How to Ferment Tomato Seeds and Improve Germination

Garden Betty

Saving tomato seeds may seem straightforward, but here’s a little secret to boost your chances of germination and help speed up the process: fermenting tomato seeds.

Yes, it’s a thing, and I’ll show you the best way to save tomato seeds and increase germination rates by adding this one simple step to your seed-saving routine.

Adding this simple extra step to your seed-saving routine can help you get a head start on next year’s plants!

To eliminate any possibility of immature seeds, simply pick your tomatoes when they have a little color to them. (Though I do recommend waiting for your tomatoes to ripen on the vine or ripening them indoors first, just so you don’t “waste” a perfectly good tomato.)

Cover the seeds completely with at least an inch of dechlorinated (or filtered) water and loosely place a lid over the jar while the whole thing is brewing.

Do not seal the jar tight, as you want to leave some airflow for the fermentation gases to escape.

Within a day or two (more or less, depending on your ambient room temperature; warmer temps move the fermentation along quickly), a frothy white film will start to form on the surface of the water. It will smell slightly sour, like yogurt.

The cloudy white film isn’t mold; it’s harmless kahm yeast, a common indicator of lacto-fermentation in action. While it doesn’t look like anything significant is happening, it’s also a sign of your potential new seedlings and next year’s salsa (which you can also ferment).

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Garden Betty