Heirloom tomato seeds

The only way to grow heirloom tomato seeds or the tomatoes itself is to get the seeds from the tomatoes themselves.

You can do this by purchasing heirloom seeds, trading seeds or gathering your own heirloom tomato seeds. If you choose to gather them yourself then you need to know the proper method of drying the seeds so they are viable to grow new plants. Drying tomato seeds starts with collecting a good pest free specimen. You might want to taste a slice of the tomato first. It is not necessary, but who can pass up a slice of home grown tomato? Seeds from the tomato plant require the fermentation process to destroy the inhibitors that stop germination.

Therefore, you need to mimic the process Mother Nature uses. Cut a tomato in half and spoon the seeds into a bowl. Mix the contents of the bowl with a few tablespoons of water so it doesnot dry out during the process.

Cover the bowl with a layer of clear plastic wrap and punch some holes in the wrap so it allows air to circulate. Set the bowl on the top of the refrigerator or some other warm place for about 4 or 5 days. While you wait, you need to stir the rotting brew. Simply lift off the plastic wrap and stir it once a day. This starts to get dark and stinky, so be aware that it is supposed to happen.

heirloom tomato seedling

Shake of the excess water and place onto a paper plate covered with a coffee filter. This is the place you will dry them for the next few days but make sure it is not in the sun. Spread them out enough to allow air to circulate and flip them daily to dry both sides. Allow them to air dry for a week and then test them by placing them on a paper plate. Shake the plate. If none of them sticks, they are dry.

If you aren?t sure how to store heirloom tomato seeds, donot worry. Just remember to keep them in an airtight container. Baby food jars and jelly canning jars work great for this part of the process.

Growing heirloom tomato seeds is no different than growing any other tomato, just a little more rewarding when you taste the full flavor of the fruit. You will need to start them indoors about 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost in your area. Start them in containers made for plants or just use the bottom of a milk jug cut in half.

You can also use the clear plastic containers that you get from fast food establishments. Moisten sterile starting mix and put a 1? to 2-inch layer in your container. Sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil and cover them with ? inch of soil.

Cover the container with loosely fitting plastic wrap to maintain the moisture level and store them in a warm area out of direct sunlight. Once they germinate, in about 10 to 14 days, you have to put them in the sun or under a grow light. Transplant to individual pots when they have the second set of leaves. Plant them outside after the danger of frost. Make sure you harden them off first. They get sunburned just like people if they aren?t exposed to the sun slowly.

The soil for the heirloom tomato should be rich, loose and full of organic matter. It needs to be slightly acidic, around a 6.5 to a 7.0. This prevents the disease yellow shoulder, which discolors the interior of the tomato and makes it slightly yellow or green.

Make sure that you rotate the area where you planted the tomatoes if you had a problem with disease the year before and keep the area free of plant debris. Many of the diseases of the heirloom tomato come from contaminated soil.

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