Tomato

Tomatoes need at least a week (5 to 7 days, no less) to ferment. There is no way to prevent mold from forming, save to interfere with the process of fermentation. Ever notice what happens to the tomatoes you toss out because they were split or had been gnawed on by some other garden visitor? They rot and mold extensively. This is how the seeds become viable. You may get lucky with a few of the seeds if only given 2 or 3 days, but your germination rate will go way down. Also, the stirring is necessary, but not to prevent mold, this breaks up the fibers holding the seeds together and helps when it's time to separate the seeds after drying.

Keep the jars or bowls indoors and covered by wax paper to keep the flies from laying eggs in them. This way you don't have to separate the maggots from the seeds (my father had to do this one year - he doesn't recommend it). The best way to dry the seeds after fermentation? Just spread them out flat on a piece of wax paper and leave them on a window sill for a week. Then you can pick up the sheet of seeds and carefully grind them together with your fingers to separate them!

Roger

There is also information on Tomatoes from the Seed TOPIC in the Food section of Troubled Times.  

Prefer full sun; damp, rich soil; neutral pH; long growing season.

Roger

1998 Observations

Grower Gus found the seeds hard to extract from the Canning/Catsup tomatoes.