Growing from seed is pretty rewarding stuff. I’ve grown tomatoes for a long time as they are super easy. I have yet to master the art of saving seeds, but I have a few books on the subject so am hoping to learn. When we were down at the old farm awhile back my ex boyfriend’s mother and I attempted to save some heirloom tomato seeds but we didn’t get the process right. It still looked pretty.
The proper way to save tomato seeds:
- Choose the best ripe fruit from the best plant
- Scoop out the seeds and jelly membrane into a clean container
- Add a small amount of water
- Partially cover the container and leave in a warm place out of direct sunlight to allow fermentation
- After a few days remove the foamy mould on the top and then thoroughly rinse the seeds
- Lay seeds out and allow to dry for roughly a week
- Store in an envelope in a dry dark place
The Backyard Farmer has an illustrated guide if you need more info.
My brother and sister in law bought me a bunch of lovely heirloom seeds which I first planted in rich seed raising soil in protected little containers, and then transferred to the ground at the old farm and Nonno’s.
Unfortunately most things I planted at the farm got eaten by bugs and rabbits, but my beans did really well, and I was able to fill my hat to the brim with crunchy green beans.
All photographs by Sophia Kaplan.
The Secret Garden 