Subject: Re: Acclimating Tomato(e)
From: [email-masked] (Cissy Bowman)
Date: 9 Aug 94 13:28:00 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.sustainable.agriculture

Tomatoes aren't perennials, and will eventually die out even if you live where
it never gets cold, BUT, you can save seeds from them each year and replant.
The results will be plants that are better acclimated to your area, and
depending on your selection  (large tomatoes, small, early, late...) will
become more of the tomato you are looking for  (within that variety).
You can even let them self-seed if you have a long enough growing season, and
get by without raising transplants.
Saving seeds is easy.  Just squeeze seeds out of a ripe tomato and put in a
container to sit for a few days and grow a nice mold over the top.  (Use
several of the best tomatoes you have).  Then rinse the seeds in a colander
and spread out on a paper to dry well.  Store in the freezer until ready to
plant.
Why let them mold?  It kills seed-borne diseases and removes the gel which
acts as a non-sprouting agent.  Smelly, and messy, yes--but well worth the
trouble.  Make sure you are using non-hybrid (open-pollinated) tomatoes so
they come true to seed.
Have fun!