saving seed when it's not warm outside - question

[cleo88]

Hi,
Gonna try to save seed for the first time today, and I'm using Carolyn's book as my guide, since there is a nice section in there about saving seed.

It says that about 5 days should be sufficient "if daytime temps are over 80 degrees". Well, our daytime temps right now are high 50s, with low 40s at night. Can I put my jar of tomato guts outside on the screened in porch and have it ferment? If so, how long might it take? If I can't do it in temps that cool, can I put it in the heated part of my basement? Will I get all sorts of yicky flies down there?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by cleo88

Hi,
Gonna try to save seed for the first time today, and I'm using Carolyn's book as my guide, since there is a nice section in there about saving seed.

It says that about 5 days should be sufficient "if daytime temps are over 80 degrees". Well, our daytime temps right now are high 50s, with low 40s at night. Can I put my jar of tomato guts outside on the screened in porch and have it ferment? If so, how long might it take? If I can't do it in temps that cool, can I put it in the heated part of my basement? Will I get all sorts of yicky flies down there?

Cleo, my temps here are about the same as yours, perhaps a little lower. I've been asking Freda to bring in anything that has a blush, then ripeneng them up inside and when I set up those fermentations it takes about a week inside for the process to be complete depending on the variety and the consistency of the goop.

I haven't turned on the main heat yet, but the default on the electric baseboard heat is about 63 F and it may get up to near 70 in the kitchen if I actually cook something, where I have the tomato gunk in contaners on a marble ledge above the sink.

With about 38 plants I've now gotten less than 25 fruits, so most of the fermentations are done in small 6 oz plastic drinking cups and a few in the normal clear pint containers that I'd normally use.

These fermentations are just for seeds to grow net year b'c I don't have enough processed seeds to list with SSe or to offer here at Tville.

I'm getting some reports back on others that are helping with seed production. I want to grow all varieties so I can taste them and see them.

I forgot to say that even in the kitchen there are no tomato odors and no flies at all, but you can also put those fermentations elsewhere as long as it doesn't get too cold, as in less than 60-65 F.

[ContainerTed]

Put the seeds, gel, etc. into the jar or ??? and then use a rubber band to put a paper towel or coffee filter over the opening of the jar. Keep it in any part of the house that maintains a temp of 65-80 F.

You won't need 5 days - probably no more than 3. All you are trying to do is allow the gel to be dissolved away from the seeds. You will probably notice some white fungi growing on top of the mixture.

If you get an odor, you can put a book or ???? on top to stop any out-gassing from the jar.

Then just rinse the debris away from the seeds and you're done. Works great.

Ted

[freelancer79d]

I'm using the Oxyclean method and it's super easy especially for first time seed savers. http://www.feldoncentral.com/garden/...08/seedsaving/

[cleo88]

Ooh, Carolyn, you bring up a good point. I am just saving the seeds of one medium size Donskoi, so given that I am using a deli container, it's a pretty thin layer of goop. Sounds like I need a smaller container so it's a little deeper?

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by cleo88

Ooh, Carolyn, you bring up a good point. I am just saving the seeds of one medium size Donskoi, so given that I am using a deli container, it's a pretty thin layer of goop. Sounds like I need a smaller container so it's a little deeper?

I wouldn't use a one pint deli container for just one medium fruit, especially if it's a paste type with little juice. Use something smaller and always remember to monitor the process so that the liquid doesn't dry up which can ruin the seeds. Add water if you have to, I do.

I do use those 6 oz plastic glasses but also had one tiny Kukla's Portuguese Heart in even a tinier container b/c I love this new variety and wanted to get all the seeds I could.

Freelancer, the reason I don't use oxiclean or Comet or TSP, etc., is b/c I prefer using a more natural method.

Besides, there was a discussion elsewhere about the efficacy of non-fermentative methods in terms of the extent of removal of adhered tomato pathogens to the seed coat and no one could come up with any data for tomatoes whereas it was Dr.Helene Dillard when she was at the USDA station in Geneva, NY and had grants form either Heinz or Campbells to determine that, so I prefer Fermentation.

[Tania]

Cleo,

the temps in my laundry room (where all the seeds are fermenting) never get above 64F during the day, and could be as low as 55F at night. Under those conditions 5-7 days of fermentation works beautifully for me for large seed quantities, and 3-5 days for small seed quantities (< half of a small yogurt container).

Keep in mind that I do not process the entire fruit - I only squeeze out the seeds and juice.

Tania

[ContainerTed]

I'd like to echo Tania's comment about not fermenting the entire fruit. I pick out the seeds and gel and put only those into the fermentation process.

And the comment above about the use of Oxyclean or another abrasive like Ajax or Comet to "scrub" away the gel is perfect for small quantities of seed - ~200 seeds or less. The grit of a product like Comet will burst the gel sacs and the chlorine bleach that's in most of these products will help with some of the pathogens that might be present.

Tania has a good document with pictures on the fermentation method at her website and Trudi has a good document with pictures on the scrub method on her website at wintersown.org. Both of these are worth the time to view as they will help take some of the mystery and the "trial and error" out of the seed saving process.

Ted

[TZ-OH6]

I use lidded 16 oz deli containers with water added for everything from a single cherry on up. I have also used ziplock sandwich bags. Everything sits inside at room temperature. 4-5 days.