Growing Chillies - Freezing seeds
 

Hello, names Gil - New visitor

After a succesful attempt at growing chillies (spell it any way you like)
last year I am now quite proud of my home made tabasco. Emboldened by this
success I have bought several varieties of exotic chillies for next year
including some mind blowing Chocolate Habaneros. I am quite clear about the
need for heat, light, etc. What I am not sure about was that amongst the
notes sent by the seed supplier was a suggestion that the seeds could be put
in the fridge for a few months until ready to start the planting in March or
April.

Any thoughts on this idea? Should I open the packet and try it with some ?
Am I already too late to do this?

Some of the seeds are marked as pre treated, others not.

Thanks for any comment.

Gil

Growing Chillies - Freezing seeds
 

In article , Gil2
eserve.co.uk writes
Hello, names Gil - New visitor

After a succesful attempt at growing chillies (spell it any way you like)
last year I am now quite proud of my home made tabasco. Emboldened by this
success I have bought several varieties of exotic chillies for next year
including some mind blowing Chocolate Habaneros. I am quite clear about the
need for heat, light, etc. What I am not sure about was that amongst the
notes sent by the seed supplier was a suggestion that the seeds could be put
in the fridge for a few months until ready to start the planting in March or
April.

Any thoughts on this idea? Should I open the packet and try it with some ?
Am I already too late to do this?

There are two reasons to use the fridge

1) the seed requires the experience of a 'winter' before it will
germinate. Therefore you sow the seed (or mix it with damp sand) and put
it in the fridge for a few weeks before bringing it out into normal
temperatures. This is not going to be required for chillies.

2) seed viability declines with age, but as with most foodstuffs it
keeps fresher longer in cool temperatures. therefore storage in the
fridge is useful. In this case you keep the packet *unopened* until you
are ready to plant. Any seeds you have left over can go back into the
fridge, still in the packet, but until you are ready to plant, you'll
keep the seeds freshest by not opening the packet.
--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm

Growing Chillies - Freezing seeds
 

The message
from Kay Easton contains these words:

2) seed viability declines with age, but as with most foodstuffs it
keeps fresher longer in cool temperatures. therefore storage in the
fridge is useful. In this case you keep the packet *unopened* until you
are ready to plant. Any seeds you have left over can go back into the
fridge, still in the packet, but until you are ready to plant, you'll
keep the seeds freshest by not opening the packet.

Hmmmm. I've got some (whole) scotch bonnets in the freezer - I wonder
what the chance is of any of those seeds being viable?

I'll try some anyway, and report later.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/