What did you do in the garden today?

[Arielle]

How seed is kept once it reaches a store shelf is likely important....not sure the seed is well cared for while in trasit or in a big warehouse.

I bought seed back in 2013 from Tomato Growers out if Florida snd got 40%ish germination on some snd zero on others in 2016. And this is about 20 varieties. I purchased direct...figure they care more about the seed quality than a box store .

 

[Arielle]

Peas came up....but most were pulled up and left....odd....

 

[Ardj]

I bought my tomatoes seeds this year from totally tomatoes. Every single seed I planted now is a beautiful tomato plant. And I have way to many of them,because I thought lots of them will not germinate. But they all did.

 

[Arielle]

great germination rate.

I did plant a good number of seeds directly from a freshly eaten tomato snd only five germinated. Very disappointed but realized these seed companies do keep testing their seed regularly.My tomato wasnt grown to make seeds and I hadnt thought of that until...now! lol

 

[pattyhen]

I planted some cherry tomatoe seeds on 4/3 of this month. They were doing so good then I put them outside in the shade for about 4 hours and it looked like the leaves are drying up on the ends. I checked them today and they had little mushrooms growing in the dirt. I pulled all the mushrooms out. Does anybody know what could cause this and how can I get my tomatoe plants to perk up again. I put half strength fertilizer on them about once a week.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[pattyhen]

I forgot to add their in a seed tray thing.

 

[lazy gardener]

great germination rate.

I did plant a good number of seeds directly from a freshly eaten tomato snd only five germinated. Very disappointed but realized these seed companies do keep testing their seed regularly.My tomato wasnt grown to make seeds and I hadnt thought of that until...now! lol

Arielle, the next time you want to save seeds from a tomato, be sure it's dead ripe, and then ferment the seeds. You squeeze the seeds out into a cup, and let them sit there for a while. The goo will separate out, and become very liquid. The seeds will sink to the bottom. You then rinse them well, dry them well, and store them. As long as the tomato was VERY RIPE, and the seeds were fermented, they should have good viability... unless they were not pollinated, or unless they were bred with suicide gene.

 

[chickadoodles]

I bought my tomato seeds from Park seeds and all mine came up. And they are looking great.

 

[AlHawk]

Arielle, the next time you want to save seeds from a tomato, be sure it's dead ripe, and then ferment the seeds. You squeeze the seeds out into a cup, and let them sit there for a while. The goo will separate out, and become very liquid. The seeds will sink to the bottom. You then rinse them well, dry them well, and store them. As long as the tomato was VERY RIPE, and the seeds were fermented, they should have good viability... unless they were not pollinated, or unless they were bred with suicide gene.

I did this with roma seeds and I get near 100% germination even 2 years later. I let let them sit in a 4oz juice glass 1/4 filled with tomato goo/seed then filled to 3/4 full with water. I let that sit in window sill (no direct sun) for 3 days. Make sure there's a good layer of fuzz on top. You WANT that. I read somewhere that the fuzz that grows does something chemically to the seeds to preserve and make them viable but I can't find that tidbit again.

It takes some time but well worth it. I've now done it with 3 different tomatoes and it works every time.

good luck

 

[lazy gardener]

The ferment kills any virus that might be harbored in the fruit.