Seeds for Peppers - How to keep and prepare for next season

[dave103069]

I have a bunch of diffrent varieties of hot peppers that I am growing this year. In past years I have not been successful in keeping seeds to grow for the next season. Can any tell me the proper way and all steps to do this as I would like to grow from my own seeds next year and not have to buy seeds or plants... I have diffrent varieties of extream hot peppers like the ghost pepper, trinadad scorpions, ect.... I would also like to share seeds with other folks to grow as well...

Thank you in advance for any help

[SPierce]

When I saved seed from my own pepper I did the following:

Cut open the top of the pepper and scraped/loosened the seeds from the flesh of the pepper onto a wooden cutting board. I Then transfered the fleshless seeds to a paper towel to try, and left them there overnight. Then put them in a plastic baggy with a label to keep!

I'm sure others have different ways- but it's at least worked for me!

[Ohio Tiller]

I do know you need to start with pure breed plants if you have hybrids they may not produce from their own seeds. And if they do most of the time you will not get what you were exspecting.

I use allot of seeds to grow my starts and all I do is lay them out on paper towels in a cool dry area until they are dry then I seal them in zip lock bags till I need them. I have had 95% germination rates Some of the real big seeds I will vacuum seal to keep them from drying out.

[jal_ut]

One important thing to assure viable seed is to let the fruit get very ripe on the plant before picking it. Otherwise the seed won't be mature and probably won't have a very good germination rate. I would dry it several days or a week before bagging it.

[Francis Barnswallow]

I use allot of seeds to grow my starts and all I do is lay them out on paper towels in a cool dry area until they are dry then I seal them in zip lock bags till I need them. I have had 95% germination rates Some of the real big seeds I will vacuum seal to keep them from drying out.

^That.

[dave103069]

Thank you all for the input... I pretty much did the same the last couple times but as Jal mentioned I may not of had some of them mature enough.. I will give that a shot this year and see what happens. Thanx again for the input.. Hopefully I have some seeds for folks around the sept time frame.. Got lots of goodies this year..
7 POT, 7 POT DOUGLAH(chocolate), BHUT JOLOKIA (ghost pepper) Yellow & Chocolate Bhut's, DEVIL'S TONGUE, FATALII, HABANERO CHOCOLATE, HABANERO RED SAVINA, JAMAICAN HOT CHOCOLATE, NAGA MORICH, TAZMANIAN & TRINIDAD SCORPION