HelpfulGardener.com

I'm trying to start 30 year old tomato seeds. I did it last year but failed to keep the fresh seeds. Can anyone tell me how to get these oldies started?

Huh? You have kept seeds for 30 years, you started some of them last year and you don't know how to do it this year? I must be missing something?

Mike

Yup. Can't get one to grow this year yet. Looking for hints to jump start the seed.

One thing people do to help seeds along sometimes is put them in the middle between several layers of folded over damped paper towels. Put them in a ziplock baggie and leave for a few days in a warmish place. You need to check them regularly after that. As soon as they start putting out roots, use tweezers to take them off the paper towels and plant them.

Hey, micromos. Those 30 year old tomato seeds must be special.
Rainbowgardener is right on with the damp paper towels. If after
a couple of days you still don't have any results, try this out. I did
germination tests on grass seed this way when I was in school.
Get a cookie sheet and put your seeds in wet paper towels, put on the
cookie sheet, and then put in your oven in the kitchen. Use the middle
shelf. Turn on the oven to 250 degrees for about 15 and 20 seconds
and then turn it off. Leave them in there overnight and check in the
morning. Good luck.

Wow, I wonder what type of tomato it is.

Question, where have they been? Were they in a very dry area? Humid? Paper sack of some sort? Have they been frozen?

I have seeds that are 10 yrs old, and when they don't start, I put them in the freezer for a couple of days, thaw them out and then try to sprout them. That sometimes works.

Thanks for your help everyone. I will try the paper towel procedure and the oven if necessary. These seeds have been in a letter envelope up to 2 years ago and then in a plastic baggie until now They were saved from my mother's garden and she claimed they were the best tasting ones she had had. I believe they are a beefsteak type tomato so I am anxious to see if I can get them growing again, in her memory. After these I have only 6-7 seeds left. I will write again and keep you abreast of the sucess or failure. Micromos

Wow, those are special seeds! I wish you all the best of luck getting them started.

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice but I can't get the seeds to grow. I tried three different sets of seeds but no grow.