How to Preserve Tomato Seeds
Preserving tomato seeds allows you to save the seeds in their original condition until you want to grow tomato plants. This is especially useful for collecting and storing seeds during the winter months to keep them in good condition until planting time. According to the website My Garden Tips, properly preserved seeds can last up to 10 years in storage before use. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Water
- Plastic cup or bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Knife
- Spoon
- Small kitchen sieve (strainer)
- Large plate(s)
- Wax paper (or flattened coffee filter paper)
- Small Ziploc freezer bag(s)
- Large Ziploc freezer bag
- Dried milk powder
Instructions
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1
Clean the seeds before preparing to preserve them. Cut the tomato in half and remove the seeds with the spoon. If you bought the seeds from a store that have been pre-cleaned skip to Step 4.
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2
Place the seeds and the gel-like film that is covering the seeds into the plastic cup. Fill the cup up with enough water to fully cover the seeds. Put plastic wrap over the cup opening and put two small air holes in the plastic with the knife.
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3
Remove the plastic wrap each day and gently stir the water and seeds with a spoon. After two or three days or when the water surface is covered with a filmy residue, scoop the surface film off with the spoon. Then drain the contents of the cup into a small kitchen sieve (also known as a strainer). Rinse the seeds a few times with cool water running into the sieve.
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4
Put a layer of wax paper onto a large plate. You can also use flattened out, unused coffee filters to cover the plate. Place the seeds onto the wax paper and place the plate in a warm area such as a windowsill that receives ample sunlight.
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5
Turn and flip the seeds every few days to ensure ample drying. It can take anywhere from a few days to two weeks for the seeds to completely dry.
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6
Place the seeds into the small Ziploc bag. If you are preserving seeds from different tomato types, separate them by type and place them in separate bags. Pour a very small amount of dry milk powder into each small Ziploc bag to help absorb any moisture that might build up.
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7
Seal the small bags and place them inside the large Ziploc bag. Place additional dry milk powder into this bag. Place the large bag in the freezer. If you plan on using the seeds within a few weeks, place the bag in the refrigerator instead.
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Tips & Warnings
Speed up the drying process by spacing the seeds apart on the plate and moving them around.
Moisture can cause the seeds to sprout inside the storage bags and can also increase the risk of disease and damage to the seeds.
