Hi Heidi, Loved this video!! My dad always showed me how to save seeds. I have such nice memories of collecting seeds with him, letting them dry, and then storing them for the winter. One of his favorite seeds to save were marigolds. Then he would plant them all over our garden because he said that there was something about marigolds (Maybe the roots? Not sure.) that discouraged bad bugs from coming into the garden. Thanks again for all the wonderful info!! Love, Mary ❤️😘❤️
I figured it was the smell that deterred the bugs, not sure though. Feverfew is another good one for that and mints deter rats and mice. For some reason, marigolds do not like me much, it is rare I can grow any from seed but I am wondering now if I simply plant them too early. I planted quite a few this year but then it got totally shaded by the marshmallow and the kale
Hi! I live in western Michigan and I just take my over-ripe tomatoes and plant them whole in the dirt. In the spring there are so many plants that come up. They are easier to thin and most transplant quite well. I used to live in Lynden, so I'm not sure that would work for you but it's one more option you could test out this winter.
O yes, it would work here and I have thought of that before but I also allow my chickens to hang out in the greenhouse during the heavy rain season so this means planting anything in the ground there would be a waste. The seed would still sprout and grow but it would end up everywhere and all the tomato seeds would be mixed in and I would not know what was what.
@@RainCountryHomestead That is so true. I want chickens in the future and will remember this so I don't have mix ups in the future. Thank you and God bless!
I took a couple of small tomatoes from my garden and simply planted them so that I can have a tomato plant in the house this winter. It was amazing and so much fun! Now we shall see if I get any fruit in the house. Even if I don't, it's fun to try!
Absolutely! I currently have a couple of small grapefruit trees growing in pots inside only because we got this grapefruit from the store that had seeds inside it that had sprouted. So we planted them and sure enough, they immediately started growing. Since citrus does not do well here, I am not actually expecting any fruit (I do not think they need a pollinizer though) but it will be fun to see where these go and it did not cost us anything to do it :D
Great video Heidi! I just put my tomato seeds in water. They I drain then and put them on cardboard to dry. I use cardboard because it's what I always have on hand.
Great idea about drying the slices on paper towels. I did sprout some tomatoes during late summer by placing slices in dirt...for fall tomato plants. My plants are doing great... just not sure if I'll have enough time for them to produce before first frost but it sure worked great. Great info!
Great video. Thank you. I also do the slice method when saving my tomato seeds. However, I do not like vermin getting into my seeds, so I now save the mylar pouches that the coffee comes in. Mark them with permanent marker so you know what is inside. Those pouches are reuseable too, over and over again, year after year. You just seal them back with an iron, but keep enough at the end to open it with. Works great and no vermin. Just plant when ready. God Bless Always.
My favorite tomato to dehydrate is the purple varieties, (Cherokee, Roberson, Purple cherry)The end up being really dark when dry, but they have the most sugar content, which is wonderful as a dry powder to add to lots of dishes. Thanks for showing how to keep seeds, it comes in so handy and a money saver.
I learned from my mom who used to be a master seed saver. She saved every seed possible. I have never fermented tomato seeds, but, put them in a small glass bowl covered with water. Change the water everyday until that gelatinous coating starts coming off, and only the seeds remain. Dry the seeds on a plate or paper towel, then put in an envelope. Don't forget to MARK the envelope. LOL! *I have a question, tho, because mom never did save seeds from green tomatoes. I was wondering if that was possible, and what the end result would be?* Love & prayers
I have never saved them from a green tomato as I would assume they would be too immature to sprout. But, one could always experiment just to see if it would work
We had a not so good year with tomatoes as well. Usually we have so many more and they didn't get red for a long time. I still have green ones. I agree, try again!
Ha, if you forget about the ferment ones, mine started sprouting already! I wonder if one can scoop onto a paper towel, let the mess dry like you do the slices - I did that sort of, rinsed the seeds and let dry on a paper towel; works. I like the slice in dirt method, just don't know where I'd store the pots.
kleineroteHex ... I have the same "space" issues. And, I have 2 cats the love to dig in the dirt and mess up my starter seedlings. I'm right there with you on your ideas of a tiny house living. You soon realize that you don't need a great big bedroom just to sleep in. You're right on the money there! :-D
@@kathleenzimmerman8227 als always, you and I think much alike😊 I look at house plans and all the new homes have party size master bedrooms. What does one do in them???? 😂 now the kitchens on the other hand..... yup I would take the kitchen and 4 car garage, the rest of the house can go! 😂😂
We are in the same mindset. I remember back in my silly days when I thought it would be great to have this massive bedroom and master bath! HAHAHA! What a waste of space! I would much rather have a small bedroom, living room, bathroom, a workable kitchen (does not have to be huge) and a BIG shop and pantry! Smaller rooms also means less to clean and maintain.
I use the cheapest PAPER plates I can find. A small package lasts for years. Quick and easy. Cur up in spring and stick a section in a pot and let the best seedling survive. Give away extra plants (I always end up with way too many).
I did the glass method before but didn’t add sugar, just let them go for a few days. It works and the bad seeds float. But it is yucky. LOL I wanna do that paper towel method!!! That would be sooooo much better especially for me! Thanks Mom! 😉 LOVE IT! Love, hugs and blessings ~The Kid! ❤️
Do you have a seed company you can recommend for the costoluto tomatoes? I don't trust my local seed companies because they carry seeds from heirloom companies that have been purchased by Monsanto. Thanks for your time in responding to all my inquiries today. I'm on a roll trying to cram as much information as my brain can absorb for the planting season here in Massachusetts.
I have been buying from Baker Creek for years now and they do carry the costoluto genevese tomato seeds. I actually bought a start last year at the homesteading faire in Rochester and then saved the seeds, so that is where I got the seeds for the ones I am growing this year
Yes, absolutely! I was storing mine outside in the greenhouse (which does not stay very warm in the cool months) but we have such mild falls and winters that sometimes they would still sprout in there but it was the safest place for me to keep them out there
Our tomatoes didn't do so well this year, and they are already gone, but love the idea with the slices. You are super smart, I always learn something from every one of your videos. You have a wealth of skills, thank you Heidi for teaching us your methods, so grateful to you and Mr Rain, blessings to both of you
Once you put seeds, or dried sliced, into envelopes, how do you store the envelopes? Do you put them in a fridge or freezer or just in a dark place in your home?
I am not sure why I did not think to say it in my video but I simply store them back in my pantry room with the rest of my seeds. Patrick is actually building me some special seed storage boxes with dividers so I can keep them organized :D
Couple of questions: 1) The little Italian tomatoes- Do they can up well whether alone or in sauces? 2)How do you keep from getting gnats on the slices? I seem to always have trouble with gnats this time of year no matter what I seem to do.
Yes, they can up great, the small oval Italian tomatoes are usually best for sauces. I do not worry too much about bugs getting on the slices, it is the rats or mice you have to be more concerned about like a couple of years ago when I had them stored in the greenhouse like that, the rats came and ate the slices right off the top of the soil! GRRR
This video is right on time, Heidi! I guess I already made the mistake of just rinsing off the seeds and drying them on a plate. Well, I still have a couple of tomatoes left so I guess I will start over. I use Baker Creek seeds, but I really want to save my own. Thank you for this video!
Interesting ways to save seeds. I am starting to save tomato seeds and really like the idea of putting slices on the soil, so easy:) If they sprout I will simply go with it and see what happens since here on the 56th latitude we start tomatoes indoors anyhow. Also like the paper towel method and will try it, thanks so much!
I tried the fermenting method after watching Danny on DSH. I didn't cover them though and it ended up being a fruit fly trap as well. I just separated out the bugs after it all dried up on a paper towel. Lol, hopefully they'll still sprout next year!
Hi ya Heidi! Cool, I needed this info, u said the costoluto (spell check) tomato didn’t get very big, I don’t know if u know, or knew it but forgot it fit to u being so busy, I planted Jerusalem artichokes, they didn’t grow tall as package said, ea year the grew taller, I’d read that that will happen till seeds/tubers acclimate to ur soil. Can I not put seeds n fridge so they don’t sprout, temps fluctuate here n Oklahoma, I appreciate this info. Thank u
I have grown Jerusalem artichokes before but they were from tubers that were given to me so they got about 10 feet. I recommend keeping them in the freezer rather than the fridge
Hi Heidi, Loved this video!! My dad always showed me how to save seeds. I have such nice memories of collecting seeds with him, letting them dry, and then storing them for the winter. One of his favorite seeds to save were marigolds. Then he would plant them all over our garden because he said that there was something about marigolds (Maybe the roots? Not sure.) that discouraged bad bugs from coming into the garden. Thanks again for all the wonderful info!! Love, Mary ❤️😘❤️
I figured it was the smell that deterred the bugs, not sure though. Feverfew is another good one for that and mints deter rats and mice. For some reason, marigolds do not like me much, it is rare I can grow any from seed but I am wondering now if I simply plant them too early. I planted quite a few this year but then it got totally shaded by the marshmallow and the kale
Hi! I live in western Michigan and I just take my over-ripe tomatoes and plant them whole in the dirt. In the spring there are so many plants that come up. They are easier to thin and most transplant quite well. I used to live in Lynden, so I'm not sure that would work for you but it's one more option you could test out this winter.
O yes, it would work here and I have thought of that before but I also allow my chickens to hang out in the greenhouse during the heavy rain season so this means planting anything in the ground there would be a waste. The seed would still sprout and grow but it would end up everywhere and all the tomato seeds would be mixed in and I would not know what was what.
@@RainCountryHomestead That is so true. I want chickens in the future and will remember this so I don't have mix ups in the future. Thank you and God bless!
I took a couple of small tomatoes from my garden and simply planted them so that I can have a tomato plant in the house this winter. It was amazing and so much fun! Now we shall see if I get any fruit in the house. Even if I don't, it's fun to try!
Absolutely! I currently have a couple of small grapefruit trees growing in pots inside only because we got this grapefruit from the store that had seeds inside it that had sprouted. So we planted them and sure enough, they immediately started growing. Since citrus does not do well here, I am not actually expecting any fruit (I do not think they need a pollinizer though) but it will be fun to see where these go and it did not cost us anything to do it :D
Great video Heidi! I just put my tomato seeds in water. They I drain then and put them on cardboard to dry. I use cardboard because it's what I always have on hand.
Great ideas!!
I have been saving tomato seeds and have been taking cutting off my tomato plants and rooting them in water. Thanks for sharing.
Great idea about drying the slices on paper towels. I did sprout some tomatoes during late summer by placing slices in dirt...for fall tomato plants.
My plants are doing great... just not sure if I'll have enough time for them to produce before first frost but it sure worked great.
Great info!
Great video. Thank you. I also do the slice method when saving my tomato seeds. However, I do not like vermin getting into my seeds, so I now save the mylar pouches that the coffee comes in. Mark them with permanent marker so you know what is inside. Those pouches are reuseable too, over and over again, year after year. You just seal them back with an iron, but keep enough at the end to open it with. Works great and no vermin. Just plant when ready. God Bless Always.
My favorite tomato to dehydrate is the purple varieties, (Cherokee, Roberson, Purple cherry)The end up being really dark when dry, but they have the most sugar content, which is wonderful as a dry powder to add to lots of dishes. Thanks for showing how to keep seeds, it comes in so handy and a money saver.
I learned from my mom who used to be a master seed saver. She saved every seed possible. I have never fermented tomato seeds, but, put them in a small glass bowl covered with water. Change the water everyday until that gelatinous coating starts coming off, and only the seeds remain. Dry the seeds on a plate or paper towel, then put in an envelope. Don't forget to MARK the envelope. LOL!
*I have a question, tho, because mom never did save seeds from green tomatoes. I was wondering if that was possible, and what the end result would be?*
Love & prayers
I have never saved them from a green tomato as I would assume they would be too immature to sprout. But, one could always experiment just to see if it would work
We had a not so good year with tomatoes as well. Usually we have so many more and they didn't get red for a long time. I still have green ones. I agree, try again!
Ha, if you forget about the ferment ones, mine started sprouting already!
I wonder if one can scoop onto a paper towel, let the mess dry like you do the slices - I did that sort of, rinsed the seeds and let dry on a paper towel; works.
I like the slice in dirt method, just don't know where I'd store the pots.
Right, that is the main issue I had, where to put the pots
@@RainCountryHomestead I will some day have a tiny house, but a huge kitchen, cold storage and work shop LOL
kleineroteHex ... I have the same "space" issues. And, I have 2 cats the love to dig in the dirt and mess up my starter seedlings. I'm right there with you on your ideas of a tiny house living. You soon realize that you don't need a great big bedroom just to sleep in. You're right on the money there! :-D
@@kathleenzimmerman8227 als always, you and I think much alike😊 I look at house plans and all the new homes have party size master bedrooms. What does one do in them???? 😂 now the kitchens on the other hand..... yup I would take the kitchen and 4 car garage, the rest of the house can go! 😂😂
We are in the same mindset. I remember back in my silly days when I thought it would be great to have this massive bedroom and master bath! HAHAHA! What a waste of space! I would much rather have a small bedroom, living room, bathroom, a workable kitchen (does not have to be huge) and a BIG shop and pantry! Smaller rooms also means less to clean and maintain.
I use the cheapest PAPER plates I can find. A small package lasts for years. Quick and easy. Cur up in spring and stick a section in a pot and let the best seedling survive. Give away extra plants (I always end up with way too many).
So do I! haha! Gave a bunch to my neighbor :D
I did the glass method before but didn’t add sugar, just let them go for a few days. It works and the bad seeds float. But it is yucky. LOL I wanna do that paper towel method!!! That would be sooooo much better especially for me! Thanks Mom! 😉 LOVE IT! Love, hugs and blessings ~The Kid! ❤️
Yeah, it is a more messy process so that is why I started experimenting with other ways of doing it :D
never knew that TY
Do you have a seed company you can recommend for the costoluto tomatoes? I don't trust my local seed companies because they carry seeds from heirloom companies that have been purchased by Monsanto.
Thanks for your time in responding to all my inquiries today. I'm on a roll trying to cram as much information as my brain can absorb for the planting season here in Massachusetts.
I have been buying from Baker Creek for years now and they do carry the costoluto genevese tomato seeds. I actually bought a start last year at the homesteading faire in Rochester and then saved the seeds, so that is where I got the seeds for the ones I am growing this year
Good info. I will try drying them on paper towel. When you put a slice in a pot. Do you cover it with sand or leave then uncovered. The first one
When I did it that way, I did not cover them until I was ready to start growing, then I would just put a thin layer over the top
Rain Country thanks for answering me
Would storing the slice in a pot where it freezes be okay
Yes, absolutely! I was storing mine outside in the greenhouse (which does not stay very warm in the cool months) but we have such mild falls and winters that sometimes they would still sprout in there but it was the safest place for me to keep them out there
Our tomatoes didn't do so well this year, and they are already gone, but love the idea with the slices. You are super smart, I always learn something from every one of your videos. You have a wealth of skills, thank you Heidi for teaching us your methods, so grateful to you and Mr Rain, blessings to both of you
Once you put seeds, or dried sliced, into envelopes, how do you store the envelopes? Do you put them in a fridge or freezer or just in a dark place in your home?
I am not sure why I did not think to say it in my video but I simply store them back in my pantry room with the rest of my seeds. Patrick is actually building me some special seed storage boxes with dividers so I can keep them organized :D
Couple of questions: 1) The little Italian tomatoes- Do they can up well whether alone or in sauces?
2)How do you keep from getting gnats on the slices? I seem to always have trouble with gnats this time of year no matter what I seem to do.
Yes, they can up great, the small oval Italian tomatoes are usually best for sauces. I do not worry too much about bugs getting on the slices, it is the rats or mice you have to be more concerned about like a couple of years ago when I had them stored in the greenhouse like that, the rats came and ate the slices right off the top of the soil! GRRR
This video is right on time, Heidi! I guess I already made the mistake of just rinsing off the seeds and drying them on a plate. Well, I still have a couple of tomatoes left so I guess I will start over. I use Baker Creek seeds, but I really want to save my own. Thank you for this video!
Interesting ways to save seeds. I am starting to save tomato seeds and really like the idea of putting slices on the soil, so easy:) If they sprout I will simply go with it and see what happens since here on the 56th latitude we start tomatoes indoors anyhow. Also like the paper towel method and will try it, thanks so much!
I tried the fermenting method after watching Danny on DSH. I didn't cover them though and it ended up being a fruit fly trap as well. I just separated out the bugs after it all dried up on a paper towel. Lol, hopefully they'll still sprout next year!
Hi ya Heidi! Cool, I needed this info, u said the costoluto (spell check) tomato didn’t get very big, I don’t know if u know, or knew it but forgot it fit to u being so busy, I planted Jerusalem artichokes, they didn’t grow tall as package said, ea year the grew taller, I’d read that that will happen till seeds/tubers acclimate to ur soil. Can I not put seeds n fridge so they don’t sprout, temps fluctuate here n Oklahoma, I appreciate this info. Thank u
I have grown Jerusalem artichokes before but they were from tubers that were given to me so they got about 10 feet.
I recommend keeping them in the freezer rather than the fridge
I love your knife you sliced with. What is it?
I seen a nesco dehydrator at Menards for 29.99. That's sounds like a good deal. Is it?
Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.
I thought so. I'm buying one this afternoon