Save Tomato Seeds For Next Year's Garden With Just A Paper Towel

Growing tomato plants is a labor of love, and if you've had success with a specific variety, you may decide you want to save some seeds and use them the following year. After all, a good heirloom tomato transforms a Caprese salad into a masterpiece. The good news is that the process is fairly straightforward and only requires a fresh, ripe, and healthy tomato, a sharp knife to split the fruit open, a paper towel, and a plastic ziplock bag.

While there are several ways to go about saving tomato seeds, the paper towel method is, perhaps, the easiest and least time-consuming. Start by splitting open a tomato and either squirting or scooping out the seeds that are surrounded by a goo-like snot that non-tomato lovers are not very fond of. This gelatin-like substance helps to prevent the seeds from germinating. You want to place the seeds you are trying to preserve on the paper towel with just a touch of the gel. Be sure to space them out so they don't get stuck to each other. Place them in a sun-filled spot. Over the course of a day or so, the seeds will dry on the absorbent paper towel. 

It's wise to label the paper towel with the name of the tomato seed variety, as well as the date. Place them in a plastic bag and remove all the air when you seal it up. Store it in a cool, dry spot so the seeds do not sprout prematurely. As you are planning your summer garden, be sure to pair homegrown tomatoes with companion plants. Spinach, chives, and cilantro are all good choices to consider as you are planting your saved seeds. They will help your tomato plants thrive. 

While drying those seeds on a paper towel is the easiest way to save your favorite tomato to sow in future summers, it is important to remember that the goo can prohibit them from germinating in later months and years. This method also does not give you perfectly clean or disease-resistant seeds. This is why, if you are going to use this seed preservation technique, you want to preserve as many seeds as possible to better your odds. Additionally, you want to do this project at the beginning of the season when tomatoes are plentiful. This way, there will be a lot to choose from.