Saving Tomato Seed

1.        Use tomatoes that are edible ripe – NOT overripe or rotting.

2.        Label a Dixie cup with the name of the tomato

3.        Cut the fruit in half and squeeze the contents into the cup- seeds, juice, pulp and all

4.        Place the cup in the shade in a covered area outside or in a garage or shed – it will really smell bad and attract fruit flies!

5.        After about 3 days, once a white fungus layer forms, add water to fill the cup – carefully remove the fungus layer and discard.  Pour the contents into a fine mesh sieve and, with water running over the seed mass, press with a spoon so that everything but the seeds passes through the mesh.

6.        Scrape out the cleaned seed, spread onto a labeled unglazed paper plate and let air dry in the house for about 2 weeks.

7.        Tomato seeds, if stored in glass or plastic vials, will last 10 years or more, even if stored in any room in the house (no need to freeze or refrigerate).