Only if they have patented that particular variety of tomato. Luckily for you there are gazillions of varieties that are not patented. I just did a class on saving seeds, including tomato. Easy peasy, just gush them out, rinse them out in a sieve and then spread them out to dry on a coffee filter. Later you can either brush them off or just save the coffee filter and then cut it up come planting time.

Tomato seeds have this goo on them that you have to get off before they are good to go. The goo inhibits sprouting. Oh, and then there's the laissez faire way where you just pick a spot in your garden where you want tomatoes to grow and dump the seeds in at the end of the season (or a whole tomato) and then some will sprout there next year.

L, your'e right, saving tomato seeds is easy.

Like plllog, I'm betting Monsanto hates it and is trying to figure out a way to sue everyone who saves their owns seeds to grow anything. Ugh. I'd do it just to tick them off, if I didn't already do it!

Annie

Lpink, it was just a passing thought that made me laugh.

Your class sounds interesting. I have herbs and peppers, and a little lemon tree, but that's all I can deal with. I could about deal with sticking a tomato in the ground, but not sure I can handle the worms. :)

I noticed it and thought sort of the same thing. I started a seed library at my library (good use of the old card catalog). Apparently they could be illegal.

We just finished up Banned Book Week. Maybe we'll have Banned Seed Week next spring, hehe.

Here is a link that might be useful: seed libraries outlawed

Wow! What a great use for a card catalog!!

I think an important step was omitted in the saving tomato seed instructions. You must ferment the seed first to get rid of the stuff that inhibits germination.

So you squish out the seed, put it in a container, add a little water if necessary and let it sit until a little mold begins to develop. It stinks and attracts fruit flies, so I put in in the barn. After several days it's ready for the rest of the instructions: wash, pour out water and any seeds that float, repeat and repeat as necessary. Then strain and allow to dry. I don't dry on paper towels because the towel tends to stick. I put them on a small plate.

Nothing wrong with fermenting, I just haven't had good luck with it. I haven't had it work to remove the goo any better than just rinsing but still is easy enough to do following your instructions so yes, many people ferment tomato seeds and have success. In fact, I would recommend trying it both ways and seeing which one you have success with. If fermenting works for you then it is still easy peasy to save tomato seeds. Now is the time to do it too!!

Until the big money is in home gardening, Monsanto is not going after garden seeds. They are working where the big money is, commodity crops like corn and soy and perhaps eventually wheat. There is a reason those crops are patented, that's where the big money is for Monsanto selling Roundup. But it remains to be seen how this whole business of patenting a gene will play out. Meanwhile, I am trying to bring back the art of seed saving, because natural capital like that so far is FREE! There's also a whole movement afloat to plant "food forests" in local parks so folks can forage. I already know a bunch of folks who scope out free food in their towns and neighborhoods. You'd be surprised how many folks have some food plant in their yard that for them is just a nuisance instead of a benefit.

Selling seeds isn't a big moneymaker at this point in time, which is why Monsanto has been able to buy up so many seed companies. They own natural capital but there is no guarantee that they will be good stewards over it. But then there was no guarantee that the former owners of the seed companies would be able to save them either. The stability of our food sources will come from spreading out the responsibility so that we don't have all our eggs in one basket. My next move is to try and get kids in schools to saving seeds and then planting them. Unlike school gardens, seed saving fits in perfectly with the school year--save the seeds in the fall and then start them inside in the spring and then you can either sell the plants, donate them to a community garden, or take them home at the end of the school year. Oh, and if you're really concerned about this, join a seed savers exchange, something like Seed Savers, www.seedsavers.org There are also state and regional ones, some more successful and active than others. I belong to a MI one that is run as a Yahoo group.

Here's a link to my blog, which at this point is suffering from big neglect due to my being in the midst of moving, but anyway, I did write one article on seed saving, Seed saving adventures There are tons of good blog articles online about seed saving, very easy to get into it if you have access to the Internet and know how to do a good Google search. But also plenty of books on the subject too. They have a seed catalog at the Grand Rapids (MI) library too I found out. The kids "check out" a seed packet and then they need to plant them and at the end of the year they are supposed to return more seeds back to the library. The librarian said that the main point is to get kids growing, I don't know if there is a fine if you don't return the seeds, lol!

The best tomato plant I had this year was a volunteer. Huge, and a bushel of good tomatoes.

There is a right way of doing thing.

Then there is a lazy way of doing things. My way:

1. Never fermented seeds. Many will germinate somehow.

2. Never rotated planting area. Don't have the space.

3. Never kept things clean and sanitary. All dead plants, sick plant, always have been piled in the same growing area.

I have been doing that for many many years. Yet I still get good harvests every season.

dcarch

Thanks, Lpink, Laceyvail, Dcarch for all the interesting and serious answers.

Amazing the quality of conversation a weak joke can generate!

I'm lazy and quick.
Smear the cut tops on paper towels and lay on ceramic plates to dry for a couple days....
(only the best and favorite toms)
Label on the p-towel the variety, fold and zip-lock when the p-towel is bone dry...
I get 99% germination and more seeds/starts than i need.
When i start my seeds in feb-march i just pick off the seeds from the towels...
I often do not even know the names or variety, just save what has done well in my climate and zone. Mostly the bulls hearts.
This year, and so busy with work, i've saved only about 10 varieties, i think...though way more seeds than i need.
I have over a hundred varieties in my seed collection but need to scale back the losers.
Very simple method that works for me.

Here's a link to how to ferment tomato seeds if you want to try. In my experience, I haven't been able to get the gel/good to separate. Also, you don't need to ferment until mold forms, 24-48 hours is enough. Since when I do it I don't get these results, I feel OK just rinsing them, but Sleevendog's methods are even easier. Perhaps the goo breaks down with the drying on the towels and adheres to the towels when you pick off the seeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wiki on saving tomato seeds

Thanks for that link! I just posted over on Tomato forum asking if my fermenting seeds looked OK. Peppers are so much easier without the gel. But I may just use sleevendog's method from now on!

I do the smear onto paper towel routine also and it works just fine for me. We have a type of tomato that is truly a family heirloom, started by my grandfather. I double-dog DARE Monsanto to show up on my doorstep and tell me I can't grow them any more ;^) !

Edie