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N00b Question #03

huntsman

huntsman

Regarding the hybridisation of plants:

Surely many of the seeds being swapped between us can no longer be trusted to be pure strains?

From the many threads I've researched, it's clear that most of the folk posting pics and grow logs farm a wide range of species in one place. Once those seeds are harvested and sent to pals all over the world who do the same, passing the resultant seeds on, in a very short time you no longer have a real 'INSERT SPECIES NAME HERE'. :shocked:

This leads me to then surmise that many of you purists will only swap seeds with people you are totally sure of - am I correct? ;)

Or have I misunderstood?
 
I'm not a purist, but...the seeds that I swap are from seeds that I purchased from a reputable vendor. I don't save seeds solely because I can't isolate my plants. Unless I'm mistaken, most people are swapping seeds that were purchased somewhere.
 
(There really are only five species commonly grown, but there are hundreds/thousands of varieties of those species.)

But you got it right, if you keep a lot of different plants you really can't be sure of what your seeds will produce unless you isolate the plants or maybe just a few flowers with an empty teabag or something like that. Even that isn't completely foolproof because those damn insects might find a way in.

Crosses can be fun if you know that they are crosses, but it's no fun to get bastard pods if you've waited for months and months for the first to set fruit.
 
If its important to have pure strains, how do you know a vender is pure? Just grow and have fun! You can always ask the person how they isolated the seeds, but in life, there are no garentees!
 
I agree there is no way to guarantee a pure strain from a vendor. To do that they would have to grow only one type of pepper and make sure there are no other pepper plants within I believe 2 miles, which is the known travel range of bees.
 
I, like Pepperfreak, buy my seeds early from "reputable" suppliers that I am going to trade...

If someone wants seeds from my plants, I tell them they were not isolated...from the seeds I saved from last year of my own crop, all of mine have grown true...

Yes, hybrids are fun and what is more fun to me is when you get a hybrid and the generation you grow is not "typical pod type" for that hybrid...
 
joeknowsjolokia said:
If its important to have pure strains, how do you know a vender is pure?
Click to expand...

There is no guarantee, but if a vendor sells A (s)he better make sure it's A and not B or AxB. Everybody can make a mistake and hardly anyone would take legal actions over a few packs of seeds, but word gets around. Would you send money to Reimer's for example? ;)
 
Cool, so really it's worth asking the sender if the seeds were isolated or not, and specifying same on your seed offer?

Thanks fellas - my eddikayshun continues...;)
 
I seem to get more unknowns or hybrids from purchased seeds than I do from trades, although I've had a lot of bad trades too:(
There are many techniques to improve your chances of pure seeds but complete isolation gives you the best odds.
 
huntsman said:
Regarding the hybridisation of plants:

Surely many of the seeds being swapped between us can no longer be trusted to be pure strains?

From the many threads I've researched, it's clear that most of the folk posting pics and grow logs farm a wide range of species in one place. Once those seeds are harvested and sent to pals all over the world who do the same, passing the resultant seeds on, in a very short time you no longer have a real 'INSERT SPECIES NAME HERE'. :shocked:

This leads me to then surmise that many of you purists will only swap seeds with people you are totally sure of - am I correct? ;)

Or have I misunderstood?
Click to expand...

I only start a few plants of each variety from a purchased seed pack, so I have many left over from the original source to use for trading. I haven't made any trades yet but am looking forward to getting my hands on some scorps and 7 pots to temper my mouth in the 2010 season. :hell:
 
i'm not that bothered about crosses from swaps but i do like to at least get close to the species i was after.
Say i was after a certain chinese and ended up with an annuum i'd be a bit miffed but i would still use the pods.
I don't isolate my plants and nearly all other plants grown from my own seed have grown the same as the parent plant, i know chillies can cross easily but not every single pod on every plant will contain dodgy seeds just because you didn't isolate, sure some will but life is to short for worrying about that!
 
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