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Saving Pepper Seeds and reducing cross pollination

17 years ago

I'm a beginner pepper grower, and I would like to save my seeds for next year. I've also read that pepper seeds can cross pollinate. I don't have enough space to separate plants enough to make sure they don't cross pollinate. So, the question I have is weather or not there is a way to isolate one or two peppers/flowers on each plant so they don't cross pollinate? If so, what is the best method, or at least the one you use?

I'm growing Anaheim (I don't think this is one of the hybrid Anaheim peppers, but I'm not certain) Garden Salsa (I know, a hybrid, so useless for saving seeds), Hungarian Yellow Wax, and Early JalapeÃ±o (Is this a hybrid too?) I also ordered seeds for a Thai Sun. Does any one know if the Thai Sun is the same as the Thai Hot?

Thanks!

Featured Answer

JohnShowMeUSA

17 years ago

Peppers cross all too easily and why take a chance?

Blossom Bags (tulle)

Since am not a seamstress I use liquid thread. A sewing machine with serger is the way to go. Thankfully a fellow chile-head sewed me several dozens in various sizes.

Comments (10)

opqdan
17 years ago
Since pepper flowers are capable of pollinating themselves, chaances are they they get pollinated soon after they open, before a different cultivar can cross with them. It is already fairly rare.

To guarantee that crosses do not occur, you can bag the blossom with any number of materials. I have heard of people making little bags out of toole (a type of fine netlike fabric). You could probably also use some sort of women's nylons. Don't use a plastic bag though, as it may overheat and it traps moisture.

As soon as the flower shows signs of a pepper, you can remove the bag, just mark the pepper to ensure you remember which one it is.
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mmm some say some won't cross pollinate, me i dunno? so i'll leave that one alone, pumpkins are noted for cross pollinating and you never know when it has happened until you keep and grow from your own seed. X-s can be good fruit but have had some that are only good for wood carving unless you like pumpkin soup. i would say if you want to grow a particular pumpkin then source known heirloom seeds open pollinated. from planting to picking is a long gap if picked only when ripe. i have kent/jap and queensland blue's growing together (they are about the best eating)haven't decided what i am going to do about next seasons plantings as yet, a bit of effort paper bagging coming female and male flowers so i can hand pollinate then bag the female again until the next day. anyhow give them a try. a ripe pumpkin is great eating len Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page
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Hand pollination will work. You can grow all different varieties right next to each other with no problem.Even if they cross pollinate, they will produce gourds true to their type BUT the seeds from those gourds will produce a mixed type. If you hand pollinate some of the blossoms,then tag so you'll know which ones you did, these can be your seeds gourds. Works out great. There are some great web sites that explain this much better than I can and also Ginger Summits book, Gourds in Your Garden,explains hand pollinating and just about anything you would like to know about growing gourds. It's my favorite.
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Cross-pollination of squash has no effect on the characteristics of this year's crop. If not saving seed, any crosses which might occur will cause no problems. Of the common garden vegetables, only corn can be affected this year by crossing with other corn types.
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I've read your posts and the FAQ and have found them very helpful, but I have a lingering question about timing. You see, I didn't think about saving seed until now, and many are rare/heirloom varieties. All of my plants are blossoming and many have fruit growing already. Is it too late to try and "bag" the blossoms to ensure purity? ****** I assume you're talking to me when you say you've read my posts since you posted after I did. Whatever. LOL Cindy, you can read/see from the FAQ that blossoms need to be bagged when they are in bud, well before they open. So if you have any that are still in bud you can bag them. Out of curiousity, what are the rare heirloom varieties that you want to save seeds from? I can see someone being concerned about finances, but I'm just curious to know what you consider to be rare. it may well be that if things don't work out for you that I or others would know a source for your rare ones that might be available commercially or otherwise. And there are places where a pack of seeds costs way less than $2. And those packs would have way more than the standard 20-30 seeds that most places pack. Carolyn
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john47_johnf
17 years ago
Agree, jt--crossing is not rare. Nicely illustrated as usual.

johnf
koolguymike
17 years ago
This year I made my own bags like JohnT. was pretty easy to do.

Michael
organic_nut
17 years ago
John super great pictures.

I learned more in a few minutes looking at your pictures than in years of reading about it.

Nice job.

I have to get some material as soon as possible.
John__ShowMe__USA
17 years ago
> I have to get some material as soon as possible.

O-nut

Wally World fabric dept. Comes 3' wide by however long you want. One running yard is only 88Â¢. Several colors. W*M spells it tule for some reason. Waxed carpet thread works great for the string pulls. Good luck finding some.
thaumaturge
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks much every one for the responses.
Deanos27_live_com
12 years ago
Easy way to prevent cross pollination is to dip the flower buds in PVA glue, 1 or 2 days before they are due to open.. this is not at all harmful to the plant or the fruit, chilli then bursts through the dried glue in due time. Use a small bottle lid and full it with the pva glue then just dip the buds in two ensure the entire portion of the petals are covered... you now have a air tight seal and the chilli is not harmed and grows as usual without outside influence/cross pollination... Happy Growing
hummingbird_surfnetc_com
12 years ago
If you have a dollar store you might be able to find the green net bags that you can cut to an appropriate size and just tie the netting around the flower. No need to actually sew them. Just use a twisty.
daveintexas
9 years ago
@northeast_chileman -

I call your bump, and raise you EIGHT YEARS! LOL

Coincidentally, this link you kindly provided in reply to my inquiry about JohnF & JohnT, contains useful advice which appears to have been somewhat forgotten over the years and which is highly relevant to a current discussion, so my
actually has a legitimate purpose! ;)

BTW, it looks like the link to the highly useful instructional photos by JohnT still works!

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