If you type in "how to save tomato seeds" in the search bar, the FAQ on seed saving will come up. It's very informative.

Abby

In addition to the FAQ with all the basics the link below is to the Seed Saving Forum in case you want to learn about saving other kinds of seeds too.

As to tomatoes - what varieties are you growing? Hybrids or open-pollinated heirlooms?

Dave

PS: you might also want to check out this article on seed saving.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seed Saving Forum

Kim,

Basically, you want to do two things when saving tomato seeds ...

1) Separate the seed from the gel and other extraneous pulpy material, and

2) Destroy the pathogens that may be clinging to the seed hull or lurking within the germplasm to minimize transmission of disorders to next year's crop.

One way to accomplish most of the task is to ferment the seeds in the juice of the tomato and then rinse away the resulting flotsom and give the clean seeds a quick bath in Clorox before a final rinse and drying.

Here is a link for a step-by-step tutorial with pictures for Saving Tomato Seeds and I follow those steps basically. But since I use 12-oz. plastic dixie cups to ferment, when I rinse off the flotsom, I pour the contents of the individual ferment cups into a large 3-quart bowl to do the "gold dust panning" routine. Then I spray the clean seeds with a Clorox based cleaning product like Mean Green and let that sit on the seeds for a few minutes and rinse the seeds in warm (120*F) water for a few minutes followed by a final rinse of cold water. Then onto individual paper plates marked with a Sharpie giving the name for each seed.

Also ... here is a link to an Ohio State University fact sheet on hot water bath and chlorine bath treatment for tomato seeds giving the more professional methods for those treatments: OSU Facts Sheet .

I've seen other methods recommended for saving tomato seeds using trisodium phosphate scrub followed by a chlorine bath and rince as well as just scrubbing the seeds, gel and pulp in a wire strainer with Ajax with Bleach ... lots of little homegrown methods.

Each method of seed cleaning has its advantages and drawbacks. Bottom line is you want clean seeds where the gel coat has been removed so it doesn't retard germination next year and the seed disinfected sufficiently to minimize transmission of seed-borne disorders.

Some cautions for anyone who ferments, cleans in a strainer, dries on paper plates, etc. MORE THAN ONE VARIETY of tomato seeds ...

CAREFULLY INSPECT your rinse bowls, strainers, and other equipment after each batch of seeds to ensure there are NO STRAY SEEDS that may be mixed into the next batch of a different variety.

CAREFULLY INSPECT your FINGERNAILS and FINGERS, etc. to endure the same thing regarding stray stuck seeds.

WIPE DOWN YOUR WORKING SURFACES between batches for same reason.

LET THE DRYING PLATES PARTIALLY DRY BEFORE STACKING for the longterm, three or four week thorough drying period. If you stack on plate on top of a batch of wet seeds in the plate underneath, you will definitely get wet seeds stuck to the bottom of the plate on top of each batch of different wet seeds. This will lead to stray seeds dropping off into the wrong batch of seeds especially if you separate the stack during seed packing and accidentally pass the plate with stuck seeds across another plate or restack in a different order.

When removing seeds from the drying surfaces to pack into storage envelopes, be very careful because you will have seeds pop off and fly onto another batch of seeds or onto your working surface and clothing. DO NOT TRY TO DETERMINE WHICH FUGITIVE SEEDS BELONG TO WHAT BATCH ... discard any seed that lands anywhere other than right where you intended it to go. Don't take a chance trying to figure out where a seed goes when you find one on your table, lap, shirt, etc. It ain't worth it next year or when your seed trading friends end up growing a gold cherry that they thought was gonna be a pink beefsteak, etc.

Store your seeds in paper coin envelopes because they will let the seed continue to dry out if they aren't really as dry as they should be when you package them.

Also acquire some silicone desicating capsules like what you find in baby asprin bottles, etc. Your pharmacist will save you a boatload of them if you ask nicely. Put your individually marked seed envelopes into a nice roomy tupperware container with several desicating capsules.

Bill

I love that tomato FAQ and all the other FAQs in the seed saving forum too, lol.

BUT...as Bill said, there are ways to remove pathogens other than fermentation. A good rinse with a chlorine-base product works great too.

Thank you everyone! Some really helpful information.
Kim