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hybrid vs heirloom

15 years ago

I am planting 10 varieties of tomatos this year all heirloom. I'm wondering about peppers, I understand the disease resistance, better production etc of hybrid, and seed saving of OP. Is there any real taste difference in OP peppers? I plan on a few jalapeno and some bell peppers, I like the variety of chocolate and purple for bell peppers.

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Comments (7)

fiedlermeister
15 years ago
You will get lots of different opinions on this. There is variation in taste of lots of pepper regardless of Op or hybrid. I grow mostly OP and use lots of sweet peppers and there are some really good tasting OP varieties. I grow a hybrid called Spanish Spice that is large and tasty and worth re buying seeds every year.
rj_hythloday
Original Author
15 years ago
All I've ever had is store bought. I plan on using them mainly for salsas. The wife likes bell peppers in salads and cooking w/ them more than I do.
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Hi Kara, Your mom has the right idea, that you should save seed from heirloom or non-hybrid seed, but she is incorrect on why. Seed saved from Hybrids will not grow true to form. They will develop fruit, but the fruit will not look/taste like the original plant so you may end up with a crop of stuff you don't want. Sometimes hybrids don't produce viable seed so you can't grow a crop at all. Maybe this information was sort of remembered by your mom and that's how she told you what she did. I'm confused about the black-eyed peas though. Are you sure they are a hybrid? I'm under the impression that beans and peas, and other legumes sold for home use are not hybrids. Remy
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pepperdude
15 years ago
I think this is rather hard to answer. The taste difference between one OP pepper and a hybrid one may just be because they are different varieties. Personally I don't think I have a highly developed sense of taste. I enjoy all kinds of foods but often one type of bell pepper (or corn, tomato, etc.) tastes a lot like the next. That might be due to my allergies - smell and taste being so closely linked.
Anyways, more to your point, I can say one of my favorite peppers is Jimmy Nardello's which is an OP/Heirloom. To me, it has a very distinctive taste, at least at the semi-mature (beginning to turn red) state it achieved in my garden last year. It is sweet, "green-peppery" and very slighly pungent. I just ordered a lot of seed from Totally Tomatoes and that is the only variety I ordered two packets of. Plus, if an OP variety will grow in Seattle its a winner. Many OP varieties just don't have the vigor, cold-tolerance, etc. to grow and produce well here.
shelbyguy
15 years ago
A seed company is only as good as the hack they have choosing the plants...

I am ok with both hybrids and open pollinated varieties, but hybrids have repeatability over time - even if you lose the parents, you can almost always come about the same end from a different direction. The Chile Pepper Institute has a 'heritage' line of seed whereby they acknowledge the drift of flavor and potency over the many generations they've been growing them. The Heritage line is supposed to 'bring back the original flavor' of NuMex 6-4 and Big Jim, specifically

for whatever it is worth
dirtrich1
15 years ago
I am having that same dilemna myself! My draw to the O.P. is that I don't have to worry about procuring seed again. And I keep getting that nagging worry that it may be a concern someday.
chillithwillyway
15 years ago
find midddle ground the answer is a hybrid pepper X heirloom pepper
John A
15 years ago
RJ - If you're thinking of jalapenos, try Biker Billy. It's a Burpee hybrid. You can usually find the seed at Home Depot & Lowes. It's larger and hotter than your standard jalapeno.
John A

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