Many years ago I wrote the FAQ at the Seed Saving Forum about saving tomato seeds by using fermentation. I no longer ferment seeds but instead give them a sanitizing scrub which takes far less time than fermentation.

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

Trudi, I read that seed saving technique and boy that sounds like one I need to try. Of course it would be scary using ajax on seed but if it works then hey it works. Very nice!!

Here is a link to to saving seeds in general for you prairiemoon, but I think comparing the 2 techniques for tomatoes Trudi's above link is much less time consuming and it takes up less room on your counter, ha ha ha.

Here is a link that might be useful: Another seed saving site

Well, being an organic gardener, using a disinfectant on the seeds is just something I'd rather not do. I think I'd rather try it the old way with fermentation even if it takes a little longer. I see the description of that on your link, carolyn.

I'm going to try it just for the learning experience, but, after reading the explanation on Trudi's page, I think I might be better off purchasing seeds. I only grew 3 purchased plants and two of them developed foliar problems and I pulled those and threw them out. This last one has been healthy and the cherry tomatos, SunSugar are what I'm trying to save. They must be a hybrid and I suppose I won't know what I'll get next year. I might as well switch over to open pollinated if I'm going to try to save them.

Thank you both for the help. :-)

Back about WWII I lived in the swamps with my grandparents who were subsistence farmers and all such tasks as seed saving were important. My grandmother who was my gardening teacher, would spread the tomato seed on a piece of newspaper and let them dry there for some considerable period of time. Being a youngster then I don't recall if it were a few days or a few weeks or longer. I do remember that she insisted upon newspaper. I think the newspaper was then folded into an envelope like container. I don't recall what she did with them until spring. Everything she did was done according to strict rules like this.

Of course if you are organic then you need to use a method which will be compatible with your garden and life ;-)

Because there are so many people growing heirloom tomatoes, and saving and sharing those seeds, and as through WinterSown I distribute donated tomato seed, I felt it was important to provide efficient seed-cleaning information which helps reduce the spread of exterior seed-born pathogens. Everyone who requests seed from WinterSown gets this information with their seed.

Fermentation can reduce pathogens too, but sometimes a beginner will over-ferment the seeds or, because of the amount of days the process takes, the cups of fermenting seed can be tossed into the trash by a well-meaning spouse or they can be knocked over. One of the oldest methods to save seeds is to simply spread the seed and gel onto a paper towel, plate it to dry for several days, then roll up the paper towel, put it into a baggie, label it, and stash it away until you're ready to sow the seeds. If you're saving seeds for your own use this paper towel method is a very practical but I'm not very keen on it if the seeds are shared or traded because there is nothing done to eliminate or reduce exterior pathogens.

I think saving seeds from SunSugar will be a valuable and productive learning experience because of its potential to provide you with tomato plants which thrive in your backyard and are resistant to some of the local foliage diseases. If every year you quickly cull the weak or disease-afflicted plants and then save seeds from the best of the best remaining plants you will eventually narrow your seed stock to practically all tomato plants which you can depend upon year to year for success.

T

Well, this is very interesting. Albert, you are so lucky to have had such a gardening heritage given to you. It sounds like the method your grandmother used, is like the method Trudi reports too. I find it fascinating to learn of the 'old ways' of doing things. Just my personal opinion, but I suspect that too often lots of valuable information and experiences have been lost along the way in the mad dash to advance technology. I suppose we have new problems now that we never had before too, though. Like the number of pathogens that can effect a plant.

Trudi, I like that paper towel method, but I guess I would have to think that any method that could reduce pathogens, especially with tomatoes, might be the way to go. It always amazes me that pathogens transfer to the seeds themselves. Especially after drying them out, I would have thought a pathogen couldn't live under those conditions.

You surprise me to say saving SunSugar could be worthwhile. I do follow your thinking about the process of selective evolution of tomato plants. I guess I have such a small garden with only 6 hours of sun maximum that my vegetable gardening efforts have morphed into less of a focus for me. If I had room to grow 10-20 tomato plants in full sun, I would find it a pleasure to attempt that kind of a process. I guess I could try to follow it, for a couple of years, anyway, with the space and number of plants I can do, because as you suggest, it is to produce plants that thrive in my backyard conditions. I grew Sungold every year for the last five but they were out this year and I bought SunSugar. Now, if I had been saving Sungold seed all this time, well, I'd be well on my way to having that dependable tomato plant. :-)

Thanks....

PM2

I've been fermenting my tomato seeds for 7 years now and never had a problem with them. Have traded them and had emails from traders that the seeds have done wonderful.

Seeds I sowed this past spring all germinated and I know that the seedlings that went at my swap have grown beautifully all summer.

Have you ever thought of trying your tomato plants in pots to grow? Would that give you more space for them, instead of trying to get them into beds to grow?

I've been growing tomatoes in pots for almost 30 years, both determinate and indeterminate and have mass success with it, as long as the critters leave them alone.

As for no sungold seeds, I have plenty of them that I saved this year, more than I will ever need and will be offering the for trades and BEAP.

Just shoot me an email if you want some and how many seeds you want and they are yours.

OR,

I can sow them for you and you can get them at the swap next spring.

Just let me know.

I can't say that I am a "real organic gardener" because I use miracle grow potting mix for all my pots, including he pots for the tomato plants, but it is the only non organic something that I use.
No pesticides on anything on any of plants, flowers or veggies, except the poison ivy that seems to have popped up everywhere this year.

Fran

Fran, yes, I remember all the tomato plants you've had at your swaps. Good to know that fermenting process works for you too.

Yes, I have tried growing tomatoes in pots, but they grow so much better in the ground for me, that I just rather do that. Also my issue is that there are enough surrounding trees, that there is very little area in my yard that has more than 6 hrs of sun. The only spot in the yard that has sun from morning to night, is in the front yard, bordering the street and the driveway and it's only about 20 ft x 15ft. I just don't want to grow vegetables right next to the street. So I grow cherry tomatoes in 6 hrs of sun in the back. They do fine, but are not robust the way they were years ago when the trees were smaller and I had more sun. Large tomatoes just don't produce well in that amount of sun. I get a handful on a plant and that's it.

That's great that you have the Sungold. I'll remember that. I'm fermenting these Sunsugar right now. It seems to be working. They've already started forming something on the top of the water and I see some seeds have come to the top. I will be interested to see how many seeds I end up with.

Very nice of you to offer. Thanks. :-)