Do tomato plants self seed?

[Raquel]

I got a surprise today... quite a few self seeded tomato plants - Is this normal? I get frosts and snow here...

[pigletwillie]

Oh yes,

my tunnels have lots of self setters each spring as do the beds where outside varieties are grown. It only takes one tomato to be left on the ground and up they come in the warmer weather.

[Raquel]

Great! I thought that as they are tender plants the winter would kill any seeds. I will expect some extras next year then - Thank you!

[Madasafish]

Yes: a lot from compost:-(

[Earthbabe]

And anywhere in the garden, between paving slabs, below the climbers, in the lawn. lol

[rustylady]

Why do they always grow better from self-seeding than they do when you care for them, cosset them etc. Mind you, with self-seeded plants you can't tell what the fruit will be like.

[Paulottie]

Is a bear catholic?

[Alice]

Why do they always grow better from self-seeding than they do when you care for them, cosset them etc. Mind you, with self-seeded plants you can't tell what the fruit will be like.

When we plant seeds we plant a few and take what we get. When they self seed they do hundreds (or thousands) and the best half dozen make it.

[angie a]

I have stopped putting tomatoes & melon/ pumpkin seeds in the compost bin. I got so fed up with picking the seedlings out of pots & baskets.

[Madasafish]

inadvertently grew a Gardener's Delight in a floral hanging basket last year..(seeds in compost). The fruit was very late and very small.. and very tasty.

[CandJ]

Our self seded ones were way better than the grobwgs last year. We didn't pinch them out, didn't water them and they were competing in the pumpkin patch for light and water, but we got tonnes of fruit and My Dad made lots of very tasty Relishes/Pickles/Sauces and Chutneys! Sweet Chilli and Tomato Relish rocks.

[moggssue]

So is it worth letting a couple of my toms 'go to seed' then? I dont think I have enough plants this year to be able to make chutney but if I could use my own saved seeds next year I'd be well chuffed! Do I leave the toms to go squishy and overripe then plant the seeds and leave them over winter?

[Alison]

That's why you always get tomato plants growing at sewage treatment works.........

[angie a]

Squish one of your toms & rinse in a sieve. Spread seeds out on kitchen roll as thinly as possible & allow to dry. Next spring, tear the paper into pieces & plant the whole piece in a pot. I bought a reduced-price punnet of toms one spring, squished one & planted the seed fresh. Germination was brilliant.

[Earthbabe]

I've germinated three fresh from a Jersey "Red Demon" tomato and have some saved, although I suspect these are greenhouse tomatos, I'll have a go in a cloche/cold frame/plastic greenhouse.