of differing thoughts on that. Commercial seed generally will not have pathogens because it is processed in a sanitary manner. Unfortunately, late blight and many other pathogens can be passed through home-saved seeds that are not processed in any manner that would eliminate or reduce pathogens. Home growers and seed savers need to be responsible and do what they can to not transfer potential problems from one neighborhood to another.

Here is a link that might be useful: AVRDC.Org ~ Late Blight/Tomatoes

Hey trudi, I just wanted to say I used the tutorial from your website this week to sanitize and save my first two tomato seed batches. I'm very excited as I have never tried to save tom. seed before.
I like all the colors in your pic too token. :)

I'm glad everyone is giving the method a try, it's easy enough and I think most of us already have the required utensils and ajax.

Bless you all!

T

While avrdc.org and other sites recommend you avoid using seeds of diseased fruit, Cornell & UMass (and other) websites state specifically that this fungus is not seed borne and doesn't affect the seed.
I, personally, wouldn't save infected fruit seed unless it was a family heirloom or other rare, non-commercial variety (if there was no existing seed stock).

Here is a link that might be useful: faq concerning late blight--see item 20