How to Save Tomato Seeds

If you enjoy eating tomatoes ripe from your garden, consider saving the seed of some of this season’s harvest for next year. Saving tomato seeds is easy. The basic rule is to choose heirloom and open-pollinated tomatoes for seed saving rather than hybrids, because cross-mated hybrid tomatoes will not produce true copies.

In nature, fruits such as tomatoes ferment before detaching their seeds from the pulp. If you want to save tomato seeds, you need to “wet process” the seeds in much the same way nature does. (Article continues below slideshow.)

Slideshow: Step-by-Step How to Save Your Own Tomato Seeds

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Choose a ripe, healthy, open-pollinated tomato for seed saving. This is a Stupice tomato.

Cut the tomato and scoop the seeds, gel and juice into a cup.

Add 1/2 cup of filtered water and let the tomato gel set for 3 days to ferment.

As it ferments, the mixture becomes cloudy and the seeds come loose from the jelly.

After 3 days, pour off any mould and floating seeds and capture the rest with a strainer.

Rinse the seeds under running water.

The tomato seeds should be as free from the gel as possible.

Dump the seeds onto a paper towel and spread them out.

When the seeds are completely dry, save them in a sealed container for planting.

The Wet Process: How to Save Tomato Seeds

1. Choose a healthy, open-pollinated tomato. Save tomatoes when they are good and ripe (but not overripe) and slip right off the vine. Select healthy specimens that reflect the qualities (such as good size, great flavour or resistance to disease) you most want to encourage in next year’s crop.

2. Cut the tomato and scoop the seeds, gel and juice into a cup.

3. Add 1/2 cup of filtered, non-chlorinated water and let the tomato gel set for 3 days to ferment.

4. As it ferments, the mixture becomes cloudy and the seeds come loose from the gel. The good seeds sink to the bottom.

5. After 3 days, mould will start to form on the surface. Pour off any mould and floating seeds, and capture the remaining seeds with a small strainer.

6. Rinse the seeds under running water to remove any remaining gel.

7. Dump the seeds onto parchment paper or a paper towel, and spread them out to dry at room temperature. Do not dry them in the sun.

8. When the seeds are completely dry, save them in a sealed container and store in a cool, dry place. Depending on the variety, tomato seeds will last for as long as 4 to 10 years.

More about gardening:
Plant a Seed Saving Garden

Growing Your Own Garden Seeds

10 Tips for Year-Round Vegetable Gardens