How to Save Tomato Seeds Like a PRO!

This Method Will Change the way you Save Tomato Seeds!

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[lindaromas]

I put a paper towel over the jar and hold it on with a rubber band to keep fruit flies away

[jamesprigioni]

SHARE THIS VIDEO IF YOU ENJOYED IT!!! 🐕😁❤

[mannbat]

This has been my preferred way of saving tomato seeds for years! So glad you're sharing this with others.
Just one thing to be aware of - don't ferment the seeds for more than 3-4 days. Longer periods of fermentation have a significant detrimental effect on viability. There's plenty of studies about this online, and I've experienced it first hand when I accidentally left some saved seed fermenting for nearly a week

[NoLongerAnythingSeeHere]

💚🌱🌻🐕 I like the technique J! The alcohol produced in the fermentation process helps remove more of the tomato pulp from the white seed hairs or trichomes. The seed trichomes help with seed dispersal and water absorption during germination and beyond. So your technique aids in ultimately speeding up germination and possible sets the stage for more nutrient absorption longterm. The paper method leaves too much pulp on the trichomes and could potentially inhibit water absorption— delaying germination and possibly impacting fruit yield. No wonder your tomato harvest is so bountiful! This method and your secret fertilizer is a match made in heaven…Chemistry in Motion🔬

[sharonglassner]

Hi James, great informative video! I have saved heirloom seeds for a couple of years, successfully. I use the strainer method and then I put them on brown paper bags or paper plates. FYI, if you're doing a few kinds of tomatoes or other veggies, always label what they are. When they dry, I put them in medicine bottles or spice bottles. When you start doing alot, stay organized or you'll lose track of what you have. Just a frame of reference, I used to buy starts at a garden center. This year, I planted 120 tomato plants from the seeds that I saved last year. Yikes! It's a tomato forest!!!! :):):):)P.S. Love little Tuck, such a cutie:)❤❤❤

[Joseph]

I had rabbits get into my tomato beds a few years ago and they spread tomato seeds all over the yard. We still have random tomato plants popping up everywhere 😆

[MurrayDecker]

If you slice the tomato horizontally (on the equator—slicing the upper half off from the bottom half), it's much easier to take a spoon and remove the seeds from the pockets of funiculus.

[waldemargiers]

Tomato seeds if dried properly last in storage for very long time. This year I germinated seeds collected in 2001 with great success. I store them in the basement of my house in paper envelope inside of old metal cookie can.

[melindaroth]

I LOVE THE WAY YOU COME ON WITH SUCH EXCITEMENT. YOU JUST MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY 😊 LOVE YOU BROTHER. ❤

[AnyKeyLady]

Loved this James as it is very important to save your seeds to save money! Don't forget to label your jars/cups/mugs/glasses with the variety of tomato seed that you are fermenting! If you are forgetful as me or has some like my hubby who moves things, it is very easy to loose track.

When i do a batch of tomatoes for cooking, i like to put the seeds in the relevant cup in one go and also put the date on. I also prefer to put them on a ceramic side dish and transfer over the label. Just my opinion but i really don't like paper plates and rather use plastic re-useable plates from recycled material or normal plates for parties.

I bought lunch/ pocket money envelopes from amazon really cheap. 100 100mm x 62mm. I mark them as home grown with the month/year date.

Totally agree with the kitchen towel method as the membrane can stick the seed to the tissue and if it too wet, it can start to get fuzzy with mould. You end up with a seed with a bit of tissue stuck to it.

Bonus tip(s): After a couple of days, i like to spoon out the floaty bits of tomato flesh as most "good seeds" would have sunk by then and it reduces the flies. If flies are really an issue then sieve the seeds out and replace the water.

I normally always keep a home made mini small fly trap next to my main prep area. It is a ramekin filled with home made apple cider vinegar, with a bit of sugar, covered with a square of cling film held on by an elastic band and a hole punched in the middle big enough for a fungus gnat or fruit fly to fit in.

I was making the first batch of Autumn chutney, so started a new jar to make apple cider vinegar. I DO NOT use this for cooking but for fly traps and cleaning, etc.

I place the peels cores, etc (except the seeds), into a jar as i go along and then fill the jar with water and i think i add about two tablespoons of sugar (i usually eye ball it to the jar size and peels, etc). I label it (sometimes) with the date and if i use a lid i would "burp" it every day to release the gases.

Whilst i was getting out my late Mother in Law's jelly making stuff i found some old fashioned cloths in the bag, for all types of stuff. One thing i did find were some old style muslin hankies, perfect for the apple cider jars! I just secured it on to the jar with the rubber band to save burping it as it can overflow if you forget.

Anyway, 3/4 weeks and it has fermented enough for traps. If you want to use it for window spray or cleaner, i would leave it a bit longer and then strain it through fine fabric so it doesn't clog the spray nozzle.

You can also add it to a diluted water of washing up liquid and oil spray bottle for pests on your plants but always test first and only direct spray in the evening, when the nice bugs go to bed. leave for a day and then spray off, with water. Also, don't over spray as the nice bugs won't want to visit and also it can dry out the plants.

I think i just sprayed once in May as it was still to cold for ladybirds, etc...

O Boy it looks windy there! The wind and rain has subsided here in London, UK and we have at least two days of warm sunshine before the next low pressure moves in at the weekend but they say it should be as bad as it has been since the beginning of July.

Anyways, best wishes to you and your family James, which obvs includes 'lil 'ol Tuck too, bless him! <3

[pamelapruitt]

Exactly how I've been doing this for years! Right down to the paper plate. Very easy way to save the seeds.

[sheilakuri]

It’s good to point out if you want to be able to propagate a hybrid tomato, you can if you use the suckers, not the seeds - they will not be true, but the sucker plant will be an exact copy of the original plant.

[lbarmstrong]

Thank you James. This is the first year that I've grown almost everything in my garden from seeds. My sources wanted $4 for a tiny little two leaved cucumber plant and I finally just said NO and started them myself and have had pretty decent results thanks to your videos' inspiration and teaching. I doubt I wouldn't have had the determination without you! I'm in Atlanta, GA and just saved some cantalope seeds using the paper plate method, and want to suggest Chinete plates as they aren't waxed and the water is wicked. Not a big deal because you know they all eventually dry out. :) Hugs to the little guy.

[alfredotorralba]

Love your channel. I admire people like you who share their talent and expertise in gardening. What the world needs now is food security as well as green living. How I wish people to cultivate every vacant space for food and not rely on packaged process food.

[HeyJudeDistributing]

Take a Pot of dry soil, lay your favorite best varieties of tomatoes "slices" on the dry soil. Cover with peat moss or dry soil of your choice. Cover it so no moisture gets in. Let it sit all winter until spring weather arrives. When the daytime temps are over 70° and night temps are above freezing (I wait until it's 55-60°f) uncover the pot and water it really well. You will see every seed emerge! That is the Amish way to save and start seeds. Then when they get true leaves, transplant to individual pots or plant out.

[Golden_SnowFlake]

I save food safe plastic gallon buckets from Icecream to ferment seeds.

Works well.
You get a lid, you get a bucket, and you get to eat icecream. win-win-win.

[kele]

Glad you showed us how to do this, James, thank you. I especially appreciate that you told us NOT to use hybrids, because we probably won't get what we think we'll get. Good advice! Have a great day! 💖🐕

[John_outside]

Love David love you Tucker keep the enthusiasm

[hdlnjwi]

Thank you so much James. ❤ to T . The cost of tomatoes have tripled here in India. Due to floods . Trying to grow our native variety.

[dependentongodever]

My mom and I just got about 30 pounds of locally grown heirloom tomatoes today and turned it into 15 quarts of tomato sauce. As we went, we scooped out most of the seeds, like this. Just put them into separate jars to ferment!! First time doing it. Now, all we need to do is make a plan to build a proper trellis system for giant tomatoes next year, cause my little dinky cages aren't even enough for my Manitoba plants this year lol.