How to harvest tomato seeds

Photo courtesy of ms.Tea at Flickr.com.

Sometimes, the perfect tomato plant comes along. When you find one that’s perfectly adapted to your soil, your climate, and your taste buds, that’s the time to set aside some seeds for replanting in the future.

Here’s how you can save those seeds and enjoy perfect tomatoes year after year:

1. Start off by choosing a very ripe tomato off your best plant and scoop out the seeds.

2. Put the seeds in a jar filled half-way with water.

3. Leave the jar at room temperature for two days. The good seeds will sink to the bottom, and the chemicals that inhibit their growth within the tomato will float off.

Photo courtesy of joeysplanting at Flickr.com.

4. Drain the jar and remove everything that isn’t a seed.

5. Stick the seeds on a plate and put the plate in a window sill with direct sunlight.

6. Let the seeds dry out for 2-3 days. Once dry, the seeds can be stored in a whatever type of airtight jar or baggie you have handy.

7. Next year, plant the seeds in trays before planting them back in your garden.

Photo courtesy of Lucy Crosbie at Flickr.com.

8. Gobble up delicious tomatoes and repeat as necessary.