How to save tomato seeds so that they germinate well later

If you’ve planted tomato plants this year, you know they don’t last forever. There comes a time when the plant does not give for more and ends up dying. But if those tomatoes turned out great and you still have some, how about we show you how to save tomato seeds for spring planting?

The truth is that it is very easy to do it, but when storing them you can make a mistake that will prevent them from germinating later. Therefore, we are going to talk to you step by step about everything you should take into account.

Choosing tomato seeds

First and foremost, if you’ve had tomatoes you may have noticed that they are richer than the ones you can buy in stores, especially if you have taken good care of them. The taste, the consistency, the aroma… all of this, being natural, is noticeable afterwards. However, each tomato plant is different, not only because it can be of different varieties, but also because it gives better or worse tomatoes.

Therefore, the first step you must take is to choose the best tomatoesthose that come from the plant that has given them the best. In this way, you will get it to repeat when you plant them and that they are as good as these.

Let the tomato ripen

Many prefer to remove the seeds regardless of the state in which the tomato is. But we recommend that you do it when the tomato is quite ripe. Only you will need a tomato because this will contain more than enough seeds.

When ripe, the seeds will have been well nourished by the tomato. Obviously, it should not be rotten, but the tomato should have a soft pulp.

take out the seeds

To remove the seeds you need a spoon and also a not very large container to deposit them (it can be a glass, the glass of a clean yogurt…). Once you have everything it will be time to start.

The first thing is to cut the tomato in half. With the spoon, take out the part where the seeds are (don’t worry if you also get the jelly part, it’s actually much better do it like this).

Those tablespoons must be deposited in the glass or glass container (do not use plastic because it can create mold). Next, add a little water but at room temperature.

In this regard we recommend that don’t use tap waterbut mineral water because that way you prevent chlorine and lime from affecting it.

The goal is for the water to cover the seeds with their gelatin.

You will have to Leave the seeds there for about 48 hours. You will realize that it is ready when you see that a film forms on the surface as if it were mold. At that time you should remove them from the water and wash them. To make it easier for you, use a strainer, pour the liquid from the glass and the seeds and some gelatin will remain. Now, with the water tap, wash them well.

Select the seeds that are good

No, we are not going to let you see now, one by one, if the seed is good. This is simpler than you think.

Take another glass and fill it with water (if it can be better mineral). Now add the seeds and wait a few minutes. Are seeds floating? Those outside, because they will not germinate. Keep only those that have sunk.

With those, you should strain them again and give them another gentle wash. And then transfer them to a napkin so that it absorbs the water. Try to distribute them well so that they can dry 100%. This may take several days, do not be impatient because the important thing is that they are dry.

How to save tomato seeds

And now yes, the seeds of that delicious tomato are ready to be saved or planted. If it is the first thing you are going to do, you must make sure you mark the date you took themespecially if you have more, because normally they should be planted a year later at most (so that they have the strength and vitality, because in reality they will last up to 4 years).

When storing tomato seeds, you must bear in mind that they will not be used for several months, and to keep them in the best condition, you must make sure not only that they are in a good container, but also that the place where they are stored will have an influence. place.

We start with the container to use for the seeds. Once you make sure that they are perfectly dry, you have to place them in an area that you really know will be protected.

And in this regard you have several options: the first, and that many use, is a airtight bag Of course, make sure to remove the air well; the second option is a paper bag.

In both cases the seeds will be well protected and you will have no problem with them holding up.

Now, where to store them? Some think that they should be in the refrigerator but the truth is that this is not the case. Enough that place them in an area at room temperature. Of course, we recommend that you better not give them the lightso that they do not start the germination process (although they need water, as they will have some accumulation inside, they could try it).

When spring comes you can retrieve those seeds and plant them (You know, leaving them in water for about 24 hours to start the germination process and then planting them in the ground). The good thing about taking seeds from tomatoes that you know are good is that the plant you will get from those seeds will be similar and you will enjoy the same flavor and aroma as the previous year.

In addition, all tomato varieties follow the same process to remove seeds, so if you get hold of different tomatoes you could get seeds from all of them and thus have a small garden to save on buying them (and also they will taste much better than those in stores).

Do you have any questions about how to save tomato seeds? If so, you can contact us without any problem and we will try to help you. Let’s make a garden at home!