Growing Tomato plants from seed
It’s such a simple thing to do for some of us. For others its the bane of our existence!!
Which is it for you?
We live in the subtropics technically, but in a small pocket with rather unusual weather patterns. We get the bugs as if we are the subtropics, but an unpredictable weather pattern so the rain isn’t consistent with the subtropics. Makes me crazy!
But when we do have a win, the first thing I do is take the strongest tomatoes from the crop and save the seeds. You want the strongest genes for next years crops. I do this as I refuse to be dependent on a seed supplier or nursery for my next seasons tomato plants.
Isn’t that what homesteading/self sufficiency is all about?
I know it sounds easy, just harvest the fruit and dry the seeds, but its not always so. “How to do it” is one of the most common questions we get. Did you know Tomato seeds are contained in a gel like sac inside the tomato that contain growth inhibitors to prevent the tomato seeds from sprouting inside the tomato. If not harvested properly this can make a frustrating season next year! There are methods that make it super easy and saves you time and gives you a higher success rate on those stored seeds. Always best to get it right if you are wanting really create an independent lifestyle for yourself.
Make sure you always start with heirloom seeds for your first crop.
Hybrid tomatoes have been tampered with and will not give you the desired out come when you want to collect seed . If you are in a survival situation and need to harvest hybrids, do it! You will get something next season, but it can be a little unpredictable!
Here’s a great resource for saving tomato seeds so you have strong healthy tomato plants next year… good luck and have fun!
Leave a Reply