How to Harvest Seeds From Homegrown Tomatoes

When you harvest your favorite tomatoes from the garden, save some of the seeds to plant next spring. Not only will you save a few dollars on seeds or starts, you can also preserve your favorite tomatoes for next year. Pick the right kind of tomatoes to harvest seeds from. Hybrid varieties, developed by careful cross-breeding, do not reproduce true to seed, so select open-pollinated varieties to plant. Harvest mature seeds from vine-ripened tomatoes.

Knife
Spoon
Jar with lid
Paper towel

Instructions

- 1
  Pick ripe homegrown tomatoes for harvesting seeds. Slice open the tomato using a sharp knife.
- 2
  Hold the tomato half in one hand and pull out the seeds with the other. Use a spoon to remove the seeds, along with the gel surrounding them.
- 3
  Put the tomato seeds in a jar and fill it with water. Put a lid on the jar. Leave the jar on the counter.
- 4
  Pick up the jar and swirl it twice a day to encourage the tomato seeds to separate from the gel.
- 5
  Pour the liquid off the top once the tomato seeds sink to the bottom, probably in four or five days. Empty the jar into a colander and rinse the seeds with cool water.
- 6
  Spread the seeds out on a paper towel to dry. Place the dry seeds in a clean dry jar. Store tomato seeds between 32 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit until planting time.

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