Monty saving tomato seed

Emerion

I watched Gardeners World this week, and Monty was showing how to save tomato seed. I did this for the first time last year, and the advice that I followed said to put the seeds in water for 2-3 days to get rid of the gel sacks, before drying. This worked fine and I had excellent germination. Monty didn’t do that, he just rinsed and then dried them on paper towels.  Of course I’d be happy to cut out the 2 day soaking step if it’s not necessary. Do you save your tom seed? Do you soak the seeds or not? Does it matter?

floralies

I haven't watched the last episode, did he say that seed from F1 varieties are unlikely to come true from the seed? I was just wondering out of interest.

Emerion

I don’t think he said that in so many words. I think he said that it will save you money if you have heirloom varieties, which implies the same thing. He should really have explained what he meant a bit more clearly.  F1 varieties of other veg don’t come true, so I expect toms will be the same. I’ve only saved seed from non-F1 toms. 

Pete.8

Yes, heirloom varieties are not F1.
F1 is the result of a deliberate cross between 2 plants done by hand.
To replicate the F1 variety you'd need the 2 original parents and preform the pollination by hand yourself to get the same F1 seed.

Seed taken from an F1 will have some attributes of each parent but will not be a replica of the plant from which it was taken

Gearóid

I've saved my tomato seeds for years by smearing some seeds on a piece of kitchen towel and it's always worked well. Picture of this year's batch below: 

I just let them dry off, fold the sheet into an envelope and save for next year. 

When I'm sowing I just tear the sheet into pieces and plant them directly into pots of compost. It has always worked a treat. 

Grajean

Same here, with good results.

Skandi

If you don't mind them being stuck to little bits of paper there's no need to ferment them first. I do because I like clean seeds but it won't change the success you have one bit. It can be fun saving seeds from an f1 you never know exactly what you will get. But if you only have space for a couple of tomato plants I wouldn't save F1 seeds because you might get a terrible cross. Not a problem for me I grow over 100 plants every year I can afford a couple of bad plants, but if you only have 3 and one turns out to taste terrible or fruit poorly...

Dovefromabove

I was told that my grandfather soaked his tomato seeds in an eggcup of water for three days then dried them on blotting paper which was marked into squares with a pencil and ruler, and variety names. 

Woe betide any child who even breathed on them when they were drying. 

Lyn

I can’t see as it makes any difference, if you’ve ever dumped a tomato in your compost you’ll find tomato plants wherever you spread the compost next year.  
I’ve taken seeds straight out of a tomato and sowed them. 

Emerion

Good point @Lyn. Just personal choice then.

bertrand-mabel

Last year I didn't get any tomato plants but had the last tomato (from a supermarket) one day at lunch.

Took the seeds out and sowed them.

Best crop of tomatoes for years!!!

No idea what the variety was, just labelled "salad tomatoes"