You can collect "good" seed when the pods are fully ripe. In this case, when they're bright red. You can leave ripe pods on the plant for a couple of weeks without ill effect.

I slice and scrape seed onto a paper towel or coffee filter and place them in an area where there is some air flow (not enough to blow them off a counter or table though). Depending on humidity it can take a week or two to properly dry them. Once dry, I store mine in labeled paper coin envelopes in a cool, dry dark location.

Thanks!!

So I should store them in paper then? Thanks for that tip. I will put them in an envelope too.

So then you think those red ones have good seeds?

I dry seeds on a paper towel for a few days, and then I place them into individual little plastic baggies that I label with a sharpie. Type/date/source.

This hobby can become addictive.

You are 100% correct Calcat. I had no idea what I was getting into when I started. My wife and I love spicy food. We saw a show about the bhut jolokia, and decided we should grow it. I purchased some seeds, and then was lucky enough to find this place. Thanks to ottawapepper,smokemaster,romy6, and a few others, my 1 plant has turned into almost 40. My wife is upset because she can't use the back deck(it's covered with pepper plants), and I keep finding new peppers I want to grow next year. I have so many peppers this year, I took some to a local produce stand. I have no idea if I'll make any money. I just dropped them off and told him to sell them if he could. I just hated the idea of wasting peppers. I have so many pods, but I'm still learning what to do with them. I'm trying to find recipes for hot sauces,marinades,etc. I'm just amazed at how much I enjoy watching them grow and produce. I think pepper seeds should come with a warning label......"Caution: Growing peppers can develop into an extreme addiction which can take over your life. Proceed with caution!". Good luck.

Tim

That's funny Tim! Now you need to hit Wallyworld and get a dehydrator. Turn some of those pods into powder! It lasts longer and you will get yourself hooked on ANOTHER hobby. I found this place by searching for specific issues with my plants. These threads kept popping up, so here I am too. This site is overwhelming me with all of the subject areas.

Good luck to you to!

~Cal

Oh yeah, a dehydrator is a must. When you get enough pods to literally bury someone in, being able to dehydrate them and grind them all into a nice powder lets you store entire season's worth in a couple of bottles.

Plus they're extra fun if you go to a pizza place and replace the paprika with bhut powder... >;)

(Warning: Do not try the above, it would likely be considered assault with a deadly weapon or poison by the local authorities.)

Agreed! (surprisingly with everyone here, lol)
The Master Gardener - Definitely wait till they turn bright red. I bought a box of 100 coin envelopes and stuffed them with seeds last year. I made about 10 of each variety with 15-20 seeds, then I put all the rest in a bigger envelope for my personal "head stash" I use small paper plates to dry them, so i can write directly on the plate and keep track. Then, I try to subside my guilt of using paper products by spreading my pepper seeds all over the world.
The dehydrator is a great idea, I just got one and it alleviated my harvest stress of having too many peppers and not enough time or will to handle them. Knowing I can always dehydrate them is a relief and making my own chile powder and paprika is fun. When you're rehydrating your peppers in January to make some spicy pozole or chili, you will be glad you invested in a dehydrator. (Also you can dry your chile seeds in the dehydrator and plant them next year!

Here is a link that might be useful: PEPPERMEISTER's Just the Tip: Seed Savers Edition

I would be careful if putting the dried seeds in little plastic bags as Calcat36 does. It will be a good system provided there is no moisture left in the baggie. If there is, your seeds will likely mold and rot. Just a precaution. Conversely, it protects them from humidity if they are dry and in baggies instead of paper. Just something to keep in mind when deciding how to store your seeds.
Bruce

Thanxs esox07, but as I typed, the seeds are completely dry before I package them. I've kinda been doing it this way for a while, and I buy/trade seeds from/with reputable dealers/pepper fanatics who package them the very same way, and I have never had an issue with them either. I also do this to commercial seeds that I buy. Out of the envelope and into the baggie! The only problem would be if the baggie had an undetectable hole and let moisture in, but if you have experience with the baggies, you would be able to tell if there were a hole. At the end of the season, all my seeds get vacuum sealed and placed in a dark closet.

I guess I could throw desiccant in there to be extra-super, secret-squirrel safe, however, I have never had an issue with humidity or seeds rotting. Paper, in humid environments, will wick moisture. That's why Burpee uses foil envelopes in paper packaging. Just something to keep in mind when deciding how to store your seeds.

......extra-super, secret-squirrel safe. I can't imagine anything safer than that. You have to watch out for those "secret squirrels". I hear some of them are trained to be ninjas........true story! :)

Tim

If squirrels had machine guns, this would be a whole different world! Nice pic, loading pellet gun....

Calcat36. I store my seeds in glass test tubes sealed with a stopper and a small desicant pack inside. I found a source that was pretty reasonable for the supplies. So far, so good. I just make sure the seeds are fully dried before putting in the test tubes.
Bruce

Guess I just go the ghetto route, but the results are the same, and once again, as I typed, my seed stock is fully DRIED OUT before packaging. Just like yours. I'm sorry that the baggie system seems to offend you somehow. Yet coin envelopes did not draw your attention... So far, so good here too. I prefer to use supplies readily available at Wallyworld that a majority of seed savers can relate to and acquire OTC. Not to mention ship easily. Test tube + Bubble Mailer = Fail.

Enjoy your glass test tubes, stoppers, and desiccant packs Bruce! Go with what you know!

I store my seeds in those small plastic ziplock craft bags, but I add a rectangle of napkin in there to serve both as a label and as a cheap desiccant. I also make sure to press as much of the air out of the bags as I can before I seal them.

Had some bags for a couple years now down here in the south, haven't had any issues with them so far.

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I just was justing thinking; I can't save the seeds because the plants were by other varieties so they wont be any good.

Calcat:
Your method in no way offends me. I just chimed in with my method. I pointed out the problem with the sealed plastic bag only because I had some go moldy a year ago in one. I just tried to emphasize that having fully dried seeds is a must. I remember a post from one guy who simply pulled his seeds out of the pods without drying them and his whole stash went bad not knowing he was supposed to dry them.

If you took offense to my post. I apologize. I don't try to start arguments on this list.
Bruce

MasterGardener: Read about the bag method. If you are still getting flowers, you can bag them to ensure self pollination. Then save the seeds only from the bagged fruit.

Aw, Thanks Capoman. I still do have time to do that. Thanks very much :)

esox, I do not wish to argue. I clearly stated that my seeds were completely dry before putting them up. I have never had a moldy bag of seeds because I pay attention to what I do knowing the consequences. You could have made your point about your baggie fears without singling me out. Besides, seeds can rot in your test tubes too....

Again, Great job with the test tube/cork stopper method. Again, coin envelopes are much more susceptible to humidity and you did not address that issue.

The first thing I thought of when you went all test tube on me in your post was Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew from the Muppets.

Sorry to single you out as clearly many people use the plastic bags. Just was worried a rookie might not dry them enough before hand. Kind of like I did a couple years back.
I never watched much of the muppets even though they were my generation so I don't get the reference there.
Bruce

No problem esox. Once again, I posted that I completely dried the seed stock. And once again, even in your test tubes, with desiccant, if you do not dry the seeds properly, you will get mold. And you are the first one I have ever heard of that does the whole test tube thing. Kinda Frankenstein-ish! But whatever works for you!

This link may help you out a bit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaker_%28Muppet%29

It sounds like Calcat really wants Bruce to lay into those coin envelope hooligans.

Let's just embrace the fact that we can come to a place like this and discuss in heated debates the proper seed storage method for peppers. Seriously, who else wants to hear read this nonsense except us chile-psychos?

Bruce your method of the beakers sounds awesome. I am jealous, I would feel like Bruce Banner working in the genetics lab getting ready to turn green and smash anyone who claims his seeds contain moisture.

Cal, you can be the guy who accuses Bruce Banner of singling him out.

OK> The topic is "Saving Seeds". Obviously here at Hot Pepper forum it implies "Pepper Seeds"

The Story:
I am planning to grow few peppers next year. Therefore I would need SEEDS. Other than searching the net and asking friends in this forum(thanks to Tim, prppernovice), I have been collecting and saving few seeds from store and Farmers Market bought peppers. Most of those pepper pods that I bought were not fully ripen and matured on the vine. Actually some of them were still green, with just a hint of red color.

Case In point:
I bought some SHISHITO from Asian market. I let some better ones to turn red on the counter and then saved seed. Then there were some fully green pods that they did eventually turned red.
I did a test germination on them.(seeds from green store bought, turned red on the counter).
SURPRISE ! they are germinating in less than 7 days. Now this gives some confidence that the rest of the seeds that I saved from almost red/ripe store boughts will also germinate.

They include:
Manzano, serrano, thai, fresno, pepperoncini, Thai, Chilaca, cascabel, Cubanelle,

I have come to believe that after certain stage(when a pepper is matured in size and the seeds are full size), those seeds get their nutrients from the pod and do not need any help from the plant.
Have I proved my case ?

I have the little plastic bags and just dry the seeds on a paper towel for a few days before popping them in.

I am amazed at the different amounts of seeds my peppers produce and wondering if this is normal.

My orange habanero, trididad scorpions all gave what I would think is a reasonable amount of seeds per pod but the Devil's Tongue - if I could get 8 out of one pod, that is really something!

Just my plants or typical?

just curious
Lori

Devils Tongue is pretty stingy. My St. Peters are even more stingy. OTOH, the little Twilights and Black Pearls have more and larger seeds in their tiny little pods. It's just the way things are.

Dennis

P.S. I use baggies. Unless someone happens to leave a box of test tubes around...

To save pepper seeds is much easier than saving tomato seeds. I spread them on paper towel and let it air for about a week or so. Then I wrap in a piece o paper towel, put it in a tiny ziplock, label it and store in the frig. With smaller ornamentals, I would just store the whole pod.

If you go to a hobby store and get silica powder put it in a plastic tub with a lid you can put your seeds on a paper plate place on top of the silica for a week with lid on. Your seeds will be so dry you ca freeze them with no ill effect .Doing this extends there life by years. Its how seed banks do it.Seeds last many years if stored cold but they must be dry enough to not split from freezing.Seeds can be fine this way even 5 years down the road.Any moisture and your done They have a moisture content % they go by when freezing seed

That's interesting pepperdave, I had never heard of that.

Earlier this year I bought a mini fridge which I keep at 37-38 *F for purposes of storing seed. Stores them cold with no risk of freezing.

I have a little weather station with the thermometer inside and a wireless receiver with a readout sitting on top of the fridge.

Alex, it sounds like you are well on your way to the test tube stage. LOL. Hate to pick on you Bruce, but i think Calcat's got ya. Baggies are more popular. I have never been able to find coin encelopes locally to try but i would also be concerned with the paper maybe drawing moisture. I think it was Alex that uses a nice little wax paper envelope. I would try those if i could find them. I bought condiement containers this year to dry seed in, 8 for a buck at family dollar. Pitch the lids and label with masking tape. And for larger quanities they have clear plastic bowls 4 for a buck. I leave mine dry till all collecting is done + 2 weeks then put in baggies. I have been adding a pinch of rice lately. Not sure if it helps or not. Whatever you use, just make sure they are dry and stay dry

STORING IN THE FRIG:

If your container(bottle, plastic bag) is tightly closed it will remain unchanged. But if the container is NOT sealed or it is a paper bag, the seeds will continue to get drier and drier. Actually, you can dry seeds in paper bag(lunch bag) in the frig(on the shelf). Refrigerator air is VERY low in relative humidity. That is why you have veggies section. Even there I have seed carrots almost dried.

Seysonn - sounds like you need to clean out your fridge a little more often. LOL. How long do you let carrots sit in there? I leave most out that i plan on using. Sometimes vacuum seal and freeze if i don' t plan on growing them anytime soon.

I prefer the baggie method over paper due to the security of the resealable tops and have never had an issue with moisture. Some of these seeds have been stored for 8 years. Also love these containers.

The seed saving subject has been brought up many times. I have saved seeds from not ripe peppers and have had good luck with them, it is not usually how I save my seeds but it does work. Have you ever saved seed from a green Jalapeño you bought from the store? 100% germ. in most grows.

Seysonn - sounds like you need to clean out your fridge a little more often. LOL
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
From time to time I miss one. LOL
The point was/is that frig air is very low in moisture and the cold air circulates and removes the moisture, That is why any seed stored in frig, in paper bag will get bone dry.

Frig seed storage is not something necessary. You can do it in your garage too. But for 30, 40 seed packets,(all put in a bag) it is a convenience.