Dried pepper seed germination?

lurley · January 3, 2012

I have a question for anyone who may know. I seem to have misplaced my saved seeds for one of my pepper varieties. I really, really need this pepper. The saving grace, maybe, is that I have a whole bag of these peppers that I dried whole, but they were dried in the dehydrator at somewhere between 95 and 130 degrees. Does anyone know if the seeds from these peppers will be viable? I've grown peppers from other kinds of peppers that were dried but I think they were just air dried.
Thanks.

RayR · January 3, 2012

You've got a ton of seed there and there's only one way to find out.

biscgolf · January 4, 2012

what type of pepper is it? someone else on here may have some they can send you.

Boutique Tomatoes · January 4, 2012

My occassionally faulty memory says that viability is supposedly diminished when dehydrated over 118 degrees, but if you have plenty I'd just do the damp paper towel in a baggie somewhere warm and see if you can get some to germinate.

Iva · January 5, 2012

Mark, that's exactly what I was going to suggest. That method is the best for germinating seeds that take longer to germinate than usual or old seed. I use it for hot peppers and eggplants and usualy get germination within a week with the stuborn ones...
Use something really warm to put the baggies on, I put mine on a stone shelf that gets heated by the radiator beneath it. It is really warm to the touch...

mikeinsc · January 5, 2012

Lurley,
You should have no problem germinating most of those seeds. If you can keep the temperature at 80-85F when germinating, that will give you the best chances for Capsicums. Varieties that are C. Annum, Baccatum, etc will germinate quicker than those hotter like C. Chinense. Some Chinense varieites can take up to a month to germinate but most will average 2 weeks. If it is a wild variety such as C. Chacoense or C. Galapagoense can take awhile to germ as well.

What peppers are you looking for? There are a couple of truly reputable chili heads that sell seed that I could point you towards. And, the guys on thehotpepper.com are extremely generous despite the whacked-in-the-headness they all seem to suffer. And I have some of the superhots as well but not so much of the mild types like cherry bombs or jalapenos.

tjg911 · January 5, 2012

i too suggest doing a germination test if you have enough seeds. what variety, i have a lot of different pepper seed.

tom

lurley · January 5, 2012

It's these ones from Calabria, Italy. It took me FOREVER to find them. I found small round ones, smaller (2") pointed ones, but couldn't find these anywhere. I finally got some from a lady who immigrated with her parents who brought seeds with them. I guess they are similar to cayenne but they are not the same. I grew them in isolation because I wanted to be able to share seeds with others who might be looking for the same thing I was, but now I can't find the darn seeds. So I guess next week when I drop the pappy do, and datil seeds I will start some of the seeds from the dried peppers too and see what happens. I have seed starting mats that give bottom heat and that helps with pepper germination significantly. If they germinate well, then I can offer them in February to those that haven't dropped their pepper seeds yet.

mikeinsc · January 5, 2012

I posted the info on TheHotPepper.com for ya. I think there is a better chance of someone there having seed than just about anywhere else.

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/27...an-hot-pepper/

lurley · January 6, 2012

Thank you Mike!

tjg911 · January 6, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeinsc

I posted the info on TheHotPepper.com for ya. I think there is a better chance of someone there having seed than just about anywhere else.

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/27...an-hot-pepper/

that's a great idea they have some really serious pepper people there.

also have you tried seeds of italy? seems the owner is here at tv but i forget who they are and they sell a lot of seeds from italy that probably are not commonly available here is the states.

tom

mikeinsc · January 6, 2012

Someone posted a bit of info on thp.com that might be the same thing. Of course it won't be the same as saving seed from an immigrant but could be the same thing.
Here is a link.
http://www.growitalian.com/pepper-picante-cayenna/

lurley · January 6, 2012

I seeded some of them yesterday and today put 20 on a paper towel in a ziploc bag on top of a germination heat mat, will post back in two weeks to give information on germination totals for anyone else who might have this problem in the future. I saw some peppers still hanging on one of the plants outside that I had pulled, but it has been through so much rain and now snow, who knows what condition the seeds are in.

mikeinsc · January 13, 2012

Lurley,
Have any of the seed begun to show life yet?

lurley · January 13, 2012

they have plumped up but nothing yet....

January 3, 2012	#1
lurley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 741	Dried pepper seed germination? I have a question for anyone who may know. I seem to have misplaced my saved seeds for one of my pepper varieties. I really, really need this pepper. The saving grace, maybe, is that I have a whole bag of these peppers that I dried whole, but they were dried in the dehydrator at somewhere between 95 and 130 degrees. Does anyone know if the seeds from these peppers will be viable? I've grown peppers from other kinds of peppers that were dried but I think they were just air dried. Thanks.

January 5, 2012	#6
mikeinsc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: St. George, SC Posts: 34	Lurley, You should have no problem germinating most of those seeds. If you can keep the temperature at 80-85F when germinating, that will give you the best chances for Capsicums. Varieties that are C. Annum, Baccatum, etc will germinate quicker than those hotter like C. Chinense. Some Chinense varieites can take up to a month to germinate but most will average 2 weeks. If it is a wild variety such as C. Chacoense or C. Galapagoense can take awhile to germ as well. What peppers are you looking for? There are a couple of truly reputable chili heads that sell seed that I could point you towards. And, the guys on thehotpepper.com are extremely generous despite the whacked-in-the-headness they all seem to suffer. And I have some of the superhots as well but not so much of the mild types like cherry bombs or jalapenos. __________________ I am starting a small produce farm. Last edited by mikeinsc; January 5, 2012 at 05:04 PM.

January 5, 2012	#7
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	i too suggest doing a germination test if you have enough seeds. what variety, i have a lot of different pepper seed. tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

January 5, 2012	#9
mikeinsc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: St. George, SC Posts: 34	I posted the info on TheHotPepper.com for ya. I think there is a better chance of someone there having seed than just about anywhere else. http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/27...an-hot-pepper/ __________________ I am starting a small produce farm.

January 6, 2012	#12
mikeinsc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: St. George, SC Posts: 34	Someone posted a bit of info on thp.com that might be the same thing. Of course it won't be the same as saving seed from an immigrant but could be the same thing. Here is a link. http://www.growitalian.com/pepper-picante-cayenna/ __________________ I am starting a small produce farm.

January 3, 2012	#2
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	You've got a ton of seed there and there's only one way to find out.

January 4, 2012	#3
biscgolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 353	what type of pepper is it? someone else on here may have some they can send you.

January 4, 2012	#4
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	My occassionally faulty memory says that viability is supposedly diminished when dehydrated over 118 degrees, but if you have plenty I'd just do the damp paper towel in a baggie somewhere warm and see if you can get some to germinate.

January 5, 2012	#5
Iva Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Slovenia, EU Posts: 249	Mark, that's exactly what I was going to suggest. That method is the best for germinating seeds that take longer to germinate than usual or old seed. I use it for hot peppers and eggplants and usualy get germination within a week with the stuborn ones... Use something really warm to put the baggies on, I put mine on a stone shelf that gets heated by the radiator beneath it. It is really warm to the touch...

January 13, 2012	#14
mikeinsc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: St. George, SC Posts: 34	Lurley, Have any of the seed begun to show life yet? __________________ I am starting a small produce farm.