Saregama, to save tomato seeds, you need to let them 'ferment" a bit. Here’s what I do:
•Cut the top off the tomato so you can see the chambers which contain the gel and seeds.
•With a sharp paring knife, remove part of the side wall of the tomato to expose the gel and seeds.
•Scrape the gel and seed into a glass jar. The seeds are covered with a gel that inhibits germination and makes them stick together. So, you want to let yeasts and microbes digest this for awhile.
•Cover the jar loosely, so flies can’t get in. Put it in a dark place, at room temperature, for some days. You’ll likely see molds, often white, growing on the surface. After about 5-7 days, the gel should be digested by the microbes/yeasts.
•Remove any mold blobs (pellicle) and dump the seed slurry into a sieve which will trap the seeds. Rinse the seeds well under running water and use a finger to stir the seeds around until they’re clean.
•Drain and set the sieve on a paper towel or dry dishrag to absorb more of the moisture; about 10 minutes is plenty.
•Spread the seeds out to dry on cardboard, a board, paper plate, etc. They may get stuck to thin paper, so use a material which can be scraped, if needed. Place in a dark area to dry for 2-3 weeks.
•Tomato seeds often are a bit fuzzy and tend to clump. When the seeds have dried, you can rub them to break apart clumps and wear off some of the fuzz, making them easier to plant.
•Label them, including the year. Placing seed envelopes in an airtight jar, in the fridge, will help keep them viable for years. You want to keep moisture out of the jar. Before opening the jar, at planting time, take it out of the fridge and let the jar warm to room temperature. This way, the jar and seeds won’t “sweat”, condense moisture from the air.
Saving tomato seeds is easier than it looks from the above! Each step is pretty quick, especially with practice.
Keep in mind that plants can “outcross”, mate with another variety if wind or insect pollinators go from plant to plant. If you’re growing only one variety of something, it’s easier to have pure seed. Plants that have big flowers, like cucumbers, squash, melons can get mixed up if you have someone nearby growing them. Bees carry pollen great distances!
With tomatoes, insect pollinators are less of an issue, but you can “bag” flowers with a bit of netting, nylon stocking, fabric to prevent cross pollination. This should be done on unopened flower buds; once the flowers are open, it’s too late. I mark the stems of bagged, controlled pollination fruits with a colored twist tie or string, so I know which ones to save seed from.
Sometimes, it’s easier to bag a whole branch on things like peppers. Bagged peppers and tomatoes can fertilize themselves. Vibrating the branches, when in bloom, helps pollen to fall onto the stigma, the female part which catches the pollen.
I also am more focused about how to keep some of my plants safe over the cold fall and winter (my ginger and lime). My lemongrass is starting to bust out of their small container, so I definitely have to replant before the fall comes.
