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seeds Seed saving on a larger scale

Snarg

Snarg

I am looking for an efficient way to dry a large quantity of seed. Cutting open each pepper, scraping out the seed and drying it on a paper towel is too labor intensive and time consuming. I plan on making a large DIY dehydrator. This may be a dumb question but is seed that has been run through a dehydrator viable seed? Is this how the 'big boys' do it?
 
Thank you for your time.
 
Thank you for the reply. The design calls for a variable type of thermostat on the dehydrator so, theroretically, I can set any temp I want. I plan on keeping it on the low side, between 100 - 105.
 
I would not recommend that even at a lower heat. If you want to really retain the maximum viability, I would simply cut the peppers open and let them dry. Then, when the pods are dried, the seeds come out with ease. Even low heat settings on food dehydrators can really decimate pepper seeds, they are very delicate to temperature.
 
I've heard some run peppers in a blender full of water but have not tried it. Maybe there's a special technique (couple of quick pulses) but it sounds like you risk blending lots of seeds in the process. Maybe I'll give it a try this year with a bunch of jalapeños.
 
Air dried is best.
There are several ways to save seeds/dry them.
A VERY low temp. dehydrator gives viable seeds but over 75 degrees seems to lower germination rates.
 
I guess it depends on what you consider as a large scale and the needs of what you think the market will bare at the price you charge.
 
Only a season or 2 ago supers were sold at any price people would pay.
Powders were sold at VERY high prices...
Seeds still are sold as whatever at stupidly high prices-most are not isolated or stabalized seeds.
BUT the pods looked cool or whatever.Most don't grow true...
 
The market is now flooded with seeds and powders-powders especially.
 
Crosses rule I think because a TON of seeds were from pods people purchases aqnd spread the seeds around from said pods.
 
Grow a cross,say it is whatever and sell it.
 
In general,don't put all your eggs in 1 basket.
 
Better to dry your seeds at as low a temp as possible.
I spread a LOT of seeds around.
For me,cutting pods in half and letting them air dry works best.
Small podded stuff I dry whole.
I NEVER give out seeds from dehydrator dried pods.No matter what the temp. the dehydrator was set at.
 
I set my pods for seeds in front of my air conditioner/fan.
Even Manzano pods dry out with the air blowing over them.
Other pods take 1-2 days mostly.
Easier to mess with dry pods seeds than fresh in my opinion.
 
I germinate seeds all the time from dried pods using a dehydrator. To me, it is no different than nature in many cases were the normal outside temperatures are 95+ as pods fall, rot and become volunteers the following year. I would suspect globally there are countries were seeds are air dried at a very hot temperature, India/Africa come to mind. 
 
You could always buy one of these for mass seed scaling. :)
 
http://www.agemfg.com/history.htm
 
I have taken seeds from the bottom of my dehydrator and had them germinate. I never kept track of the germination rates.
 
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