Over-Wintered seeds...Best way to clean and save...

jerseyjohn61 · April 20, 2006

Slept earlier and wide awake now.

Last Thursday, I found two BrandyBoy tomatos on
the only plant I did not pull last fall. That plant did
well in its' 5 gal. container.

Got about 88 seeds from the two toms(and Bully, the two next to each other, looked like they needed a NUT BRA) and am running a germination test on 20. One had germinated, but when
picked up with a tweezer, popped in it's grip. Have
planted 8 in the hope of good results.

The seeds were well protected this winter as the container was stashed in shrubs in front of the house.
A great southern exposure with its' back guarded
from the NW wind. And, it was a mild winter.

My question: If the seeds are viable; what would
be the best way to clean and preserve these F2
seeds....JJ61????

geol · April 20, 2006

JJ61, were they still wet in their gel-coat, or dry still hanging on the vine? If already dry, I'm thinking it would be best not to re-hydrate, but dry clean with a towel or brush rub.

jerseyjohn61 · April 20, 2006

G,
They were dry and hangin'. Most were relatively clean,
but a few still had small amounts of red flesh on their
coats. Prehaps a tooth brush might do the trick.

I was concerned over bacterial activity that might not be apparent to the naked eye....JJ61 ???

geol · April 20, 2006

They may have self fermented in their own skins. You could rinse them with hydrogen-peroxide, but I would wait until just prior to planting, so as not to wake them up now. See what others have to say, I would think just dust them off and they should be good to go.

travis · April 27, 2006

JJ,

A buddy of mine for years has saved whole cherry tomatoes (various kinds of hybrids and OPs), let them dry out late summer through fall, and then just lets them sit out in small paper sacks in his yard barn over the winter.

In late spring he just crumbles the dried tomatoes up sprinkling the seeds onto small areas of his garden, lets whatever will sprout come up, and then leaves some in situ direct seeded and others dispersed about as transplants. He weeds out the ones with tough skins, no flavor, or whatever he considers undesirable. Over the years he's ended up with some interesting cherry tomatoes. Now he's got his neighbor lady growing some of the larger ones.

I showed him how to ferment and told him the virtues, etc., but he just scoffs it off and does his Johnny Tomatoseed thing.

PV

April 20, 2006	#1
jerseyjohn61 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central New Jersey Z/6 Posts: 554	Over-Wintered seeds...Best way to clean and save... Slept earlier and wide awake now. Last Thursday, I found two BrandyBoy tomatos on the only plant I did not pull last fall. That plant did well in its' 5 gal. container. Got about 88 seeds from the two toms(and Bully, the two next to each other, looked like they needed a NUT BRA) and am running a germination test on 20. One had germinated, but when picked up with a tweezer, popped in it's grip. Have planted 8 in the hope of good results. The seeds were well protected this winter as the container was stashed in shrubs in front of the house. A great southern exposure with its' back guarded from the NW wind. And, it was a mild winter. My question: If the seeds are viable; what would be the best way to clean and preserve these F2 seeds....JJ61????

April 20, 2006	#2
geol Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NJ - 6/7 Posts: 109	JJ61, were they still wet in their gel-coat, or dry still hanging on the vine? If already dry, I'm thinking it would be best not to re-hydrate, but dry clean with a towel or brush rub.

April 27, 2006	#5
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	JJ, A buddy of mine for years has saved whole cherry tomatoes (various kinds of hybrids and OPs), let them dry out late summer through fall, and then just lets them sit out in small paper sacks in his yard barn over the winter. In late spring he just crumbles the dried tomatoes up sprinkling the seeds onto small areas of his garden, lets whatever will sprout come up, and then leaves some in situ direct seeded and others dispersed about as transplants. He weeds out the ones with tough skins, no flavor, or whatever he considers undesirable. Over the years he's ended up with some interesting cherry tomatoes. Now he's got his neighbor lady growing some of the larger ones. I showed him how to ferment and told him the virtues, etc., but he just scoffs it off and does his Johnny Tomatoseed thing. PV