if I read the web right, I will need to let pepper turn red on the vine before I harvest the seeds?

Hi Carol -- I would think so, since red (or purple, maybe) is ripe for the jalapenos. Is that an OP variety? if it's a hybrid, you likely won't get plants exactly like the parent in the 2nd generation, but they could be close.

@weedwhacker
Hi sandy, they said it was heirloom. I'm not sure what OP is?
I have four or five nice large ones on the plant in my patio GH so I will pick the biggest two and let them turn red before I make salsa and save the seeds. Will be interesting to see how they come out. They really are huge, like 4 or 5 inches long--mammoth they are called.

OP = open pollinated.

Karen

kqcrna said:OP = open pollinated.

Karen

Do they need to be fermented, like tomato seeds?

They do not need to be fermented like tomato seeds.
Just make sure to allow the pepper to fully mature on the vine; I wait until it starts to look wrinkled. Then just cut away the flesh (reserve it for cooking) and scrape the seeds onto a paper plate and allow to fully dry.
(Please wear gloves!)

dorab said:Do they need to be fermented, like tomato seeds?

I would not ferment seed, nor float them for filled seeds. Pepper seed needs to be combed onto a plate and thoroughly air dried.

I would not use a dehydrator nor an oven to dry seed.

Store dried seed out of direct sunlight and away from an exterior wall, in paper.

Thanks. I brought my pot of jalapenos inside in the fall, and never used them all. They're probably hybrids, but I was thinking of planting them.

I am laughing at my little knowledge because apparently not only do I not know about peppers I also don't know about tomato seeds. Fermenting seeds? I will have to google that. I was planning to just scrape the seeds out of a couple cherry tomatoes ripening on an Heirloom bush and let them dry. Hum. More learning. Hahah.

I am laughing at my little knowledge because apparently not only do I not know about peppers I also don't know about tomato seeds. Fermenting seeds? I will have to google that. I was planning to just scrape the seeds out of a couple cherry tomatoes ripening on an Heirloom bush and let them dry. Hum. More learning. Hahah.

I guess most of us know that fermenting seeds for tomatoes is best, but just tossing them into the compost pile seems to work pretty well also.

There is a gel sac around each tomato seed which contains growth inhibitors. Fermenting removes this gel sac.

Years ago, I was taught by an old Italian woman who spoke no English how to save tomato seeds. She used few words, just did a step by step process, showing me how to clean the tomato seeds. She showed me how to shake the jar of seeds and water each day as the fermentation was happening. I had no clue why this was all so necessary, but I was not gonna argue with her.

@greene google found a pretty good article on how to do this. Glad it was mentioned in this post -- since I had no idea and I'm getting ready to harvest tomato seeds.

@Seedfork you're right about the compost pile -- I added some compost I'd been making to a flower pot this fall and a little tomato sprung up. It's now in the greenhouse with a small tomato and several blossoms.

Ecscuba said:I am laughing at my little knowledge because apparently not only do I not know about peppers I also don't know about tomato seeds. Fermenting seeds? I will have to google that. I was planning to just scrape the seeds out of a couple cherry tomatoes ripening on an Heirloom bush and let them dry. Hum. More learning. Hahah.

Fermenting tomato seed is easy. Squeeze out gel (with seeds) into a bowl or pail, let it get contact with air. A scum of white-ish foam will form. Rinse and discard floating seed. Insas much as most seed get saved at the hight of summer, it should only take a few days for scum to form.

Very small amounts of collected gel, or gel collected late in the season sometimes fail to form a scum. Bring them indoors and let them ferment where it is warm.

Dry your rinsed seed on a paper plate (or coffee filter) till BONE dry. Store in paper till you are very familiar with what dry seed is.

@coppice thank you