Unripe tomato seeds

[CLa]

Some of my Sungella's are cracking and they have barely any color to them, some still fully green have cracked. What is the difference if I save seed from one of those vs one that is fully ripe? Would that change the quality of the tomatoes for the next crop I plant?

[Suze]

CLa, if you have at least some blush to the tomatoes at blossom end, they should be just fine for seed saving (works fine for me).

See also--
http://tomatoville.com/viewtopic.php?t=2506

Specifically, refer to Carolyn's comments on page two of the thread.

Hope that helps.

[CLa]

Yep many thanks

[jmsieglaff]

A unsupported branch with three tomatoes broke off a plant in the wind today. These tomatoes are unripe and not showing any blush (even the first tomatoes on this plant haven't ripened yet). If I let them ripen inside will the seed be viable? I guess this is a question related to seed development and how they reach maturity. Just thinking the flavor of these won't be the best, but if the seeds mature then they're good for something still.

Thanks!

[JamesL]

Seed being "ripe" or viable is what triggers the color change and ripening of the tomato.
No color change, no viable seed. Sorry!

[jmsieglaff]

What about when the tomato is picked green but eventually ripens? Like ones you pick when fall frost is coming. Those tomatoes end up coloring up and the seeds look normal. So I'm thinking of letting these ripen just like those. Guess I can try and do a germentation test.

[JamesL]

You can certainly try it. If you get a color change you should have viable seed.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

What about when the tomato is picked green but eventually ripens? Like ones you pick when fall frost is coming. Those tomatoes end up coloring up and the seeds look normal. So I'm thinking of letting these ripen just like those. Guess I can try and do a germentation test.

Yes that works.

Tom Wagner is the only one I know who gets seeds out of totally unripe fruits with no color change, but he uses TSP ( trisodium phosphate) which works for him but I don't suggest TSP for others. In addition, he may be getting those seeds from just one fruit for use in his breeding projects

Some of you may remember my experience with the variety Magnus where I had to pick fruits just with a wee bit of blush since frost was coming, and yes, they ripened up and I got seeds and those seeds were the origin of all Magnus seeds offered now.

The additional problem I see with trying to get seeds out of partially ripe fruits is that you don't get the juice that's needed for fermentation, or whatever.

Carolyn

[Worth1]

I heard a guy on the radio many years ago (Ag extension agent) who said that a tomato was ripe if you could cut it and the seeds wouldn't cut.
What he was referring to is if you wanted to bring tomatoes in to ripen then this was the test.
This was about fall setting in and freezes.
I never thought it was good advice because if you cut the tomato it is a goner anyway.
Not all tomatoes ripen at the same time on the vine as we all know.

Worth

[PA_Julia]

Originally Posted by JamesL

You can certainly try it. If you get a color change you should have viable seed.

I grow giants for competition. Once the tomato flashes color, no matter how little color that is, the tomato is finished growing. This is when I cut the tomato from the vine due to the tomato being the densest thus the heaviest.

After an official weighing I then allow the tomato to fully ripen in order to save the seeds.

The seeds are then viable for planting the next season.