Saving seed from Jalapeno

[Mark0820]

I bought a packet of Burpee Jalapeno M pepper seed at Walmart for $1 this past Spring. I am considering saving seeds from these peppers. If the packet (and Burpee's website) doesn't indicate it is a hybrid, is it safe to assume it is OP? I noticed the Goliath Jalapeno pepper seed is listed as Hybrid.

Is there anything else I should consider when saving pepper seeds? I am assuming cross pollination for peppers is more of a problem than for tomatoes (just based on bee activity around my pepper plants vs. the tomato plants).

[fortyonenorth]

Jalapeno M is OP and, yes, generally speaking peppers are more prone to cross-pollination than tomatoes. I think this is because they do not self-pollinate as quickly and efficiently as most tomatoes, leaving more opportunity for insects to do their thing.

[ContainerTed]

I agree with 41N. But, make sure that you allow the pepper you're going to use for seed to turn color. The majority of Jalalpenos should get to a bright red color when truly ripe. This is also when the seeds are fully mature and your germination rate is at its highest.

[Keiththibodeaux]

Also, just because a plant is a hybrid, does not mean that seeds will not produce something quite interesting. It just means that it might not be exactly like the parent. It could be a wash, too, so I would not base my total year's crop on it, but I would not hesitate to grow it either. Surprises are sometimes very fun.

[fortyonenorth]

Really good point. This year I'm growing several accidental crosses and they are very tasty and interesting.

Originally Posted by Keiththibodeaux

Also, just because a plant is a hybrid, does not mean that seeds will not produce something quite interesting. It just means that it might not be exactly like the parent. It could be a wash, too, so I would not base my total year's crop on it, but I would not hesitate to grow it either. Surprises are sometimes very fun.

[Mark0820]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

But, make sure that you allow the pepper you're going to use for seed to turn color. The majority of Jalalpenos should get to a bright red color when truly ripe. This is also when the seeds are fully mature and your germination rate is at its highest.

Thanks for the information. I wouldn't have known to let them turn bright red to save the seed. I always use them green because they seem to be hot at that point and lose potency as they turn red.

[gardenhobbit]

How do you go about saving pepper seeds?

Thanks in advance,
Jim

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by gardenhobbit

How do you go about saving pepper seeds?

Thanks in advance,
Jim

I just knock the seeds out let them dry and put in a coin envelope.

Easiest thing you ever did in your life.



Worth

[Mark0820]

Originally Posted by gardenhobbit

How do you go about saving pepper seeds?

Thanks in advance,
Jim

Just what Worth said. Cut open the pepper, remove the seeds, spread the seeds out on a plate (or some other object), let the seeds dry and then put them in a storage container (coin envelope, etc.).

[ContainerTed]

Originally Posted by gardenhobbit

How do you go about saving pepper seeds?

Thanks in advance,
Jim

Jim, go down to one of those "Dollar" stores, or Walmart or ????? and find those cheap paper plates that do NOT have a coating. Simply open those peppers and spead the seeds out and let dry for a few days. One purchase of a stack of these super flimsy plates will last you a while. And you write the name of the seeds on the plate. This keeps the name with the seeds and lets you do several at the same time.

The reason I use those flimsy paper plates is that they help the drying process by absorbing moisture where the seeds contact the paper material. Here's an example of how I do it.

[lurley]

Ted,
How on earth are all your tomato seeds so evenly spaced apart all over that plate? Mine are all clumped until they start to dry and then I rub them apart to finish drying. Seeing that photo was like looking at the red sea be parted, miraculous!
I save pepper seeds too, and while I wait for color to being showing on most, I have almost never waited until dead ripe color to pull seeds and have never had a problem with germination, rates still near 100% with previous years' fresh seed. I brought home some absolutely huge poblano peppers, never seen anything so huge in a poblano in my life, they were ripe, but no color at all, ripped em open, dried the seed, planted it the following week, and now have a crop of them growing in an isolated area to see if they come true. I think if you know when a pepper is "ripe" at it's green stage (how it feels and how it sounds) you can get good viable seed, if you don't know, then color, at least a blush of it will be your best indicator.

[ContainerTed]

I keep them apart by using one of those bamboo skewers to move them around and apart from each other. The benefit is that all the seeds dry without becoming "glued" to each other. It also allows me to eliminate seeds which I think are substandard, damaged, badly shaped, or those with black spotting on them.

Here's a picture to help you. I don't do this everytime, but if the quantity is not so many, I will always do it this way with the skewers.

BTW, those skewers cost about $1.00 at Wally World for a package of 100 skewers. Look for them in the kitchen utensil aisle.

[ddsack]

I have an old butter knife that I use on the seed plates for moving the seeds apart. And the flat angle on it works really great for rubbing any stuck seeds off the plate when they are dry. Since my batches are small, often only a single tomato, I also use coffee filters for drying. Along with the variety , I write the date on the filter or plate because I tend to lose track of time and can't remember if it's been days or weeks when I've got 20 or 30 plates scattered around the house in odd places, trying to keep them out of reach of the cat.

[gardenhobbit]

Thank you all for your replies.

Amazingly simple and good advice about plates etc.