Fermenting Tomato Seeds

I've fermented the protective coating off this year's first big batch of Sweet Ozark Orange seeds (F6 generation now) and set the seeds aside to dry in a 12" Styrofoam plate. I'm saving thousands of seeds, and this is just the first bunch. All S.O.O. seeds I'm saving this year come from one super-producing plant.

I've found that cut-off 1-gallon milk jugs make great seed-fermenting containers. The handles make for easy transport and they help at the end when I'm swirling the contents around to rinse the seeds. Also, I don't have to wash these jugs after a stinky ferment - I just throw them away.

Will you have extra seeds for sale or trade?
Due to being ill this spring and summer I did not start tomato seeds from scratch.
Boy, what a difference in taste with hybrids versus organic seeds.

Maxine

Yes, I've been sending out free S.O.O. seeds to all who ask all year. See the "Sweet Ozark Orange - Free Seed Offer" for my address, and send a S.A.S.E.

You might want to wait a bit since you won't start seeds in WI until next spring. I'm still sending out F5 generation seeds now which were saved in 2013. Once these new F6 generation seeds, saved in 2014, are good and dry, I'll start sending them out for the next season.

Thanks for all of the info. You're right, right now we are starting fall with the tree starting to show their colors.
I will wait as I wish to try those tomato seeds, they [tomato's] scrump delilicious!

Stinky ferment?

I live in dairy country and you have to sign a waiver when you move to this county that the smell of farmers spreading manure on the fields will not bother you and you won't complain.

However, most around here say the smell of manure is the smell of money. LOL

When I smell tomato seed fermenting what I smell is the anticipation of plants and fruits to come.

I think I have enough F5's for my next seed offer unless you want me to offer F6's in which case, well, you make the decision and let me know via e-mail since I need to discuss something with you and it has nothing to do with carrot cake. LOL

Carolyn

I'm in full production now, fermenting and saving S.O.O. seeds - lots of them. I made a mistake though, and LOST that first big plate of seeds, pictured above.

I put too many seeds on the Styrofoam plate, they were piled 1/4" deep in places - and I put the plate on the workbench in my cool shop room. As a result the seeds stayed damp, didn't dry quickly enough, and a lot of them started to sprout! After a few days about half the seeds were sprouting, and I had to toss the whole batch. Seeds won't sprout twice, in my opinion. :>)

Hey, at least I know the seeds are viable.

It's a good thing I'm still getting lots of Sweet Ozark Orange tomatoes. I'm fermenting seeds now in smaller batches, and immediately after rinsing the seeds I put the plates in the sun for a few hours to dry - then they finish drying indoors. Also, if I rub the seeds gently between my fingers when they're almost, but not quite, dry - they won't stick together. I'm learning.

I scattered the thousands of wasted S.O.O. seeds from that first plate in the little chrysanthemum flower bed shown in this photo - it's far away from my garden and any tomato plants. Expecting a whole bunch of S.O.O. volunteers will come up in there next spring.

Wow, talk about fermenting in quantity! I just save seeds for myself, so I have baby food jars that I save from one year to the next, already labeled with my usual tomato varieties. And I dry the seeds afterwards on coffee filters. The only ones left drying right now are my Petit Moineaux, a currant-type. I can do that with such small amounts. However, I always have extra plants in the spring and my friends count on that for their gardens!

Just noting that my browser threw me a curve ball a week ago and messed up my faves, adding stuff that went back to 2002, that's three computers ago,also deleting some links and I'm having a hard time finding the links to the places I want to go, and this is one of them.It took me 10 min just to find this one.

Yes, some health problems have popped up. but it's the darn faves list that is the major pproblem.

Three wee cherry tomatoes on the counter and that's it for the season. Sigh.

OK, I'll shut up now and try to attack gettimg my income tax stuff together since I was given a 6 month extension in March after I fell.

Carolyn

I actually picked some St. Pierre's today, Carolyn, and there are still a few on the vine which may yet ripen. That's the latest in the season for us in a long time! Glad you're holding on there! Health problems can be a real hassle...