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What do you look for when saving seeds

FreeportBum

FreeportBum

I am growing a few Butch t's and would like to save some seed to grow next year. Should I save seeds from the first peppers to turn ripe? from the plant that has the most peppers? only from one's with the scorpion tails? any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Save seeds based on the plants you want your next plants to look like. The pods can be all spikey and twisted but if the seeds are just regular seeds. They have nothing to do with the pod shape and color (given normal circumstances). So IMO your better off picking seeds form a pod that was on the plant that produced the most scorpion tailed pods if you want tails in the future than picking one pod with a long tail from a plant that had very few tailed pods.. Also, let the pods fulyl ripen to get mature viable seeds.
 
Selective breeding is done when you harvest seeds from a pod that you want your future pods to look like, taste like, and exhibit the same heat. You should select the best looking pod (in your opinion) and wait until it is fully ripened, then harvest seeds from that pod. Take plant growth habits into account, however, you need to select a pod based on your desire. If you want tails, then select a pod that has the baddest, gnarliest tail you can find, and pull seeds from that.

A lot of growers here do that. Keep in mind, you may get a cross if you are not isolating, but most of the time that is just an added bonus.
 
MGOLD86 said:
Selective breeding is done when you harvest seeds from a pod that you want your future pods to look like, taste like, and exhibit the same heat. You should select the best looking pod (in your opinion) and wait until it is fully ripened, then harvest seeds from that pod. Take plant growth habits into account, however, you need to select a pod based on your desire. If you want tails, then select a pod that has the baddest, gnarliest tail you can find, and pull seeds from that.

A lot of growers here do that. Keep in mind, you may get a cross if you are not isolating, but most of the time that is just an added bonus.
Click to expand...

but the pod is based on the parent plants and the seeds are based on the current plant (which all pods have genes from) and then the pollen donor plant
 
It doesn't matter. Save seeds from the POD you wish to mimic. If it is a crappy plant then don't save seeds, but if it is a good plant, then pick the pod you wish to replicate. You cannot control crosses without isolation, and there is no way you will know until the following season. But let's say you want a tail, and decide to save seeds from an isolated pod without a tail. That pod is on a plant with tons of pods and you just pick one because it is a hearty plant. But you want to breed for a tail. Chances are you aren't gonn get a tail l, unless there is a mutation or a cross.

Bottom line, look at your plants pick a good one to selectively breed from and pick the best looking pod that you wish to mimic in further seasons. Take a photo for tracking and make notes.

And I would keep seeds from an especially gnarly pod, even if the plant is a poor producer. Just make sure not to mix them with the others.
 
For best results choose a flower on a plant you like the looks of the pods on before the flower blooms and using a fine fabric cover either the individual flower or branch the flower is on to prevent insects\bees from getting in and let it pollinate -- a couple days after it blooms remove the cover and mark the area so you can remember which pod you isolated then when ripe use that pod for your seeds. (Pretty much the same way you do the Giant Pumpkins but using a fabric cover instead of just covering the flowers due to the size of the flower. )
 
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