tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post1315194623781157749..comments2024-03-17T19:32:26.043+00:00Comments on Daughter of the Soil: Saving seed from tomatoesRebsie Fairholmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17811733792196954188noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-5066380346215493052010-11-22T16:48:04.229+00:002010-11-22T16:48:04.229+00:00I was told by someone who grows a lot of vegetable...I was told by someone who grows a lot of vegetables (tomatoes) that commercially purchased seeds are treated so that the seeds harvested from the fruits from their plants won't produce fruit when subsequently harvested. (The rationale being that otherwise those who sell the seed would soon be out of business.) Does anyone know if there is any truth to this and, if so, how do you find seeds that haven't been treated?Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-8711202324766576772008-09-28T21:38:00.000+01:002008-09-28T21:38:00.000+01:00I've just saved tomato seeds for the first time an...I've just saved tomato seeds for the first time and I was amazed how easy it was to do something I'd always assumed was 'fiddly' - I used the first method, but with lots of water, and dried the seeds on a paper dish with the variety written underneath - if they all germinate I shall have to buy another greenhouse to keep them all in!The Allotment Bloggerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06785515639672623768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-71827888662578696642008-09-25T11:24:00.000+01:002008-09-25T11:24:00.000+01:00Hi RebsieI've used both methods, as well. Both see...Hi Rebsie<BR/><BR/>I've used both methods, as well. Both seem to work. Atually I only ferment for 2-3 days then rinse in a sieve and shake out onto paper towel. I always seem to get good germination rates, whether the seeds are fermented or not.<BR/><BR/>Interestingly, someone once told me that tomato seeds are one of the best at surviving the sewerage treatment works. Apparently, even with all the chemicals, etc that they use it is still hard to kill off tomato seeds. So when the crunch comes, we'll all be munching tomatoes! xxnaturewitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05612495206869016620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-19777235630723929422008-09-25T09:23:00.000+01:002008-09-25T09:23:00.000+01:00I've always used your quick-and-easy method, too, ...I've always used your quick-and-easy method, too, and it's always worked for me. Never had a single seed fail to germinate... but then, I've probably been extremely lucky.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-20339031111189720152008-09-24T04:17:00.000+01:002008-09-24T04:17:00.000+01:00I was actually just wondering about the best way t...I was actually just wondering about the best way to do this! Thanks for the post. :)Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16249827333214310942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-88722324480144267002008-09-23T11:13:00.000+01:002008-09-23T11:13:00.000+01:00Thanks, Rebsie, for a really clear explanation for...Thanks, Rebsie, for a really clear explanation for someone who's never tried it. And thanks to everyone else for such an interesting discussion<BR/><BR/>JoannaJoannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06790888857849562408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-44339727987456323312008-09-23T10:14:00.000+01:002008-09-23T10:14:00.000+01:00I use a coffee filter to dry tomato seeds. The se...I use a coffee filter to dry tomato seeds. The seeds can generally be scraped off with a finger nail after they dry, then put into seed packets. That way there's no need to keep paper around that's been stuck to them.<BR/><BR/>While it works better if you ferment the seeds first, even with the 'quick method' you can generally scrape the seeds off a coffee filter.<BR/><BR/>Also, rather than a sieve, I rinse the seeds off in the fermentation container. The good seeds will generally sink, and the bad ones will usually float and rinse away. With a little care, the water can just be poured off the top of the seeds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-27576060169700461022008-09-23T09:13:00.000+01:002008-09-23T09:13:00.000+01:00If you have mice in the house beware! They like dr...If you have mice in the house beware! They like drying tomato seed - at least I've lost a plate full of Mortgage Lifter seed that was drying on the window sill. Also the San Marzano toms that were ripening have fine teeth marks on them! Yuk.<BR/><BR/>JohnAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-61047990907771392512008-09-23T09:00:00.000+01:002008-09-23T09:00:00.000+01:00For either method, I dry the seeds on a paper plat...For either method, I dry the seeds on a paper plate rather than the softer paper towel. That way I can write the name of the variety directly onto the plate (pencil works/lasts best) which is critical for me as I am usually saving quite a few varieties. The seeds do stick to the paper, but with paper pates this is not a problem: the paper is hard enough that the dry seeds are easily scraped off with an egg-lifter.<BR/><BR/>For a while I did plant Tomato (and other) seeds with bits of paper towel stuck to them, but I became a bit concerned about the effects of the Chorine used in getting the paper so white, so I feel a bit more comfortable with paper-plates. Probably just being over-paranoid... ;-)Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12196747651932497845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-48030422487880298212008-09-23T08:36:00.000+01:002008-09-23T08:36:00.000+01:00Nice tutorial Rebsie.Two things. first, help knock...Nice tutorial Rebsie.<BR/><BR/>Two things. first, help knock the "you can't save seeds from F1s" myth on the head. You can save them, but the seeds won't breed true. If you can grow enough plants of the F2s, however, especially with an inbreeder like the tomato, you could be well on the way to selecting a new variety that is every bit as good as the F1 with the added benefit of being open pollinated. But you do need the space to grow and select.<BR/><BR/>Two, the quick and dirty method is brilliant if you use a piece of kitchen towel the same size as your seed tray and space the seeds, say, 5 cm apart each way. Come the spring, you lay the complete piece of paper on top of your compost, sprinkle a bit more on top, water, and wait for perfectly spaced seedlings to emerge.Jeremyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04639265958695262241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-31327766729783361292008-09-22T19:55:00.000+01:002008-09-22T19:55:00.000+01:00You can find seed saving instructions for all the ...You can find seed saving instructions for all the vegetables on the website of this 20 year-old non-profit dedicated to teaching about seed saving:<BR/><BR/>http://www.seedsave.org/issi/issi_904.htmlseedmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10104401684225555552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-1301968257197788082008-09-22T19:17:00.000+01:002008-09-22T19:17:00.000+01:00I've used both ways too. I've never had mould on ...I've used both ways too. I've never had mould on my fermenting gloop though, perhaps because I add plenty of water. After about 3 days I rinse the gel off - it's nice and loose then. I can't understand people NOT saving tomato seeds! Good pictures by the way.Kathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12841961223771293021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-80109724609765638822008-09-22T19:04:00.000+01:002008-09-22T19:04:00.000+01:00Hi Rebsie, It was a pleasure meeting you Saturday....Hi Rebsie, It was a pleasure meeting you Saturday.<BR/><BR/>There's a third way with tomatoes that I managed this year: I had to dig my drains up last Autumn and I still have a bit of a pile of rubble on the drive which grew a tomato plant - turns out that tomatoes germinate rather well after passing through the average digestive tract!<BR/><BR/>SimonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23047857.post-60560063069344032822008-09-22T18:27:00.000+01:002008-09-22T18:27:00.000+01:00I have never saved tomato seeds the "proper" way. ...I have never saved tomato seeds the "proper" way. I hear it increases viability, but I seem to do OK the quick way. Thanks for the great description, and the interesting photos of the proccess.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com