Do you know how to collect tomato seeds?

Strong seedlings - pledge of abundant harvest. To shoots were not weak, you need to collect seeds from healthy plants, preferably their own: so you will be assured of their quality. In this article, we will discuss how to collect tomato seeds.

Selection of fruits

Tomatoes for future harvests need to choose ripe from the first two brushes. Tomatoes should be "bright representatives" of the required variety in shape, color, size. Do not forget that selection - selecting the strongest and most delicious crops - provides seeds with the best set of genes.

How to collect tomato seeds

Seeds inside the tomato are in the seed coat. It contains special substances - inhibitors, which prevent seeds from developing and germinating inside the vegetable. In nature, the reproduction of culture begins when the fetus rotates. In this case, the inhibitors cease to fulfill their function. At home, the process can be accelerated.

Now, more on how to properly harvest tomato seeds at home.

1. "Ripen" the tomato, that is, leave it in a well-lit place until it becomes soft. If at this time on the fruit appears phytophthora or rot - the fruit should be discarded.
2. Cut in half horizontally on the top and bottom. You can, of course, cut along two halves, but experts say that in this case, the seizure process is difficult.
3. Scrape the seeds into a jar or other container and sign the variety. It is better to choose dishes of small diameter, so that it can later be covered with gauze.

How to collect the tomato seeds we reviewed. Now let's see what to do with them further.

The fermentation

The bank with the seeds is left for several days in a place where the air temperature does not fall below 20 degrees. Usually 2-4 days are enough for the fermentation process. You can pour a little water into the container. The dishes should be covered with gauze, and not with a lid: in this case the seeds will be provided with air access.

The fermentation is complete if mold or bubbles appear on the surface. Seeds sink to the bottom of the container, and mold remains at the top. It is not recommended to leave seeds for a long time, as they can germinate.

How to harvest tomato seeds

Seed harvesting includes the cleaning of seeds, their drying and packaging in sachets. Dirty water after the fermentation process is drained, poured clean and drained again. Then pour a glass of water, which dissolved 0.5 tsp. Salt. The surfaced seeds must be discarded, and the remaining seeds should be washed in a colander under running water.

Dry the seeds on food film or saucer, shaking occasionally. The temperature in the room should not be lower than 22 degrees, it is not recommended to heat it with heat sources.

We sorted out the question: "How to collect tomato seeds?" Finally, I want to say that they need to be stored in a cool dry place in envelopes or paper bags that let in air. Since the seeds retain their germination capacity no more than four years, then on the packaging, except for the grade, they write the date of collection.