They're hard to handle because they're so small and slippery.

因為它們又小又滑，所以很難處理。

So I've been doing a little research and testing to try to figure out a better way of doing it.

是以，我一直在做一些研究和測試，試圖找出一種更好的方法。

Let me show you what I've learned.

讓我告訴你我學到了什麼。

When a tomato ripens naturally in the wild, the seeds inside it are coated with a gel that prevents them from germinating until they reach soil.

番茄在野外自然成熟時，其內部的種子會被一層凝膠包裹，在到達土壤之前不會發芽。

As the fruit slowly rots, the inside of it undergoes fermentation, which removes the gel so that it's gone about the time the seeds are dispersed into the environment.

隨著果實慢慢腐爛，果實內部會發生髮酵，從而去除凝膠，這樣在種子散落到環境中時，凝膠也就消失了。

But if I go and pick a ripe tomato and take the seeds out of it immediately, they're still going to be coated with the gel.

但是，如果我去摘一個成熟的西紅柿，然後馬上把種子取出來，它們仍然會被凝膠包裹著。

The thing about this gel is that bacteria and fungi can live in it, even after it's dried.

這種凝膠的問題在於，細菌和真菌即使在乾燥後也能在其中存活。

So there's a chance that it could transmit diseases from season to season.

是以，它有可能在不同季節之間傳播疾病。

One way people get around this is by fermenting the seeds indoors in a controlled environment.

解決這一問題的方法之一是在室內可控環境中發酵種子。

With the larger tomatoes, I've just been slicing the top off of them, then using a small spoon to carve the seeds out into a glass or jar full of water.

對於個頭較大的西紅柿，我只是把它的頂部切下來，然後用小勺把籽挖出來，放進裝滿水的玻璃杯或罐子裡。

But in the case of cherry tomatoes, or something even smaller like these spoon tomatoes we grew this year, you can just pierce the fruit with an ice pick, then squeeze the insides into the water, discarding the skin.

但如果是櫻桃番茄，或者像我們今年種的勺子番茄這樣更小的番茄，就可以直接用冰錐刺穿果實，然後把內瓤擠到水裡，把皮丟掉。

Something to note here is that none of this is particularly difficult, but it can be a time consuming process.

需要注意的是，這一切都不是特別困難，但可能是一個耗時的過程。

What's helped me a lot is getting out of the mindset of trying to save every last seed.

對我幫助很大的是，我擺脫了試圖保存每一粒種子的想法。

In the time it takes me to pick up one of these little slimy seeds, I can easily extract 20 more from another fruit.

在我拾起一顆黏糊糊的小種子的時間裡，我就能從另一種水果裡輕鬆地摳出 20 多顆。

So I don't waste my time with the errand seeds.

所以我不會把時間浪費在跑腿種子身上。

Now at this point I've got a bunch of seeds and pulp in a jar of water, which I put in the laundry room and let sit for about 24 hours.

現在，我已經把一堆種子和果肉裝在一罐水裡，放在洗衣房裡靜置約 24 小時。

The next day I'll come in and decant the liquid.

第二天，我就來把液體倒掉。

Most of the tomato pulp will remain suspended in the water while the seeds sink to the bottom.

大部分番茄果肉會懸浮在水中，而種子則會沉入水底。

So as long as I don't shake the jar too much, I can slowly pour the pulp out until all that's really left is the seeds.

是以，只要不太搖晃罐子，我就能慢慢地把果肉倒出來，直到只剩下種子。

Then I can put fresh water back in and let it sit there some more.

然後我就可以把清水放回去，讓它再靜置一段時間。

I think most people probably don't change the water out like this after the first day.

我想大多數人可能在第一天之後就不會這樣換水了。

They let it sit there for more like 3-5 days from what I've seen.

據我所知，他們會在那裡放上 3-5 天。

You can do that, but it gets super moldy, and while I've read this doesn't hurt the seeds, I'm still not really a fan of it.

你可以這樣做，但它會變得非常黴，雖然我讀到過這不會傷害種子，但我還是不太喜歡這樣做。

By diluting the original tomato seeds and pulp so much with fresh water initially, the fermentation process does take quite a bit longer, but it's not like I'm sitting here watching it.

由於最初用清水稀釋了大量番茄種子和果肉，發酵過程確實需要更長的時間，但我又不是坐在這裡看著它發酵。

It can take as long as it needs to.

要花多長時間就花多長時間。

The only thing I'll say is that if you leave the seeds in water too long, they'll start sprouting.

我唯一要說的是，如果把種子放在水裡太久，它們就會開始發芽。

So I recommend experimenting with some different timings to see what works for you.

是以，我建議您嘗試使用不同的時間，看看哪種方法適合您。

It's easy to forget about the seeds, so sometimes I create a calendar notification to remind me that I need to check on them.

種子很容易被遺忘，所以有時我會創建一個日曆通知，提醒我需要檢查它們。

After about a week or so, when the water is clear and the gel is gone from the seeds, I'll decant the water one last time until there's just a tiny bit in the bottom with the seeds.

大約一週後，當水變得清澈，種子上的凝膠消失後，我會最後一次傾倒水，直到水底只有一點點種子。

Then I'll dump that out onto a big ceramic plate.

然後，我會把它們倒在一個大瓷盤上。

Sometimes I need to splash a little more water in the bottom of the jar to rinse out a few seeds if they get stuck.

有時，如果種子卡住了，我需要在罐子底部多潑一點水，把它們沖洗出來。

If I tilt the plate slowly while rotating it, I can dump the water off it while the seeds stay on it.

如果我在旋轉盤子時慢慢傾斜，就可以把水倒掉，而種子卻留在上面。

Again, if I lose a few seeds here, I'm not going after them.

再說一次，如果我在這裡失去了幾粒種子，我也不會去找它們。

The whole point of this method is that I never have to touch the seeds at all, and because it only requires small containers of water, I can have dozens or even hundreds of seeds fermenting all at the same time in a tiny space.

這種方法的關鍵在於，我根本不用接觸種子，而且因為只需要裝水的小容器，我可以在狹小的空間裡同時發酵幾十甚至幾百顆種子。

And since I'm changing the water out so frequently, there's little to no smell, which is important when you've got a bunch of these things going at once.

由於我經常換水，所以幾乎沒有氣味，這對同時使用大量這些東西來說非常重要。

Anyway, I'll let the seeds dry on the plate for about a week.

總之，我會讓種子在盤子裡晾晒一週左右。

Then I'll carefully scrape them loose and store them in one of these little coin envelopes I found online.

然後，我會小心翼翼地把它們刮下來，放進我在網上找到的這種小硬幣信封裡。

Although I think if they're fully dried, you can store them in jars or something too.

不過我覺得，如果它們已經完全晒乾，也可以用罐子或其他東西儲存起來。

We store some of the larger seeds like watermelon and okra in jars with no problem.

我們用瓶子儲存西瓜和秋葵等一些較大的種子也沒問題。

So that's how we've been saving our tomato seeds through fermentation.

我們就是這樣通過發酵保存番茄種子的。

Of course, all this is subject to change as we continue to experiment and learn new information.

當然，隨著我們不斷嘗試和了解新資訊，所有這些都可能發生變化。

Thanks for watching, and until next time, good luck out there.

感謝您的收看，下次再見，祝您好運。