Cats mixed up my bell pepper and chili seeds!!

[The_Sanctuary]

Hi,

Should I get rid of the whole batch of seeds in my recycled Ferrero Rocher container (kinda like egg cartons but are plastic) that got tampered with by the cats outside? I put it outside for the whole morning and afternoon. I opened the clear plastic box it came in with to let some of the moisture escape, and to clean the container itself to avoid fungi and etc... (Or so I've read is a good precaution.)

And in less than 10 minutes that I was gone a bit to take care of something, I find it already tampered with. Not much soil was spilled, but the seeds were in other holes T___T

Half of the box is bellpepper. And half is chili. Will they end up cross-breeding?? I've read somewhere before that not all cross-breeds are good...

-Stef

And thanks...

[rainbowgardener]

No, they will not cross breed, in this generation. If they were to cross, that would only affect the seeds inside the peppers you get this year. If you were going to save seeds from this year's peppers, it could make a difference for next year.

Since I had this problem myself last year, you will be able to tell them apart once the seedlings are well developed (before they have any peppers). The bell peppers grow faster and have wider, darker green leaves.

[The_Sanctuary]

Because of the pollination? I hope I'll be able to separate the plants before that happens. Or I hope that if they ever cross in the next generation, they'll be tasty...or edible...

Thank you so much for the quick help!!

[imafan26]

Peppers are mainly wind pollinated and I have grown a lot of different peppers together. While it can cross, they have to be the same species. Anuum, chinense, frutescence, or baccatum.