[Goldfinger]

Before tomatoes turn red/ripe, can you pick a few that are still green and save their seeds?

Just wondering, just in case this weather causes more problems this year.... 

[Kleftiwallah]

 I think the longer you can leave the seeds within the tomato and the tomato on the plant, the more viable those seeds will be.

I carefully extract a few seeds and lay them out in rows on absorbant kitchen paper, scribble a name on it and tuck it away on a kitchen shelf.  Next year I cut the paper into squares and plant seed and paper.

Cheers,     Tony.

[mumofstig]

Klefti's right - the seeds have to be from a ripe fruit/pod of anything you want to save 

[Alastair-I]

I usually find there are enough tomato seeds making it into the compost heap that a quick scout in early summer over areas where the compost has been spread yields enough seedlings for outdoor tomatoes.  Their seeds are very resilient to the composting process.

[gremlin]

I'll risk disagreeing  !

A few years back Henry Doubleday organisation, as was, did some experiments which showed that seeds from slightly under ripe toms gave best germination. It was reported in their magazine, probably about 1995-97 when I was a member of HDRA.

Totally unexpected, which I why I remember it.

[mumofstig]

slightly under-ripe isn't the same as green though is it 

[Kleftiwallah]

Did my time in the Omani desert and there was always a good showing of tom' plants down the sewerage farm!   

Cheers,    Tony.

[Goldfinger]

Did my time in the Omani desert and there was always a good showing of tom' plants down the sewerage farm!   

Cheers,    Tony.

I've seen a similar thing where 'filter cake' from sewage works, has been stored on farm land prior to being spread.