Personally I wait about 5 days.

pogonip, look at this procedure and then tell me what is different about what you did. This procedure gives measurements and milestones that can guarantee success in any and all batches.

Ted

Here is a link that might be useful: Saving Tomato Seeds Using Fermentation

Sounds like they aren't fermenting. Can't say why except that I have never had any luck using a glass - too deep. Shallow disposable butter tubs or similar plastic that shuts out the light works best for me. And the paper towel rather than sealing it up more with plastic may be allowing too much air. Possibly in too cool a place is another possibility ie: too near an air vent.

Either way, if they aren't fermenting it won't matter how long you wait so something else needs to be changed.

Dave

I would suggest leaving the container uncovered. I have tried fermenting seeds with and without a top on the container, and I got quicker and better results without.

Three days is no where near enough time for seeds that have not been scrubbed first, and after you rinsed them the first time there was no more food (sugars, amino acids etc) for microbes so you pretty much shut down fermentation by reducing the number of microbes and their ability to reproduce. Adding more juice from another tomato would start things up again.

If you are using a clear container you can swirl the mix a bit and if the seeds clump together touching each other the gell has broken down and you can rinse them.

For those of you who have experience saving seeds: have you found it necessary to add some tap water in order to have enough liquid? If you add any tap water do you treat it with an additive to neurtanize the chlorine or chloramine. You can remove the chlorine from water by simply letting it sit in an open container/glass for 24 hours - the chlorine will naturally outgas. However, where I live the water is treated with chloramine and cannot be removed by simply setting it stand. I have to add an additive that is designed to break the chloramine bond inorder to inactivate it.

Has anyone experienced problems by using untreated water? I am sure I can buy some bottled water that does not contain any chlorine or chloramine if I need to. Would you recommend using water that has been treated or does it not matter at all?

Tom

If the chloramine doesn't outgas, I think that IS a problem. I would recommend you buy a bottle of regular or unchlorinated water to use for fermentation. I prefer to put a couple of tablespoons of water into my 1/2 pint jars. The water helps me stir up the solution to evenly disperse the contents as the fungi grow.

But don't wash the seeds before you ferment - that's a huge mistake. I do a "scrub" of the seeds and gel to break up the big lumps and help the fermentation go more evenly.

In my current temperature of low 70's at night and mid 80's to lower 90's in the day time, the whole process takes about 48 hours. Remember, if you take the seeds out a bit too early, then just put them in the strainer and give them a gentle scrub. You can even add a bit of scouring powder with bleach (I use Comet with bleach) into that scrub. Just be gentle, because the seeds are very soft at this point.

Ted

I use chlorinated/chloramine tap water for seeds all the time, and I use alot of water in proportion to the seeds. I generally fill a 16 oz deli container half full of warm tap water on top of the seeds+gel. If the seeds have been lightly scrubbed in a wire strainer (gell pushed through into the container) they are ready in 3 days at warm room temp (70s) nearly every time for me. Spitting in the container before brushing your teeth in the morning will add plenty of bacteria and yeast to get the fermentation process going.