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Tomato Seed Saving Secrets #GardenSense

Tomato basket

Tomato basket
Do you love tomatoes like I do? What is your favorite variety?
Hearty Beefsteak, Brandywine, Tomaccico and Yellow Pear are examples of heirloom varieties that will hold true from saved seeds. I like to plant varieties that I’ve enjoyed in many ways. Some are good for salads and sandwiches. Others make great marinara and sauces. Green tomatoes can be pickled or breaded and fried. So many ways to enjoy this fruit!
Okay now you have your favorite varieties lined up on your counter. What now?
Tomatoes require a fermentation process to properly store their seed.

  • First, select only the ripest tomatoes that are just past the eating stage.
  • Next, squeeze out the entire gelatin looking fiber where the seed are stored into a sterile glass jar.
  • Add enough water to cover this mixture and gently stir. Allow the jar to stand at room temperature for 2 to 4 days, stirring the seeds occasionally.
  • The good tomato seeds will sink to the bottom, but may still have a little pulp on them.
  • Repeat this process until no pulp clings and only seeds remain on the bottom. Remove the pulp and dry out the seeds.
  • Follow the above steps and you will have safe seeds from your favorite varieties ready to perform next season!

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    Cindy's Recipes and Writings

    As a professional cook, I love creating exciting new recipes on the job as well as at home. Assisting in teaching low-income families how to buy, store and prepare healthy food through Penn State’s alliance with Pennsylvania’s Supercupboard Program was very rewarding. During my 11 years with the Master Gardener program, I taught horticultural therapy to assisted living patients using healthful, fr
    esh grown food as a focal point. . My hands-on programs and instruction helped hundreds of children and adults learn about where their food comes from and how important fresh food is for your body.
    Currently I’m a cook at a college in Pennsylvania. We prepare everything we can from scratch, including our potato chips that tout the seasoning of the day!
    Of course I write about food; it's in my blood!

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