[heygrow]

Is it possible to take the seeds out of supermarket bought tomatoes and dry out for planting seedlings for next year?

[mumofstig]

They will grow, but it's extremely unlikely that they will be the same as the tomatoes you have bought.

Toms grown for commercial use are usually f1 varieties so will not grow true from their seeds.

[DD.]

Plus - why do you want to grow tasteless supermarket toms, when there's so many far more tasty toms out there?

[8doubles]

Plus - why do you want to grow tasteless supermarket toms, when there's so many far more tasty toms out there?

On rare occasions you get a supermarket tomato that is actually good to eat ! 
The fact that commercial growers can get good flavour means the variety is a good`un.
I once grew some Piccolo mini plums from supermarket tomato seed and they were very good.

[DD.]

I wouldn't want to munch my way through the entire supermarket range in order to find one good one!

[Ropster]

on the rare occasion I have found a supermarket tom that tastes nice I have kept the seed and it came true to the original, so it can happen

[8doubles]

I wouldn't want to munch my way through the entire supermarket range in order to find one good one!

There is probably a better chance of winning the lottery.

[kari]

We had a pack of gorgeous tasty  toms from Sainsbury's in March, called Sunstream, as an experiment we took the seeds from one and dried them in the conservatory, planted them about 5 days later and they are now about 4 inches tall.

I've no idea what the fruit will turn out like, but the kids enjoyed the process and figured it was worth a try

[Farmer Woosnip]

I've often wondered...... what do F1 seeds produce if it's not the same as the original?

Will they just not produce anything?

[Yorkie]

F1 seeds produce a plant of specified characteristics.  But the seeds from that F1 plant won't do so - they'll produce a plant but it probably won't have the same characteristics as the parent plant. 

[DD.]

Yorkie beat me to the post, but I'm darn well gonna post what I typed!.....

F1 varieties are produced by crossing two parents the previous year. The characteristics of these parents may not be desireable on their own, but together make a good offspring.

Saving seed from the F1 can result in seed with the undesired characteristics.

[Farmer Woosnip]

Ok so my F1 broccoli for example..... if I was to save the seed and try to grow from it next year I would get broccolis but they might taste different?

[DD.]

Yes.

[mumofstig]

They may grow short they may grow tall, they may or may not have very loose heads, they may or may not be good in our climate...........it's not just the taste that can be very different, you know!

[heygrow]

Thanks for all the replies. We bought some nice tasting cherry toms from Tesco and so will try and see if we can get the seeds to grow.

What is the best way to prepare the seeds, i.e. how do we dry them out and store for next year?