Drying Wet Seeds

I'm learning more and more to save my own seeds. Large dry seed, like corn and beans, are easy. Pumpkins and gourds aren't all that complicated either. But what about tomato? Tomatoes are pretty wet.

A few days ago I processed some orange plum tomatoes, a variety I think I want to keep growing. So I figured I'd save some seeds, a few from each tomato I diced up. So I put the wet pulp and seeds into a glass of water and let it sit for a couple days. Using a spoon to scoop off the moldy stuff on top, I was left with a glass of yucky fermenting tomato water & seeds. I rinsed off the seeds by adding water, stirring, letting the heavier seeds sink to the bottom, then pouring off the liquid. Repeat several times. Eventually I ended up with fairly clean heavy seeds. Now what? 

I've tried drying tomato seeds a couple different ways and the way I like best is to spread them out on a coffee filter to dry in front of a breezy open window. The filter wicks the water away quickly so it evaporates, leaving dry seed behind. 

I used to stir the seeds frequently so that they wouldn't stick to the filter, but now I do just the opposite. Let the seeds stick. When dry, I pop seeds and filter into a glass jar for storing. Having the seeds stick to the filter makes it easier for me to pick out the seeds I want for planting. Otherwise tomato seeds have a tendency to bunch up and cling together. 

I also processed some lilikoi seeds the same way, but their pulp tends to cling to the seeds more so than the tomatoes. No problem. The coffee filter methods deals with this easily. I normally don't save lilikoi seed, but I have plans of growing more plants and guerrilla-gardening them. You see, some of my favorite lilikoi foraging sites have been destroyed by bulldozing.....people clearing their land for house building. No problem. I'll just re-establish lilikoi plants on other unused land. There plenty of places to choose from.  I have one lilikoi vine on my own farm, and plan to add a few more. But it won't hurt to plant a few seedlings here and there so that other people will have the opportunity to forage them.