A few years ago some friends gave me some of their saved seeds for the tomato on the left. The tomato on the right is a regular size Roma. I've posted about this huge paste type tomato before and how they grow as big as a 1 quart canning jar.
Saving seeds is fun to do and very simple. I just scoop out the pulpy seedy part of a very ripe tomato and put that into a jar with some water. Let it sit for a few days and then strain off the water.
Rinse a few times and you've got your seeds.
I put them on some paper to dry and that's it. What an easy way to ensure you'll always have access to heirloom seeds.
So, ah, would it be incredibly bad manners to ask if you had enough seeds to share? Or maybe you could direct me to where they could be purchased? I would LOVE to grow those tomatoes in my garden next year!
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, not bad manners at all to ask...I love to share seeds when possible but I think there is some fuss about sending seeds across the border so let me see if I can find out the proper name of these tomatoes and then perhaps you'll be able to find them on your own. I'll be seeing two women this week who may know so I'll get back to you with what I find out. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm saving seeds too! I have a few little coffee cups of mushy water sitting on the counter, with masking tape labels on them so no one throws them out.
ReplyDeleteI have buckets and buckets of green tomatoes in the house. What would you do with them? I'd like some suggestions.
I'm also making plans to change the garden around a bit, after listening to a few new garden podcasts. Sigh, all I need is more time, you know. I don't seem to have enough of it lately.
Shelia have you tried green tomato mincemeat already? I have a good recipe if you haven't got one yet. I usually save the green ones til they ripen and eat them if I haven't used them in mincemeat. My previous neighbour (didn't want to say my old neighbour) used to use the littlest ones and pickle them. Or have you tried making green tomato salsa? I've heard it is somewhat like tomatillo sauce. I'm inclined to believe it...but I haven't tried it yet.
ReplyDelete;-)
Hi Sarah - apparently the seeds were originally either Big Mama or Big Italian paste tomatoes. But...several generations on my tomatoes don't look like those varieties. If you look on this link -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tomatogrowers.com/processing.htm
I think mine are closer to either a San Marzano Redorta, a Super Italian Paste, a Howard German or Grandma Mary's Paste. They definitely have that long (about 6 inches) shape with a point at the end. Hope that helps.