Saving tomato seeds for later planting?

Question

to plants seeds spring '09

Answer 1

The only tomato plants that will grow to reseed would be the Heirloom variety like  Rutgers or Beefsteak.  Check your plant card if you still have it.  If it says "Hybrid" anywhere that plant will not grow true to form.  You will get something to sprout but it may be a plant that can't bloom.

Google "Heirloom tomatoes" and chose the varieties that will grow best in your area.

Tomato seeds will need to be fermented, then dried and planted in the spring.

Answer 2

you can try ANY seed, not just heirloom,,, those are for  purests!  seeds from grocery store veggies and fruits work fine,, you DO NOT ferment seeds, ever!! this will just rot the seeds,,, you should get as much pulp off as possible to stop the rot too,, then just let them dry on a paper towel.. if you spread them out on the towel you will be able to cut just a few seeds off at a time next year to pot....some people put certain seed in water before planting,,,this is to soften some types of seeds but its not fermenting them!!  some people put tomato seeds in water to see which floats and which don't,, to tell which are good

some people think you have to dry a seed first and then plant it,, which is wrong,,if you have a fresh water melon you can eat it and spit the seeds in the ground and they will grow!!

and NO you don't have to refridgerate seeds!!!   this is only to keep seeds for several years,,, and some cuttings need a certain number of cold days before they will take,,,,

tomato seeds are a little fragile,, keep them dry and plant in shallow potting soil,, transfer as they get bigger,,,, until about 6-8 inches tall then put them in their final growing spot,,, a very large pot or outside!!  tomatoes like alot of room and sun,,, my plants get 7-8 feet tall but they can't do this in little six inch pots!!!!!

Answer 3

Yes, I've done this. Saved some seeds from tomatoes I've especially enjoyed the flavor, texture, or size of. I've done this even from restaurants. I'll simply wrap some seeds up in a paper napkin, writing basic info on the who, what, where, when characteristics of the fruit and put it in a zip lock bag. Then keep it with my other seeds and garden supplies. If the tomato is an old standard variety, sometimes known as an "heirloom" you should have success. If the tomato is of a hybrid variety, you will be disappointed. The plant will grow... it may bloom... and even bear fruit but chances are the tomato will be different from what you remember the dining experience being. You will have invested a lot of time, energy and garden space for not much of a payoff. Whole cherry or plum sized, salad bar varieties have worked for me. One variety I loved would grow as a volunteer every year in my garden. It would just be in a different spot, where ever the seeds had ended up during fall clean up. I'd have to keep an eye out for the little plants while prepping the soil each spring. At my craziest, I had 30 tomato plants growing, several varieties. After a while my neighbors didn't even want to answer their door because I was giving away bags full. You may be bordering on being a nut... like me about gardening.