Tomatoes are a very diverse food. The color, flavor, liquid, size, and aroma change dramatically from one type of tomato to the next. Being self-pollinating, which means the pollen and egg of the same flower interact, the tomato plant is a great stand-alone product.
Tomato plants that will grow well are hard to identify from a young plant or seedling. Your best bet is to
harvest tomato seeds from a plant that has produced well in the past.
The Variety of Tomato Seeds
Just as
organic plants and
heirloom plants have differences, so do the seeds. While heirloom tomatoes will produce the same fruit year after year, hybrid and genetically modified seeds won't. Some genetically modified plants produce seeds that are sterile, which means they will not produce another plant regardless of your actions.
Hybrid seeds will usually produce a plant, but the offspring will not be the same as the parent plant. The longer you harvest the seeds, the more likely the offspring is to revert to characteristics of the two or more plants it was derived from. Typically, you will not have as good of a second-generation plant as you did with the first. Therefore, heirloom tomato plants are the choice of gardeners who are passionate about
harvesting garden seeds.
The Harvesting Process
When you're ready to start your tomato legacy, you'll want to follow these steps.
Step 1: Choose Ripe Tomatoes
Ensure that you pick only
ripe tomatoes for harvesting seeds. You will be able to tell whether they are ripe because the tomato will be a vibrant color different from the young tomatoes. The
fruit will also be slightly soft to the touch and will pull away relatively easy from the vine.
Step 2: Cut the Tomatoes
Place a tomato on a cutting board and turn it on its side, so the stem is parallel to the cutting board. With a sharp knife, cut the tomato in half.
Step 3: Squeeze the Tomatoes
Hold a tomato over a glass jar, which should be among your standard indoor
garden tools, and squeeze it. You can use something other than glass but stay away from metal. A baby food bottle works well, or you can use a canning jar from the craft store. Squeeze out all the juice, pulp and seeds. You may need to use a small spoon to help with the process.
Step 4: Allow the Seeds to Cure
Place the container with seeds and liquid in an area out of direct sunlight. The smell may become a little intense, so you might want to choose some place away from normal traffic. Allow the seeds to set until they are partially covered by a whitish cloudy mold. This will take about 3 – 5 days, and you may need to add some water to keep the seeds covered, depending on your area.
Step 5: Clean and Rinse the Tomato Seeds
Now that the mold has had an opportunity to kill off any harmful bacteria or disease that might have passed onto the new plant, spoon off the mold from on top of the liquid. Fill the container ¾ full of water and stir the seeds. Bad seed will float to the top and good seeds will settle to the bottom. Pour the liquid out while retaining the good seeds. Continue this process until the water is clear.
Step 6: Strain the Tomato Seeds
Empty the seeds into a fine mesh strainer or a coffee filter. Rinse the seeds thoroughly under running water.
Step 7: Dry the Tomato Seeds
Place the seeds onto a plate and allow them to dry completely, approximately 1 – 3 days. Keep the seeds out of direct sunlight and stir them once or twice a day. Try to keep the seeds from touching until they are dry.
Step 8: Store the Seeds
Now you are ready to store your seeds. Use an airtight glass jar, like the one you used earlier. Place the seeds in a cool and dark area until you are ready to sprout them next season.
If you plant multiple plants, keep an eye out for slight differences. You may notice that one bears more fruit or that another has larger fruit. Find the one that you like best and harvest seeds from the fruit of that plant. With a good eye, your tomato plants can become better and better each year. Find more information about
organic gardening at our DIY blog.
