Probably be better in the peppers forum: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/pepper/

Rowan

Hi vegangurl20,
I've read (can't remember where now) that peppers will easily cross-pollinate and that the cross will more likely take on the hot-ness of the hotter pepper. Also saw the following comment:

"Peppers are usually cross pollinated by insects, and must be isolated by at least 500 feet or be physically isolated from other peppers plants with an impenetrable barrier such as Remay or Tufbell PVA."

If you do use a physical barrier, you will have to take on the role of the insects and pollinate them yourself. I brought my lemon tree indoors for the winter and it started to bloom. I've read that a paint brush is effective to manually pollinate the flowers, so I used that to spread the pollen around. I'm a newbie too at understanding how this cross-pollination works, so I'm hoping I did it right. I hope this helps!

I have also hear that heat is a dominate trait. Bag them before they open with tulle or reemay and try a paint brush or Q-tip.

My husband is a pepper nut. He says peppers are self-pollinators, and I know he grows sweet bells right along side the Habaneros, in the same beds even.

The sweet bells are sweet as can be, and everything else is hotter than h*ll! He likes them like that. The bells are mine, and I don't eat anything hot and spicy.

Janie

Peppers, both hot and sweet, are self-pollinators but will happily cross-pollinate as well. Bagging works fine though if the plants are grown in a windless environment like a hoop house, a bit of a shake now and then will help dislodge the pollen so that it can do its job. Hand pollination shouldn't be necessary.

look at the flowers. peppers with like flowers will cross.