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Isolation Help

TrentL

TrentL

I'd like to keep some of my plants isolated this year, but unsure how. (By some, I mean 50 different cultivars...)  All of my plants will be moving outside in about a month. I'll have around 100 in the ground and another 40 or so in pots. Would like to know if there is a method with a minimal amount of work / prep / tracking.... my day job and other ventures keeps me pretty busy. 
 
I managed to get a few pods that were 'pure' over the winter (self pollinated in the grow room, before I added fans for sprouts). But that only worked for 4 cultivars.. the rest were too fatigued from my epic battle with aphids to produce anything.
 
I thought briefly about bagging the entire plant when it buds up, but not sure what material to use. Tagging individual buds/flowers on this many plants would get super tedious and take forever.
 
Just want to establish a good baseline "seed stock" for next year's crop.
 
Any help (with photos if possible!) would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks in advance!
 
I wait until I have a plant with a couple of flowers just about to open. I tag the flower stem then cover the whole plant with a net curtain (very light an see through) which is supported by a cane which takes the weight of the curtain.
 
As soon as I see the pepper coming from behind the flower I remove the curtain and wait until the tagged pepper is at its deepest red before picking, removing the seeds and drying, .
 
I did try bagging individual flowers but that can be very fiddly which is fine if you are only doing a couple of plants, the curtain method ensures isolation and is quick and works for sure.
 
Hope that helps
 
OKGrowin said:
you can use a tulle/organza bag to cover a branch, that way u get like 3 or 4 peppers and dont have to do anything individual.
 
something like this 12x8 inches so can get a good part of branch in there.
 
 
this topic
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these bags really help? Aren't them holes too big?
if they really help, can I be 100%(90? 80? 70%?) sure, that I don't get cross?:)
 
 
Pagonis said:
these bags really help? Aren't them holes too big?
if they really help, can I be 100%(90? 80? 70%?) sure, that I don't get cross? :)
 
Click to expand...
 
 
TrentL said:
How fine of mesh do you need to use to keep pollen out?
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The mesh isn't to keep pollen from circulating out. The main goal is to keep pollinators from crossing your plants. Pollen doesn't travel too well on wind by itself and peppers self-pollinate readily so pollinators are your real risk when it comes to avoiding crosses. In terms of certainty, you can probably be 99% sure that a mesh cover cloth or an organza bag will do the job. You can get a pack of 100 small ones on Amazon for $5.
 
ikeepfish said:
Feel like being cheap?  Panty hose.
 
Works wonders. :)
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I always feel cheap. :)
 
I'm going to get some looks, 6' tall dude with long hair buying panty hose. This could be interesting.
 
I'll make sure to tell the cashier "don't judge." And give them a wink.
 
TrentL said:
 
I always feel cheap. :)
 
I'm going to get some looks, 6' tall dude with long hair buying panty hose. This could be interesting.
 
I'll make sure to tell the cashier "don't judge." And give them a wink.
Click to expand...
Whatever you say, J. Edgar Hoover. ;)
 
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