In reproductive terms, tomatoes have perfect flowers (containing both male and female reproductive parts) and are predominantly self-pollinated. In most open-pollinated varieties the stigma that receives pollen is enclosed by a cone of fused anthers so that plant crossing is rare, making isolation unnecessary.
Potato-leaf varieties, which include the familiar heirlooms ‘Brandywine’, ‘Lillian’s Yellow’ and ‘Pruden’s Purple’, often have extended stigmas that grow beyond the tip of the anther cone, making them susceptible to pollination by insects. Look closely at a tomato flower and you can see whether the stigma is enclosed (also known as inserted) or extended (known as exserted). If you are saving seed from a variety with exserted stigmas or are concerned about cross pollination in general, the recommendation is to separate different varieties by at least thirty feet. Another option is to cover flowers with an insect-proof mesh bag to keep the bees out.
It should be noted that saving seed from hybrid varieties is not recommended because the results are variable and unreliable. Hybrid tomatoes are the result of crossing two different parent varieties, often known only to the breeder. The parent lines are carefully maintained, and the crossing takes place in a highly con-trolled environment, resulting in an F1 plant with highly uniform fruit. Due to the nature of genetics, the seed saved from a hybrid fruit produces plants with unknown, unpredictable or undesirable traits.
5 STEPS TO SAVE SEED
1. Label. Before you begin, prepare labels for the receptacles that will hold the seed during fermentation and drying. Also label the seed packets. Labels should contain the variety name, date and source together with other pertinent information that might include days to harvest, color, flavor, size or growth habit. If you are working with more than one variety, be careful to keep seeds separate. And clean tools and surfaces be-tween batches.
2. Squeeze. Select fully ripened tomatoes from healthy plants. It is adequate to collect seed from a single tomato, but expert seed savers recommend growing multiple plants of the same variety and collecting the most desirable fruit from each plant to capture the full range of genetic diversity within that particular variety. Taste the tomatoes as you prepare them for seed collection to be sure the flavor is satisfactory. Working with one variety at a time to avoid any mix-ups, slice tomatoes in half along the equator and hold over a bowl, then squeeze to release the seeds together with some of the juicy pulp.
Get the kids to help, especially if you have a lot of tomatoes. It’s messy and fun — you don’t even have to do any slicing; just let them squeeze until the tomatoes pop and ooze. Then ask them what it feels like. And if you want to teach them a new word, give them a tomato half and instruct them to use their fingers to coax seeds from the “locules,” the small cavities that contain a tomato’s seeds. The tomato remains can go into the compost pile, but if you proceed carefully, the leftover pulp and juice can go into soup or sauce, or (my favorite use) tomato water (see sidebar).
3. Ferment. Pour the seeds into a labeled cup or jar. Add a little water to cover all the seeds and let the container sit in a protected area where the temperature is around 70–80°. Fermentation has two functions: it breaks down the gelatinous seed coat that can inhibit germination and it destroys certain seed-borne pathogens. The mixture can get stinky (like rotten tomatoes), especially if you are doing a large batch, so you may want to place cups of seed in a utility room, garage or protected patio. Cover the cups loosely with a paper towel to deter flies. In three to five days, a scum or whitish fungus will form on top of the seed mixture, and then it is time to move to the next step.
4. Rinse. Carefully pour off or scoop out the top layer of scum and discard. Fill the container with water, swirl, and let it sit for a few minutes. The viable seeds will sink to the bottom, allowing you to pour off the floating seeds and other debris from the top layer. Rinse and repeat a few more times until the water is clear and the seeds are clean. Pour the seeds through a sieve and drain well, pressing to remove excess water.
5. Dry. Dump the seeds onto a parchment-lined tray, coffee filter or paper plate labeled with the variety. Use the tines of a fork to separate and spread the seeds evenly — they tend to stick to fingers. Place in a protected area out of direct sunlight to dry thoroughly. Seeds should be dry in about a week, but it’s a good idea to leave them exposed to air another week or two before packaging in labeled envelopes or jars. Some gardeners use a gentle fan blowing over the seeds to aid the drying process. Saved seed, if stored in a cool, dry location, should last at least five years, possibly longer. tg
TOMATO WATER
Instead of tossing your leftover tomatoes, use them to create this delicate yet savory liquid. The slow and gentle process of extracting the juice from tomatoes results in an almost-clear, umami-filled beverage that captures the pure flavor of tomatoes. The liquid can be enjoyed in light cocktails, delicate vinaigrettes or simply as a drink to sip and savor as you contemplate the essence of your homegrown tomatoes.
2 pounds of tomatoes (scraps are suitable)
1 teaspoon salt
Cut tomatoes into large pieces and combine with salt in a large bowl. Crush by using your hands or a wooden spoon; alternatively, blitz tomatoes briefly in a food processor. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth and suspend it over a bowl deep enough to collect the liquid without reaching the bottom of the sieve. Pour the tomato mixture into the cheesecloth, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 hours or overnight, allowing the clear juice to slowly drip into the bowl. Do not squeeze or press on the solids or else the tomato water will be cloudy. After extracting the liquid, remove the bowl from the refrigerator, discard cheesecloth and solids, and pour tomato water into a jar. Chill and use within five days. Some recipes call for mixing the tomatoes with other ingredients before extraction to enrich flavor. Once you’ve tried the unembellished tomato-water, experiment with the addition of herbs, celery, vinegar, hot sauce, garlic or other flavor enhancements.
By Patty G. Leander, B.S.
Contributing Editor
Advanced Master Gardener — Vegetables