How to properly collect and preserve tomato seeds

Tomatoes are a favorite vegetable of many Russians. Virtually no garden, no dacha can not do without this culture. Modern varieties of tomatoes have more than a hundred species that differ in taste, color, shape and size. Growing tomatoes in the garden is not so difficult - this crop is not capricious. However, in order for the harvest to please you with its quality and quantity, good seeds are necessary. Of course, you can buy them in finished form. But if you collect them yourself, you will not only save, but also eliminate the possibility of buying "a cat in a bag."

How to choose tomatoes for collecting seeds

The selection of tomatoes from which the seeds will be extracted is very important. Because the germination of the future harvest, the size and quality of the fruit depends on it.To select seed tomatoes, you need to choose a couple of the strongest and strongest bushes in advance. Tomatoes for collecting seeds need to be plucked only from the lower ovary. This is explained by the fact that the very first tomatoes (on the lower ovaries) bloomed in May, when the bees were not so active and did not pollinate the flowers. This means that we are picking off a pure variety of tomatoes, and not a pollinated hybrid. By the way, many gardeners mistakenly believe that by taking seeds from a hybrid tomato, they will receive the same fruit. In fact, it is not. Taking the seeds from a hybrid, you can get a distant reminder of one of the “parents” of the cross. In addition, if you take tomatoes from the upper ovaries, their seeds will produce small fruits in the future.

From the plucked tomatoes from the lower ovaries should choose the most beautiful specimens. You need to choose tomatoes of medium size, the most typical form for this variety.Some summer residents are trying to get seeds from a tomato of an unusual form for their variety, hoping that the future harvest will be similar. This is fundamentally wrong. The unusual shape of a tomato depends on external conditions - the amount of sun, the activity of watering. And does not pass through the seeds.

A few more words about seed fruits. There is an opinion that it is better to take over-ripe tomatoes for seeds. This is not true. Seeds of over-ripe fruits may begin to germinate ahead of time, even at the stage of their collection.

How to collect seeds from tomatoes

So, the "correct" in all respects tomatoes are collected, now you need to extract the seeds from them.

1. After harvesting, the fruits should be left in a warm place for some time to “ripen”. Three to four days is usually enough.
2. After that, the fruits are incised and the whole pulp and seeds are released into clean dishes.
3. You probably noticed that tomato seeds are covered with delicate pulp. In this pulp there are substances (inhibitors) that protect the seed from germination inside the fruit. For the seeds to be viable, they must be cleaned of this pulp.To do this manually without damaging the seeds is almost impossible. But you can get rid of the shell through the fermentation process.
4. To ferment the seeds with tomato juice, all the liquid should be poured into a jar, covered with gauze and put in a warm place. It is not recommended to add water, otherwise the seeds may choke and die.
5. At this stage of seed preparation, it is very important not to miss the moment when fermentation will be completed. If seeds are taken out ahead of time, they will not be cleared of their shell, and if they are over-kept, they can begin to germinate directly in the liquid - after that they will become unsuitable for storage. To select the right moment, pay attention to the mush itself. If the surface was tightened with a film, bubbles left the slurry, the liquid itself brightened a little, and the seeds had already dropped to the bottom of the jar, then the time had come - the seeds are ready.
6. All the slurry gently merges so as not to miss the seeds that have settled at the bottom. After that, the seeds are thoroughly washed with water. The turbid liquid is changed until it becomes almost transparent. You can also wash the seeds in the strainer - so much more convenient.
7. After that, the seeds for planting should be subjected to another stage of filtration. All seeds should be divided into full-bodied and unripe.To do this, in a glass of water you need to dissolve half a teaspoon of salt and drop the seeds there. Those that settle at the bottom are good and high-quality specimens, and those that come up are dummies from which nothing grows.
8. If you want to protect your future seedlings from pests and diseases, the seeds can be subjected to another stage of processing. This will help disinfect the seeds of pathogens. This can be done with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, copper sulfate or simple laundry soap. Seeds should be soaked for 20-30 minutes in a pale pink, bluish or soap solution. After that they are thoroughly washed.
9. Finally, our seeds are ready for planting. Now you need to dry. To do this, they are pre-blotted with a cotton towel, and then laid out on a newspaper. Dried seeds in a hot ventilated place. Do not forget to mix them periodically so that they dry thoroughly.

This simple action algorithm will help you to collect the highest quality seeds that will give a good, selective harvest.

How to store tomato seeds

However, in order for the seeds to mature safely in the soil in the coming years, they need to be able to save. To do this, dried on the newspaper seeds are placed in a paper bag and sealed. Tomato seeds must be stored in a cool and dry place - they are afraid of moisture and immediately spoil it. It is best to keep a paper envelope with seeds on the door of the refrigerator - it is cool, dry and dark there.

When packing envelopes with seeds, do not forget to sign them. Be sure to note the variety of seeds collected, as well as the time of their collection. This is especially true if you grow different varieties of tomatoes. Properly harvested seeds can grow even 8-10 years after harvest. However, it is best not to plant seeds that are more than three or four years old. If this year was fruitful for tomatoes, harvest seeds for the future, for the next few years.

What is the advantage of self-harvesting seeds

The fact is that the seeds collected with their own hands, carefully filtered and selected. If you do everything right, you will get the most viable, hardy and selective seeds that are guaranteed to give a good result. On an industrial scale, the seeds are most often simply collected and packaged.Buying a ready bag of tomato seeds, you can get seeds, the germination rate of which is very small. In addition, the fruits may be small. All your growing efforts will come to naught, hurt, is not it?

To avoid this, do not be lazy to start collecting tomato seeds yourself. And then you can enjoy tasty, sweet and juicy tomatoes that are grown with your own hands!

Video: how to pick tomato seeds