Cut the peppers open and plant the seeds, no need to wait. Then if the peppers have not spoiled eat them.

Mark

That was how I got my first habaneros started. I just went to the grocery store on a day they actually had them in stock, bought some habanero peppers, cut them open, removed the seeds, put the seeds directly into the ground, and away they went!

Of course, be aware that if you start with seeds from a hybrid plant then what you get may not be what you sowed.

As far as how long it takes to get fruit, you'd need to be more specific about what kind of peppers you are growing. The amount of time it takes can vary a lot depending on the pepper. As a general rule of thumb it seems like hot peppers tend to be slower starters than sweet peppers. But there's a lot of variation.

Do dried (not smoked) chiles work similarly well? Lots of Mexican grocers around here and they have bulk dried chiles of varying kinds. I'm going to try them anyway, but I thought I'd ask. I got Pulla, chile de arbol, guajillo, and something they called chile pocle, which I understand just means dried (or smoke dried sometimes) chiles so I'm not sure what kind they are. Looks like small cayennes. They had others that I already have, but I'll keep them in mind for the next round of planting.

Naturally dried would be OK, but if they were dried with hot air (like a dehydrator) then it would really depend on how hot they got...

Sometime dried seeds do work, as mbellot says.. depends on how they were dried. Never hurts to try though.

The fresher the seeds, the easier to sprout. Provided they are fully matured and viable. have got half of my pepper seeds from store bough fresh peppers. But I did not plant them right away. But it does not matter. Sometimes pepper seeds sprout inside the mother pepper.

Thank you.

Be fore warned,buying dry pods from popular vendors does not
allow cheaper sow-able seeds.
They dry with high heat and cook the seeds,they will not grow.
Dehydrated seeds fair much better in my experience using them.
"Buying",buy a good mix of fresh pods from the vendor to get you started with different variety(s)

Also be advised you must grow "isolated" to ensure strain purity
Please do not clutter the hobby by passing on seeds that are not truly legit.Ive been on the receiving end of this as well.

Plenty of great people here on GW can and do help above and beyond

end of rambling . . . . Welcome to GW.

Is it such a danger (or threat or else) to be on the receiving end of seeds not truly legit.? I mean what can happen if the seeds have been cross pollinated apart from being Genetically different from the original? Does it become a GMO seed?

Please excuse me for my lack of knowledge. I am very new to the field of gardening.

There are GM peppers out there. Mostly Bells, in a lot of country's they must be labeled as such Not in the US though.
When you collect seed from these peppers isolation will not
Fix this. Monsanto has there hands in a lot of vegetables we eat . In fact the newest craze in spring mix is GM lettuce. Its not on the label

My goal was growing peppers for my own and friends' consumption, not to save seed and pass along. I'm not a seed saver. I'm not opposed to the idea, just don't do it myself.

I doubt mine came from popular vendors like the bags you find on a peg rack. Mine came out of milk crates with black plastic bags lining them. I do have a bag of Melissa's Bhut's, but I'm not hopeful they'll grow. The others, I'm pretty hopeful. Also trying Pequins from a bulk pack found at Buford Farmer's Market in Atlanta. Those will open your sinuses and clear out your tear ducts! :-)

> "Also be advised you must grow "isolated" to ensure strain purity. Please do not clutter the hobby by passing on seeds that are not truly legit.Ive been on the receiving end of this as well."

Good advice FOR A COMMERCIAL GROWER.

We are hobbyists. Accidental cross-pollination occurs rarely, and when it does we just say, "Hey that doesn't look like what I planted." and go on to the next plant. In fact, sometimes accidental crosses are entertaining as in St. Peter or those cayapenoes. And as we are discovering they are rarely viable past F1.

> "seeds [that] have been cross pollinated ... a GMO seed? "

NO, hybrids are not GMO. Genetic manipulation is done through gene splicing or interfering in mitosis. Hybridization is a natural process.

Dennis