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seeds What makes pepper seeds worth saving?

4

4dblnkldude

I've learned alot reading up on this forum! I did a search and learned how to save the seeds somewhat properly and wanted to gather some at the end of the season and give them away to anybody on this board. But what makes a pepper so special that you should save the seeds or does that matter? I don't get into the whole genetics, cross breeding or anything like that, so I'd feel bad if someone got a seed they were unhappy with.
I've never planted from seed, I don't have room and my pepperlings usually just get bought from CCN. I have a few superhots now so is it the size, heat level, color, or all of these?
So lets eloborate on this, any tips or constructive guidance to a hobbyist that wants to give a little back. Thank you in advance.
 
It depends on personal preference or if said pepper has a general mutation. I remember brian something had a trinidad scorpion i think thatbha spikes. He saved the seeds and grew it out again but im not sure how that went.

My fried found an amazing cross for hot sauces. Douglah heat, black pod, but sweet and tasty notbitter like how a douglah normally is.

If its unique to you, grow it again or sell it or even better give it away to spread the love with some sasbe's. :D
 
Any kind of plant. I save seeds from plants with vigor and lotsa flowers.
Peppers vary too much to worry about heat, color, shape or size. There are too many variables in soil, light intensity, temperatures, humidity....the list goes on. If it's a clean tough plant the seed is worth saving.
You can send all the seed you want and I'll never get a Vidalia like in Vidalia, GA nor a good Idaho 'tater and I can send you lettuce and tomato seed you'll never be able to reproduce it identical to mine.....unless you're in Maui, Colombia or Guatemala.
Just like dogs. Forget "pretty", look at health and structure.
 
I always choose the best looking pods for my seeds (I toss TS' that don't have a tail for example). That's a rather subjective way to go about it, heh. I have certain things I look for. However, it may not matter that much. It's best to save fully ripened seeds.
 
Mostly it's about the adventure of seeing a seed grow into a podding plant...like climbing a mountain because it's there
 
I save seeds because I'm a cheapskate. If you have a few healthy plants it's not hard to save thousands of seeds. Check what it costs to buy only a dozen different pepper seeds in a quantity of 1000. Burpee for example wants $4 for 100 seeds for something inexpensive like Jalapenos but let's suppose you get a volume discount and it's $10 for 1000 seeds. You'll never get superhots that cheap at retail but even so... 12 types x $10 a pack = $120. I pose this example with the idea that your seeds are going to be viable for a few years if stored properly, since most non-farmers aren't going to need 1000 seeds otherwise.
 
Re: Your worry about sending seeds to someone on this forum and them not being happy with them. I send seeds to people when I get my act together (I owe some to some really nice people!) BUT, I let them know in advance a) where my stock came from, and b) that I do NOTHING to isolate my plants to make sure their seed stock is "pure".

Where my stock came from is important because my own source may not be "pure". I'm fairly confident that the plants I get from CCN are good. However, if someone sends me pods to try and I don't know their growing conditions, but save the seeds because I liked the pods, I have no basis for telling anyone anything other than that.

Some people here just want an easy way to try a variety they haven't tried before, even if it ends up being a cross. Others are "purists." Yeah, I double-quoted "pure", because many peppers cross so easily, I don't know that a 100% truly "pure" pepper of any type exists any more. When I talk with someone who asks about seeds, I let them know what the facts are, then let them make a decision for themselves.

That said, I primarily save my seeds for my own use. As noted above, it's less expensive, and since I'm clearly not a purist, it doesn't matter to me if the results are crosses.
 
First, there is always room to grow from seed. You don't need to have an elaborate setup or a ton of room, just a little space will do. There are tons of threads dedicated to ghetto grows.

Second, I save seeds from anything that looks like I think it should, or looks like I think it shouldn't. Let me explan.

Looks like it should. The perfect looking pods from my plants (TS with the pointy tail and blocky body, Primo all twisted and gnarly, etc) gets saved. If I would want to grow the quintessential "insert variety" then they have great chances of coming from those pods.

Looks like it shouldn't. These are my annamollies. These are pods that aren't just a little off (a TS with a pushed in tail, or curly Bhut) but something that is just plain wrong (TS with no shit spikes, brain strain with a definite tail, yellow Jolokia Chocolate grown from seeds that I pulled from BJ choc seeds last season). This always gives me an opportunity to find something new or exciting.

I would save seeds you like and stuff that is interesting, start a few (not all, you can still use CCN, I do, and trade for other varieties you like).

Happy growing!
 
Hmmmm. Good question.
I haven't saved any superhots yet---as they aren't podding yet, but intend to save selected seeds out of my current and next season grow.
1st, every plant that grows worthy will get at least one branch "hillbilly isolated" so ,if the pods are worthy, I can grow them again.
2nd, if some worthy plants have characteristics I would like to blend, I'll do a frankenpepper or 2 on select flowers.
That entails a commitment to a bunch of planting, and careful manipulation for several generations.

(I have no experience with crossing peppers, but in a former life a few decades ago, I have crossed and perfected several strains of "other" things.)

Everyone likes free seeds sometimes, but be sure to tell them they are open pollinated, if you haven't isolated them.

Not a ding on OP, around 1/2 my stock for next year is such.
Make your own choices on what to save, some like pure strain, some like vigor, some like heat, some like looks------some like to be surprised.
 
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