Saving my mini tomato seeds

Two days after my mini tomato started turning colour, it was fully ripened on the plant.

My mini tomato ripen on plant

After a quick clean and polish with a kitchen paper towel, it was ready for a photo shoot! LOL

A portrait of my pretty mini tomato!

This second mini tomato of mine didn't have much seeds inside for saving. It had only a dozen or so seeds whilst my first one had about 50! So, I will use photos of my first mini tomato to document the seeds saving method I used instead:

1. Cut tomato in half and scoop out seeds with a spoon into a glass/cup.

Nice & juicy!

2. Add enough tap water into the glass to cover the seeds.

Then cover the top of the glass with cling wrap. 

Place the glass in a warm spot for 2 to 3 days. 

Swirl the glass of water once or twice daily. 

Apparently, the fermentation process on the

seeds will prevent seed-borne disease.

Fresh seeds in tap water

3. Once the water gets a bit moldy, pour out the

murky layer but be careful not to pour away the

seeds too. Drain seeds into a fine-mesh sieve.

 

Fermented seeds after 4 days in tap water

 4. Rinse the seeds in the sieve with cold tap water and use your

fingers to remove any pulp that is still stuck onto the seeds.

5. Spread seeds in a single layer on a paper plate and air dried 

it for a week until they are free to rattle around the plate.

(I used a kitchen paper towel & they got a bit stuck onto

the paper towel as they dried)

Air dried seeds on paper towel ready for storage

6. Place dried seeds into a jar or paper envelope,

label and store in a cool dry place.

I am now waiting patiently for August to arrive as I read that it is a good time to start seeds indoors for (the southern hemisphere's) Spring! I hope the seeds I saved would germinate!

My mini African Violet is doing well

Almost 2 months ago, I blogged about my poor mini African Violet, how I accidentally let it somersaulted from my hand on to the floor and it looked like it was dying. Well, I have been trying my best to save it in the past 2 months and am glad to see that it is growing! :)

I raised its little container up away from the bottom of the external case by putting some plastic scrap underneath, so that I can water from the bottom. While there was still some water at the bottom, I put the plant inside a plastic bag, tied it up and let it sat in a warm spot for a few days without disturbing it.

The plant is a bit off center now, as I was in a rush to put it back into its container after I dropped it. I might wait till it is stronger before I replant it.

A new leaf has come out!

An update on my sick Anthurium plants

My Anthurium plants continue on their journey to recovery from Thrips. The new leaves that shot out recently are looking more regular in shape and appearance.

For the past month or so, I made an effort to check the top and underside of each leaf every day or so for any signs of Thrips, and any adult or larvae I found were removed. I thought I was doing a good job since I haven't seen any adult Thrips for several weeks but much to my dismay, this morning, I found an adult Thrip inside a new leaf that is uncurling! I tried to kill it but it went hiding inside the curled part of the new leaf! :(

I hope I won't find anymore adult Thrips in the other Anthurium plants. In fact, one of them has 4 new shoots and judging by the bright pink colour of the shoots, I am guessing that they are all "flower" shoots! If they are leaves, usually it would be a reddish brown with a tint of green. This is the same plant which had a few sick-looking new shoots that I had to remove. I hope the latest new shoots would survive till they open!

My mini tomato is changing colour!

Finally, after around a month, just like my first mini tomato, my second one is starting to change colour!

I first noticed it yesterday when it seemed to be showing a tint of orange under its pale green skin but I wasn't sure if it was just a play of light or my imagination. 24 hours later, the orange tint is clearly showing through! :D

Yesterday: a very very faint hint of orange.

Today: a darker shade of orange is showing through!

Also, what I suspected to be another developing mini tomato (my third), is becoming more obvious by now. :) Though it seems to be suffering from "blossom end rot"?

My third mini tomato is growing.

People must think I had nothing to do but to blog about the development of individual tomato! How I wish that my plant produces more than one tomato at any one time, so that it is impossible to document each individual one! But no, my tomato plant is an odd one. :P