hot peppers for seed next year....

[Gazinga]

can i use seeds from peppers which are green for seed next year? can i let them turn red off teh vine and still have good seed for next year? is it best or does it matter to let them turn red on teh vine for seed use next year?

 

[injunjoe]

I would let the Peppers mature on the plant as long as you can.

 

[obsessed]

I think for the seeds to be viable they need to come from a fully mature pepper. So red or what ever color that may be. You could leave one pepper on til forever and harvest the seed from that pepper!

 

[patandchickens]

It is best to let that fruit(s) hang on the plant as long as possible, ideally til it starts getting to where you would in no circumstances want to *eat* it, and/or falls off and starts to rot a little

You can try getting seeds out of picked, eating-quality peppers, but they may or may not be mature enough so your ability to germinate them next year is less predictable.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[lesa]

I am wondering if that would be the case for harvesting tomato seeds, as well? Do I have to let one almost "rot"?

 

[obsessed]

I am going to say yes! I think maturity is alway important but then again I don't know much and have never saved seed. But I Have killed a ton of seedlings!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[injunjoe]

I don't know much and have never saved seed. But I Have killed a ton of seedlings!!!!!!!!!!!

This has to be the best quote ever!

Joe

 

[patandchickens]

I am wondering if that would be the case for harvesting tomato seeds, as well? Do I have to let one almost "rot"?

Most people and books say that you should let the tomato get fully, totally ripe and then do a coupla-day wet ferment on the seeds/pulp before cleaning, drying and saving them. This is supposed to be necessary to inactivate stuff in the gel that otherwise retards germination.

However, I have to say that although I am not a hardcore seed-saver, I have saved various tomato seeds from year to year, and my mother has been carrying a line of very small cherry tomatoes for about 20 years now, and it has always worked FINE for us to just use fallen overripe tomatoes, wash the seeds and dry right away (no wet ferment) and save. Neither mom nor I have experienced germination rate problems.

Maybe some tomatoes are pickier than others, I dunno Anyhow, it can't HURT to follow standard recommendations. If you are going to cut any corners, though, you want the tomato to be a bit on the old side for eating (and reallllly old ones that have fallen to the ground and gotten missed/lost, those are probably the most convenient ones to save seed from IMO, since they're not good for anything else anyhow and are automatically in the ideal stage for seed saving )

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[digitS']

It's a matter of percentages, anyway.

If you have found an absolutely Best Ever heirloom tomato or pepper at the farmers' market and it is at the peak of eating perfection -- don't hesitate to save the seed.

Let's say that you manage to put the "brakes on" and NOT eat about 20 seeds. If they only have a germination rate of 10%, you should have 2 that germinate.

And . . . you are in the game !!

Steve

edited to say: Heck, if you've dribbled 5 seeds on your shirt and that's all ya got, ya still gotta 50/50 chance! Where else are ya gonna get odds like that ?

 

[bigredfeather]

When I save seeds, I let the fruit(peppers/tomatoes) fully mature. I take the seeds out and put them in a brown paper bag to reduce drying time. I usually let them dry for 2-3 weeks. If the "mother" plant is a hybrid, you may have plants that grow from the saved seeds, but they may not develop fruits. I noticed someone said something about heirloom varities. You will not have this problem heirloom species. Their seeds will always produce fruiting plants.