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Can I grow tomato seeds from a tomato next year?

It’s simple to preserve your own tomato seeds from year to year, lowering your seed price and, over time, producing plants that are precisely suited to your growing circumstances.

Most tomatoes contain 100 or more seeds, thus just a few fruits are required for seed storage. Seeds from F1 hybrid varieties won’t come true to type, so only save those from traditional, open-pollinated tomatoes, sometimes called heirloom or heritage varieties.

Ripe tomatoes

Contents

Collecting Tomato Seeds

Gather seeds from completely ripe fruits. Cut the tomato open then scoop out the fleshy pulp containing the seeds into a glass jar. Smaller tomatoes may simply be smashed and squeezed out. Top up with a little water and label the jar with the variety.

Removing the Gel

The gel that surrounds the seeds prevents them from germinating and must be removed. Allow two to five days for fermentation to commence. This will degrade the seed coat while also eliminating many of the dangerous bacteria and fungus that live on the seeds.

Removing the gel from tomato seeds

Cleaning Tomato Seeds

Every day, check and gently stir the jar. When the pulp rises to the top, the seeds are ready for washing. A top layer of scum may form, and the majority of the seeds will have sunk to the bottom. Skim off the pulp, then filter the juice and seeds through a sieve. Wash the seeds under running water, using the back of a wooden spoon to carefully remove any remaining material stuck to the seeds.

Tomato pulp and water separating from seeds

Drying Tomato Seeds

Spread the seeds onto paper towel to remove most of the water, then transfer them to a non-stick surface such as a dinner plate. Dry the seeds in a warm, sheltered location away from direct sunshine. The seeds will dry up entirely in two to three weeks.

Drying tomato seeds

Storing Tomato Seeds

Scrape the seeds gently into labeled paper envelopes. Keep them dry and at a cool, consistent temperature. To keep the air dry, place envelopes in a tin or other covered container containing silica gel crystals. Seeds may be stored for up to 5 years.

Saving your own tomato seeds really doesn’t take much effort and there’s something deeply satisfying about the whole process. What additional kind of vegetable seeds do you keep? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Related Questions

  • Can you save the seeds from a tomato to plant next year?

    Tomato seeds may be kept at room temperature for years. For extra protection, you can store them in the refrigerator or freezer, but let them come to room temperature before opening the jar so you don’t introduce moisture from condensation.

  • Can you grow tomatoes from seeds out of a tomato?

    Growing tomatoes from seed may provide excellent yields with a little preparation. Tomato seedlings that enjoy stress-free lives with no serious setbacks quickly adapt to garden life, and few things are more rewarding that harvesting sun ripened tomatoes from plants you started as tiny seeds.

  • Will 2 year old tomato seeds germinate?

    Can aged seeds resurrect? Yes! Tomato seeds may survive up to ten years if properly fermented, dried, and kept, with a 50% germination rate. Germination rates will be much higher if utilized within 4-7 years.

  • How to grow tomatoes from seeds from fresh tomatoes step 1?

    6 Steps to Growing Tomato from Seed

    1. Know When to Plant. It’s important to know when to start your tomato seeds, in order to plant them out at the best time and get the best harvest. …
    2. Prepare the trays and sow the seeds. Now you’re finally ready to get started, so let’s go. …
    3. Move to the Germination Station. …
    4. Daily Care of Your Seedlings.

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