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kissingfrogs2003

Tomato seeds from fruit?

kissingfrogs2003
10 years ago

Well, I've been VERY lucky to find a beautiful, tasty tomato (type unknown) that grows in my new place. I know it doesn't sound like much of a feat BUT my location is very windy, with poor light, and not much space for a traditional tomato plant (as you can see in the picture) in part because it is grown on a railing (yep, plant is straddling a 4.5 ft tall fence). It's not very clear in the pitcure and since I can't attach another, it might be helpful to know the tomato fruit is a bright yellow, orange color and the size of cherry tomatoes.

Anyway, I am hoping to be able to grow these as much as possible BUT since I don't know the type I can't just go buy seeds. I am wondering if there is a way to harvest seeds from the tomatoes the plants produce this season. I've never done anything with seeds (other than buy and plant) so ANY and ALL advice on this process would be very, very,very welcome!!

Comments (5)

  • suncitylinda
    10 years ago

    Its very easy to save and grow tomatoes from seeds. There are several detailed explainations of how to do so, likely on this site and all over the internet. A site called Wintersown has a method I use.

    With a cherry type tomato, if you take a ripe tomato cut it open and bury it you will likely get some volunteer seedlings.

    The seeds from your plant will grow, and produce, but they will not produce similar fruit if the plant is a hybrid, meaning a cross between two different types of tomato plants.

  • digdirt2
    10 years ago

    Linda covered everything really well. Yes, it is easy to save seeds but you'll want to do some reading on the differences between hybrid varieties and open-pollinated (aka heirloom) varieties.

    Since the odds are 9 out of 10 that your plant is a hybrid and only open-pollinated varieties will breed true from seed.what grows from those seeds you save will not be the same. They may be similar or they may be totally different. What they will be and how they will taste is unknown since hybrids usually revert to parent stock and we have no way of knowing what those were without the name of the variety.

    You really need to try to find out the name of this plant. Was it a gift, purchased, or what?

    Dave

    Here is a link that might be useful: FAQ - How to save tomato seeds

  • nialialea
    10 years ago

    You could just look for a cherry that appeals to you and try growing it. I'm growing Sungold and Black Cherry in fairly suboptimal (small area, poor light) conditions. Won't get 1000 fruit but Sungold is already in the lead for first tomato of the season. :)

    If lack of space is a concern, you could try a dwarf, but I should warn you, they're like edible Pokemon.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Anmore Treasures

  • kissingfrogs2003
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    thanks, I'll have to look into the seed method since planting fruit of plant (if I am able to resist eating any lol) will only work as long as the fruit is around.

    It might be kind of cool to see what cross breeds/hybrids would show up...I'm not super attached to this tomato for any reason other than that it 1) grows in my limited space/poor light, 2) hangs compactly rather than needs stalking and 3) tastes good!

    I'll try some more googling and calling the nursery I bought it from. I've had success in the past with Tiny Time and Red Robin tomato with seeds from Reimers, but this was in another location. Not sure if they would work in my current locale, with the light, in the container, and if they would drape rather than get tall....anyone have any insight on this?

  • nialialea
    10 years ago

    I think the specifically "draping" kind are often found under the label "tumbling"? I think there was a tomato fad a few years ago, of keeping them in hanging baskets.

    You can eat the tomato and still save seeds, by the way. Just scoop the seeds and gel out onto a paper towel and let sit until dry. I mean, you only need a few! But it's not recommended to share seeds collected that way.

    Here is a link that might be useful: article on hanging basket tomatoes

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