New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Southern WI
Posts: 2,742
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Just curious to most people's practices regarding the 4 parts water/1 part bleach rinse to saving tomato seeds post-fermentation. Do you or do you not? Or only if you have a reason to?
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Durhamville,NY
Posts: 2,706
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Some do and some don't. There was a fairly recent discussion about it. THis one is older but gives links
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=12140 I guess the thread wasn't as recent as I thought. It seems the older I get the quicker time seems to pass. But here it is. http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=29710 |
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#3 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 586
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I do so, but I'm not too precise about the bleach:water ratio or the time soaking (I use, "a few minutes"). I follow the soak with a water rinse, then spread the seeds on a plate set in front of a fan to quickly air-dry them. Once thoroughly dry, they get peeled up with tweezers and put into a storage vial.
The seeds retain a bit of bleach (by scent) on their surface, which seems to inhibit fungal growth. I've only had a problem once when I accidentally let the seeds soak overnight. Those seeds didn't ever germinate. Last edited by Darren Abbey; February 27, 2014 at 01:58 AM. |
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Espanola, New Mexico
Posts: 606
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I use 1 part bleach to 5 parts water and soak the freshly fermented seeds for a minute or so. They fizz a little and the color of the seed lightens. I give them a thorough rinsing.
Germination is not affected with a brief soaking. I assume disease transmission is reduced, so it seems like a good precaution. Lee |
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
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http://thechillifactory.com/ In thier germination video they have a novel way of using baby bottle disinfectant as a treatment for seeds.
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KURT |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 22
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is anything like H2O effective?
anyone ever used tea tree oil (diluted) or other essential oils with similar properties? |
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Durhamville,NY
Posts: 2,706
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I assume you mean H2O2 Hydrogen Peroxide. Other that the problem of making sure it hasn't deteriorated I'd guess it is similar to bleach. I haven't seem any comparative
research published about the various methods. That doesn't mean there aren't any. How is seed prepared in bulk where are producing seed by the pound? |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 444
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Can seeds be treated just prior to sowing or must it be directly after fermentation?
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 22
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i have also wondered this.
I also wonder if the same applies to "wet" squash seeds. |
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,498
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In the #6 post from me above the video shows the grower treating the seeds one day before planting.Makes sense to me to ferment after season ending seed gathering and another treatment at start up.Is there a chance that some fungas,spores etc.remained on seeds and lay dorment for the next years plantings?Why not do a sterilization before your seasons planting regimen?For me I would say yes since I live in a very humid,hot,fungas/spore laden enviornment at the the southern tip of Florida.Northern growers have the freezing winters to "kill/sterilize/control"some of the maladys that effect us down here.So I give my seeds a "bath"before germination starts each year.
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KURT Last edited by kurt; February 27, 2014 at 02:33 PM. |
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Missouri
Posts: 77
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Marc asked:
Can seeds be treated just prior to sowing or must it be directly after fermentation? It only makes sense to treat the seeds twice, the first time after fermentation to rid the seeds of slime and prepare them for drying and storage until a later need and secondly just prior to germination as you eliminate wrongful bacteria prior to germination and you prepare the seed hull to separate from the cote's once germinated. |
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#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Southern WI
Posts: 2,742
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I completed a germination test (placed seeds in a moist paper towel in a ziptop bag) of my all saved seeds from 2014, including tomatoes, peppers and squash. All tomato seeds were fermented. Squash and pepper seeds were just cleaned and rinsed. Tomato seed germination was good and seeds free of mold. The pepper and squash seeds had mold growth. So I'll be treating the peppers and squash seeds with a bleach/water soak before sowing this spring. Just wanted to share.
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#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Vancouver Island
Posts: 5,931
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I don't see the need. The fermentation process followed by a good rinsing cleans the seeds which is why I use that method. Not all mold is harmful, in fact many fungi are beneficial, the fermentation process relies on fungi. I would not worry about a little mold showing on a paper towel around seeds that are test germinated. There would be fungus around the germinating seed in potting mix, you just cant see it.
I am not saying it does any harm to use bleach, I just don't think it is needed or particularly helpful in most cases so you can save yourself the trouble I think. KarenO |
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