"Jim Carlock" wrote:
I bought some D.M. Ferry's Jalapeno M (Hot Flavor) seeds.
The package is stating plant them hot and sweet peppers in
separate areas to prevent cross polination... I wasn't sure
if sweet peppers meant belle peppers or perhaps a sweet
variety of jalapeno.
But cross-pollination should only affect the children--the seeds are
the children--not the fruits and veggies. The seeds are what grow up
to be the next generation of plants. This topics always seems
confusing because you do read different information all over the
place. I can tell you that I have had cayennes, jalapenos, anaheims
and bells growing right next to eachother--so that they grow into
eachother and each has very different fiery-ness. No cross over in
flavors.
This confused me cause corn is talked about very differently. Corn
cross pollinates and many sources say this season's corn will be
different due to cross polination. However I then realized WE EAT THE
SEEDS! Tomatoes, peppers, melons, oranges--we eat the flesh of the
seed container of these. We even avoid the seeds on some. Corn, peas,
beans--we eat ONLY the seeds. So cross polination affects the part we
care about.
Thanks for the information.
--
Jim Carlock
Post replies to the newsgroup.
"Christopher Green" wrote:
(Gary) wrote:
"Jim Carlock" wrote:
Is it true that Jalapeno's can cross breed with belle peppers?
--
Jim Carlock
I would think that if they did cross-polinate, the results would be
seen in the next generation, i.e. in next year's crop that comes from
the seeds from this year's peppers. I'm a far cry from a botanist, so
don't quote me on this.
Gary
That's right, and this is well known to pepper growers. Of the five
commercial species of Capsicum, all but C. pubescens (Andean "apple
chiles") will cross-pollinate, and all of the many varieties of C.
annuum and C.chinense will cross-pollinate especially easily.
If you want seed that will come true in the next crop, you need to
resort to measures such as bagging.
DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
2nd year gardener
http://photos.yahoo.com/ph/royalfrazier/