Fermenting seeds is, in my opinion, the easiest way to clean and preserve tomato seeds. The principle is simple. Tomato seeds contain a so-called seed bag, a jelly-like covering that protects the seed from germination and other external influences.
By fermenting the seeds, you ensure that the seed pod breaks down in a natural way and can then store the seeds for longer and better.
Did you know?
Fermentation is of course not only applicable to the extraction of tomato seeds . It can be a way of preparing food , it is also used to make alcohol and it is mainly a way to break down biological materials with the help of fungi and bacteria .
What do you need?
- A jar, a glass or a cup (one variety per jar)
- Your favorite tomato or the tomato you want to collect seeds from
- A knife
- A teaspoon
- A (sticky) label on which you write the name of the variety
How do you harvest tomato seeds?
- Take the fruit and make sure all your materials are ready, it will work faster and easier.
- Take a jar and halve the tomato (you can also squeeze out cherry types by hand, but it is better to hollow out large fruits with a spoon).
- Remove the tomato seeds with a teaspoon and place them in the jar.
- Then fill the jar with a little bit of water. Fermentation only works if there is enough moisture present.
- Label the pot with the name of the variety , along with the date you collected the tomato seeds.
- Place the jars where they won't bother anyone. I've been putting them in the garage or in a sheltered spot outside for years and that works fine. If you don't mind a few dirty moldy jars, feel free to put them in a corner of the kitchen. It's often warmer there, which speeds up the fermentation process.
- After an average of three to four days the process is complete – depending on where you put them and how warm it is. The warmer, the faster the tomato seeds will mold; the colder, the longer it takes.
- Take a clean sieve and make sure the jar with tomato seeds is ready.
- Add water to the jar with a strong stream and wait until the tomato seeds have sunk to the bottom. Good quality tomato seeds will sink, bumps, dirt residues and bad tomato seeds will float on the water surface.
- Scoop out any dirt and mold with a spoon.
- Place the tomato seeds in the sieve and rinse well.
- Place the tomato seeds on a small plate and spread them open with your index finger.
- Let the tomato seeds dry at room temperature and make sure to again write the name of the variety and the date on a label and stick it on the tray.
- After a week, rub the tomato seeds loose and let them dry for another week. In theory, it can be done faster, but I want the seeds to be completely dry before they are packed.
- Pack the tomato seeds in bags. Again, do not forget to mention the name of the variety and the date.
Harvesting seeds without fermentation
Another way to collect seeds from tomatoes is to place the seeds on a damp cloth or paper towel and pack them dry two weeks later. In my opinion, this is not the best way. The seed bag is dry but not gone, the germination power decreases and the seeds are noticeably less durable.
