One of my gardening friends told me that she saves seeds from her tomatoes every year. I thought it sounded like an interesting approach to gardening, and I’d like your advice on how to save seed.
— Andy Caraway, Chicago
Most gardeners who have planted tomatoes are getting lots of fruit now. It is easy to save seeds from your favorite plants for next year if they are heirloom or open-pollinated varieties. These varieties can produce seeds that will grow a new plant next year that is identical to the parent plant. Tomatoes are generally self-pollinating, so there is rarely a chance of crossbreeding. This does happen occasionally when you save your own seeds from a garden with different varieties that are growing close together. Hybrid tomato varieties like Better Boy and Early Girl are created by plant breeders. The breeders select two compatible tomato varieties and crossbreed them to create a new variety that has traits from the two parent plants. The seeds collected from a hybrid will not create a plant that is identical to the parent. My wife has had success saving heirloom tomato seed at home with varieties growing relatively close together. Some references recommend spacing different varieties 10 to 50 feet apart to ensure uniformity of the seed. A single tomato plant can produce viable seed. To maintain a variety over time, save some seeds from a couple of plants each year.
Tomato is an annual crop that completes its full life cycle (including germinating, reproducing and dying) in one growing season. Tomato seeds are mature and ready to be processed to save when the fruit is fully ripe. Pick ripe tomatoes from healthy plants and slice them in half across the middle. Use your fingers to squeeze the pulp and seeds from the inside of the fruit into a glass container (small custard cups or mason jars work well). If there isn’t a lot of gelatinous pulp, you may need to add a small amount of water at this step. Don’t forget to label the container with the variety name and the date. Let the container sit for two to three days at room temperature out of direct sunlight so that the pulp can ferment. There may be a yeasty, slightly pungent smell that is normal as it ferments. This process allows the tomato seeds to separate from the coating that covers them. Viable seeds will sink to the bottom of this mixture and dead seeds will float. When a small amount of mold begins to form on top of the mixture, you are ready for the next step. Pour off the floating solids and dead seeds and thoroughly rinse the remaining seeds in running water. A fine mesh strainer is ideal for doing this. Once thoroughly cleaned, seeds can be placed on a screen, paper plate or a coffee filter and left to dry for approximately one week. Dried seeds are easy to move across the plate and do not stick together. It is important for the seeds to be dry so that they can be stored properly. Place the seeds in a paper packet or Ziploc plastic bag and store in a cool, dark place. Also, make sure to label your packets with the variety and the year you saved them. Tomato seeds that are properly stored can remain viable for several years. Save some extra seeds and bring them to share at a seed swap. The Chicago Botanic Garden hosts an annual swap in the winter — visit www.chicagobotanic.org for more information.
For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at [email protected]. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
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