Planting Tips: Start tomato seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before you plan to set them out in the garden. In northern areas, we like to use Wall ‘O Water plant protectors, which let us transplant tomatoes long before the last frost. These ingenious little walls protect young plants down to about 16°F — I’ve even had tomatoes survive a foot of snow and 18°F using them! If you don’t use Wall ‘O Waters, be sure to harden off your plants before transplanting. Set them outdoors in a protected spot for an hour a day, gradually increasing the time until they’re used to wind and sunlight. Skipping this step can cause plants to break or become stunted.

Indeterminate tomato varieties are long-vined types that continue growing and producing all season. Support them with strong wire cages or sturdy trellises to handle the weight of ripening fruit. Determinate varieties, by contrast, grow to a set height — usually around three feet — and then stop, producing most of their crop in a shorter window.

Seed Saving Tips: To ensure pure seed, separate tomato varieties by several feet when growing. Allow fruits to fully mature on the vine, then cut them in half or smaller pieces to squeeze out the gel and seeds from the seed cavities into a cup or bowl. Add an equal amount of warm water and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 3–4 days. A white mold will form — this is normal.

After fermentation, pour the contents into a wire sieve and rinse gently with lukewarm water, rubbing the seeds lightly with your fingertips to remove the remaining “goop.” This leaves clean, viable seeds. (Fun fact: the clear gel around tomato seeds naturally prevents them from sprouting inside the fruit!) Fermenting dissolves that gel and also helps prevent tomato diseases.

Spread the clean seeds on a plastic plate to dry thoroughly, then store them in an airtight, rodent- and insect-proof container.