TIA!
Seed Saving/Cross Pollination
If you want to save heirloom pepper seeds, do you bother isolating the flowers? Peppers are supposed to be self-pollinating, but I'm sure the bumblebees will be all over the place. I don't have any hot peppers to worry about, but I don't particularly want CalWonder to cross with the hybrid. (ETA - I should probably change my userpic!)
TIA!
TIA!
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applestar
- Mod
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- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
Peppers are apparently notoriously promiscuous -- more so than tomatoes -- and its best to bag floral trusses for any you want to save if you (or your neighbors) are growing other varieties that could cross with it. Bag unopened floral truss with tull party favor bag or muslin spice bag, tightening the draw string snugly, then shake or buzz with electric toothbrush when the blossoms open to ensure pollination. As soon as the petal dry up. You can take off the bag (and pinch off any immature flower buds or open blossoms on the same truss to avoid confusion. Tag the blossom and ensuing fruit to mark it.
It's best to bag when humidity and temperature are not extreme that the bag can exacerbate the blossom drop conditions, same reason to remove the bag after blossom has set fruit.
It's best to bag when humidity and temperature are not extreme that the bag can exacerbate the blossom drop conditions, same reason to remove the bag after blossom has set fruit.
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KitchenGardener
- Senior Member
- Posts: 274
- Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:30 pm
- Location: Northern California; Hardiness Zone 10a, Climate zone: 17
Great guidance, especially the party favor bag idea!applestar wrote:Peppers are apparently notoriously promiscuous -- more so than tomatoes -- and its best to bag floral trusses for any you want to save if you (or your neighbors) are growing other varieties that could cross with it. Bag unopened floral truss with tull party favor bag or muslin spice bag, tightening the draw string snugly, then shake or buzz with electric toothbrush when the blossoms open to ensure pollination. As soon as the petal dry up. You can take off the bag (and pinch off any immature flower buds or open blossoms on the same truss to avoid confusion. Tag the blossom and ensuing fruit to mark it.
It's best to bag when humidity and temperature are not extreme that the bag can exacerbate the blossom drop conditions, same reason to remove the bag after blossom has set fruit.