I save the seeds from a tomato variety that I know is not for sale anywhere.

I would say yes.

In theory, they are more aclimated to your environment. My favorite reason is that it costs a lot less to save seeds than it does to buy them :)

'cause they're free. :-)

I save seed from the plant that is the healthiest, best producing plant. Then I save the seed from that plant's best tomato in the hopes of passing on the positive traits to next year's crop.

Example #1: A fellow sent me three seeds from Belarus. Two sprouted. One is normal leaf and one is potato leaf. Both plants have large, sweet, pink, tasty fruit on them right now. The fruit from both plants are identical in every way. No one sells seeds for this particular tomato. Therefore, I will save those seeds.

Example #2: Another fellow sent me a few seeds for a potato leaf version of a tomato that normally has regular leaf. This particular tomato is one of my very favorite tomatoes. Other folks growing the same named tomato have had mixed results with yeild, fruit color, and leaf type. The one in my garden is covered with fruit, today there are four ripes ones ready to pick. The color is beautiful. The tomatoes taste wonderful. No one sells this particular tomato. I will save those seeds too.

Example #3: I crossed several tomatoes last year. I'm growing some of those crosses out. I like some of the results and would like to continue growing the lines out. So, I'll save seeds from those particular tomatoes too.

Example #4: A fellow how runs the Long Island Seed Project sent me a packet of mixed dwarf tomato seeds last year. I grew out 12 plants and got five different dwarf tomato types. Three of them were very appealing to me, so I saved those seeds and grew several of them out this year. I'm seeing some interesting differences in one of them. Again ... I will save more seeds this year.

There are many other reasons for saving seeds, and I'm sure others will give you many different reasons.

Bill

It's free, it's fun, it gets me varieties that I can't get elsewhere, and most important - it's mine - so if it doesn't do well there is no one to blame but myself. ;)

Dave

i've often wondered why you all save seed...are tomatoes like tobacco..where if you save seed from a plant grown in your yard, the plants grown from that seed will be more acclimated to your particular growing conditions?
or do you save seed to exchange?

******

Acclimation of varieties rarely occurs so that's not why I save seed. After all, most seed production these days, I mean the large companies, occurs in China, Taiwan, India, etc., and seeds produced there grow just fine in almost all gardening zones.

And I don't save seed to trade with others, for lots of reasons. LEt me qualify that. Each year I send the best of my new varieties to a few friends and they do the same back. other than that no, I don't trade seeds b'c I've seen far too many wrong varieties distributed that way over all the many years I've posted online about tomatoes.

For many years I was growing up to 250 varieties/season and the seeds saved from most of them were used to fill requests from those SSE members who requested seeds from my listings in the SSE Yearbooks. By listing varieties in the SSE Yearbooks those varieties then become available to all SSE members which also includes those folks who operate most of the more well known companies that sell tomato seed.

Each year I would seeds of what I thought was best to certain seed companies I trust for them to trial those varieties.

I still receive seeds for new varieties that are not that available and now that I can't garden myself I have two wonderful people who help. Gardenmama in VA custom grows the dozen or so plants that I'd like to check out for the season, and another friend in W NYS does seed production for the best ones from seed I send her.

I've made two large seed offers here at GW in the past with over 350 varieties offered. This past Spring I made another offer at another place where I post. Many of those varieties are not available to anyone anywhere, and that includes the SSE Yearbooks. And that's b'c each year some folks listing a variety will stop offering it.

I guess you'd say that in the past I saved seeds from a couple of thousand varieties b'c heirloom tomatoes fascinate me and I wanted to be able to share those seeds with others whether it was thru an SSE listing, an online seed offer or sending varieties for trial to certain places.

Finally, it would never occur to me that I might be saving money by saving seeds b'c that's just not the way I think about the situation.

Carolyn

Almost all of the above, plus I think that it becomes obsessive or compulsive. Personally, there is not doubt in my mind that I have had better success with plants from seed that I saved.
My .02
Bill P.

I save seeds to share through the WinterSown Tomato SASE program, they either are distributed as named varieties or--if they're outstanding volunteers--they go into a blend of mixed types.

I maintain a culling process here that starts with the seeds being sown outside in winter, allowing the weakest to fail either as seeds or seedlings, the remaining hardy seedlings get grown in beds sepaerated by tall plantings of annuals. Still, along the way, if any plants don't meet my criteria for hardiness and healthiness they are promptly yanked so that their seeds aren't distributed. I will not coddle prissy plants, I have better things to do than battle diesease or infestations in my gardens.

AFIC, it doesn't matter what varieties anyone saves seeds from, nor does it matter what their motives and reasons are; we all have a repsonsibility to cull weak and/or diseased plants regardless of them being very rare or very popular, and we must only share named seeds from plants we are completely sure of their names. Close guessing won't do...if you're not sure of a plant's name then don't share the seeds under any name. Put them into a generic mixed blend and share like that or share with just a description such as "Fine round red, 4 oz, RL, mid season, NAME UNKNOWN".

T

I save seed because I believe they are more acclaimated to my area and they are free. Mostly, my goal is to find those fruits and vegs that do well in my area and grow them year after year which doesn't mean I don't want to try something new. Many of the things I've grown from seed are from catologs and not local stores. The local seed or transplants selection doesn't have much variety. Initial costs have been high.

I will be trying to save seed this year for several reasons. The first is I'm growing some that the seeds aren't available commercially and other growers were gracious enough to share some with me so I could get a start. The least I can do is save some and maybe share with others. Jay

Variety.

This year the kids and I did "the great melon experament", we raised several kinds of melons, under row cover, hand polinated, and otherwise putted around while doing some other plant exparements. Now that the melons are ripeing, we've had,
Piel De Sapo (so far our favorite)
Lily Crenshaw melon
Green Honeydew
Orange Honeydew
Casaba
Orange Cantelope

I've a chart/list with all thier names, just not on this computer. We decided to save seeds to share in case anyone else wanted a melon "sampler" next year.

Cost:

My husband would not be thrilled if I reordered the same varities of seeds next year that I grew and threw away this season. One of the downsides to being married is that I have a "budget" for such things, and although he's happy to eat whatever I grow, he's also happy to buy his melon and be limited to medocre store varities.

I save seed so that in early March I can get out all those little envelopes, labeled just so, and stare at them and plot and plan what varieties I will start for the season. Some will be tried and true, some will be trades I have gotten over the past year or ordered online. I will plan and re-plan what I have room for, and then I will plan it one more time. And I can get this crazy in the dead cold of early March, because I saved seeds.

I save tom seeds for a couple of good reasons, !.This is the only way to positively get fresh seeds. 2. I definitely have noticed better yields , less deseases. and better tasting toms IMO . I Just like to know what I'm growing for sure. Bill w

I save seed because:

1. I have very rare seed that are not available commercially.

2. I have my own crosses, and I've collected tomatoes from Europe that I'm "working" on and NEED to save seed for future grow-outs.

3. I'm involved in a worldwide "grow-out" to get large fruit on dwarf plants.

Gosh, I love saving and trading seeds ...
You can trade for such intersting varieties from around the world ...

Seed saving and trading rocks !

~ Tom

"why do you save seed?"

Growing plants from seed is a satisfying and enjoyable experience. Growing plants from seeds you saved yourself is an even more satisfying and enjoyable experience.

Like many others here several of my favorite varieties are not commercially available.

Again, like many others here I am working on my own crosses.

Trading can be fun; you get to meet new people with a similar interest.

I would say cost, but I question that. If I put a value on my time much over minimum wage it is probably just as cost effective to buy seeds. This of course only applies to the varieties that are commercially available.

It would seem that in some cases plants become better acclimated, but I can't prove that scientifically.

Randy

I agree with Carolyn,
I never just trade seeds with others. If they want some of mine, I'd gladly give them some.
The reason: I cannot verify the integrity of the seeds from others. I've seen too many mistakes made. I'm not willing to take the risk.
Also, as Randy says. It's rewarding.
To me, there really isn't a lot of difference between buying plants, or buying the veggies except I know how they are grown. Growing from seed is a COMPLETELY different experience for me. and.. It is MUCH cheaper.
Tom

I guess I don't have a driving concern about mixed up seeds. I mean ... we all know it happens. And no one is exempt from it happening to them. Some of the most diligent growers and vendors have crossed or mixed up seeds from time to time. Folks should expect it on occasion and learn to deal with it in a calm and appropriate manner. And ... for cryin' out loud ... some of the most ballyhooed tomatoes bragged about in these forums are the direct result of crossed and mixed up seed trades. Get over it.

I've gotten mixed up or crossed seeds from some of the commercial vendors who are highly regarded and frequently recommended here by experienced and well respected growers. It happens. The Chapman I got this year is incorrect ... but whatever it is turned out to be a wonderful tomato ... huge, oxheart, tasty ... just not Chapman. Nothing to cry about though.

Through trading seeds, I have made several new friends and come across some really fabulous tomatoes. Some of the tomatoes were wrong to type, some of them were crossed, some of them were dogs. Hey ... cull the dogs whether they're correct to type or not ... whether they came from SSE members, commercial vendors, reputable growers, wherever ... don't save the dogs.

If you run across something that merits reproduction but isn't true to type ... make a judgement call ... save it if you wish ... ditch it if you choose. Look ... those of you who don't want to trade, so be it.

Fact is, the original question is "why do you SAVE seeds," not why you don't trade seeds. If you don't want to trade, don't. Who cares? Just don't talk down to those of us who enjoy trading and growing traded seed.

Bill

Amen Bill!

I just came in from eyeballing a volunteer nipple-ended cherry that looks stout, not lanky, is far more wide than tall, though I don't believe yet it's DET, and which is mega-Mega-MEGA loaded with blooms. Gosh, I hope it's gonna taste great, if so its seeds will be saved. This is a fine looking plant and one I would be proud to share.

I certainly hope that those people who are considering saving their seeds and trading or sharing them aren't put off by the disparaging comments of those who have stated their personal issues against trading. People who trade and share their seeds do so with honesty and integrity and they trade and share with the hope that you will get as much pleasure growing their tomatoes as they themselves have felt. Never let someone's unkind or bitter words taint your desire to share your garden seeds. Trading and sharing seeds are acts of trust and acts of the heart. I can say from experience, that what you share or trade comes back to you over and over and over again. Goodness begets more goodness. Trading and sharing seeds is a wonderful experience. Vive la trader!

Fact is, the original question is "why do you SAVE seeds," not why you don't trade seeds. If you don't want to trade, don't. Who cares? Just don't talk down to those of us who enjoy trading and growing traded seed.

*****

Bill, since I was the first here to say I don't trade seeds I'm going to attempt to answer you.

First, I was in no way talking down to anyone, and you know me well enough to know that.

The question indeed was why do you save seeds. And I discussed the various reasons as to why I did save seeds, and I saw nothing at all wrong in saying that I didn't trade seeds other than with three other SSE members.

And yes, all the reasons you gave for dealing with wrong varieties are absolutely true. I think perhaps you've forgotten that there are many here, usually lurkers trying to learn, that really don't know how to ID wrong varieties. Over the years, and I started posting at AOL back in about 1989, long before you or Keith or Trudi or others did, I've seen post after post about that and it's primarily b'c they grow varieties without knowing what to expect as to plant habit, leaf form, fruit shape, size and color.

So trading seeds for them I think introduces an additional risk factor that they may not be aware of.

The other issue I've spoken to before and will here again, is that I like to see folks buy at least some of their seeds, b'c the sources with the most varieties to offer are also those small companies that are so very dependent on tomato seed sales.

Finally, I may not trade seeds with lots of folks but what I have done is to offer seeds for close to 350 varieties here and elsewhere. And you'll remember that each time I make a point of saying that I cannot vouch for absolute seed purity. I say the same thing for my SSE listings.

If I process 20 fruits of variety X for seed and only one of them has been X pollinated, those F1 hybrid seeds may take a very long time to show up in someones garden. There are varieties that I thought were pure that subsequently were shown to have a few F1 seeds.

So I am not talking down to anyone who trades seeds, but I do feel that there's nothing wrong with pointing out the possible pitfalls of doing so, especially for folks new to the game.

Several who have posted in this thread will often look forward to wrong stuff b'c sometimes the wrong stuff turns out to be good stuff, but not all who read and post here would feel at all comfortable doing that,

Carolyn

I have been tomato gardening for about 9 years now and this is the first year I am considering saving seed. I am only now comtemplating this b/c I purchased a dozen "mystery" heirloom tomatoes at the nursery this year. I have grown both hybrid and heirloom tomatoes, but never purchased a mystery pack. I am dying of curiosity as to what these tomatoes will look like. I have been analyzing them everyday, taking notes on blooms, fruit set, size etc. etc. etc. I can imagine saving these seeds and caring for them every year as much as I am this year!!!

KC

I think you missed the point Carolyn, no one expects mistakes to happen, but we do politely accept that they happen. (smile)

Acceptance, rather than condemnation, is how practically all of us feel about very rare seed trading mix-ups.

AND, as mixups do happen with catalogues, and as those mixups get a far larger national distribution, I worry more about catalogues than traders for causing huge errors, IMHO.

"Personally, there is not doubt in my mind that I have had better success with plants from seed that I saved."

I agree with this statement. I almost invariably achieve better germination with seed I save. If that was the only reason to save seed, I would still do it.

1) It's fun.
2) It's free. Cheating the man gives me great satisfaction.
3) I get nearly 100 percent germination with my seeds. Unfortunately, I've rarely been able to say the same thing about purchased seed.
4) I like to make my own hybrids and grow them out.
5) I don't get mixed seed because I'm more careful. I've gotten plenty of mixed varieties from seed companies.
6) Also, it's easy. So in light of the above mentioned reasons, why not?

Free seeds
Seeds adapting to the local climate
For the challenge of it
For a reputation of good seeds to trade
To learn how it works best (out of curiousity)

I politely accept it when I get wrong seed whether it be from a trade or a seed company catalog. I don't fret over it one bit. I DO like to post about it however because I think mistakes in life should try and be made right. I really enjoy my fave varieties and I'd rather not be surprised because I have so many favorites and not enough space for them all! LOL So yes the correct seed is important to me but I'm not whacko about it and I accept it. Especially if the seed was from a kind seed trader and not a catalog/seed company.

Like Bill I had trouble with Chapman seed from TGS this year. It was a wasted opportunity to trial Chapman. Now I must use the space again next season. But I am not upset with TGS in the least. I've ordered from them for years now and they have great customer service and a great selection! Now, Johnny's has never let me down. Always the real deal. Will I live to see the day even Johnny's messes up? LOL

The only seed I save are from my ancient Chinese cucumbers and the tomato variety Kotlas. The cukes cause you can't buy them and the Kotlas because they are very hard to find commercially and I enjoy them so I'll save seed every three years or so. I start the Kotlas plant indoors WAY before any of my other varieties. It is setting fruit way before the others have begun flowering. I mark the early fruit and I'm 100% sure they haven't been crossed because there is nothing anywhere for them to cross with!

So probably why I don't save more seed is because I am a lazy gardener and I'd feel bad if I sent someone crossed wrong seed...