Growing mulitple varieties in the same greenhouse...

[jesus1987]

Hi all. I'm on a mission to grow at least 5 types of chillies this year (take heed of the at least ) and I have a 2m x 2.5m greenhouse, so I can fit a fair few in there. The problem is when it comes to pollination - how can I help to stop cross-pollination between the types? Many thanks.

[jesus1987]

[saddad]

You can bag the flowers but you only need to do that if you want to save your own seeds. A cross pollination won't affect the pods only the seeds...  :-X

[jesus1987]

Ah, so the actual fruits won't be hybridised? Only the seeds within will be crossed? That's good then. So if I want to retain some seeds to sow next year I need to protect specific flowers that I want to definitely have no cross-pollination?

[saddad]

Yep... that's the sum of it. Bag the one you want to save true seeds from...  :)

[BarriedaleNick]

or let em get polinated and discover a new type of chili!!!

[goodlife]

...it is not definate that they will cross pollinate..so if you only save seeds for your own use you are quite likely to get true to type.
I know this issue been talked about lot and how easily chillies supposed to produce 'mongrels' but I just haven't experienced it yet.
I grow allsorts together and tried time and time again seeds from chillies that wasn't bagged of isolated and everytime I've ended up with true to original fruit.  ::) ;D
I must try to cross pollinate in purpose and see if I'm unluckiest pollinator in the world :-X

[Vinlander]

You don't need to worry about all the species cross-pollinating with each other -  very unlikely with C.baccatum, and there are no known crosses with C.pubescens at all. Both are well worth growing.

There are 3 other species to choose from, though C.annuum, C.chinensis are the standard ones - I've never seen any hard opinion on these crossing so it may be best to isolate them - but it still cuts down a lot of work.

Cheers.

[tai haku]

You don't need to worry about all the species cross-pollinating with each other -  very unlikely with C.baccatum, and there are no known crosses with C.pubescens at all. Both are well worth growing.

There are 3 other species to choose from, though C.annuum, C.chinensis are the standard ones - I've never seen any hard opinion on these crossing so it may be best to isolate them - but it still cuts down a lot of work.

Cheers.

Chinense will cross with both fructescens and annum quite readily as I understand it (one of the very hot indian peppers is a chinense with some fructescens blood in it). baccatum can cross with all 3 I beleive although whether it does without a lot of assistance is another question entirely.

[Bugloss2009]

i know you want to know about chilis not crossing, but if you want to know about crossing, there's a nice chart and pictures here.....
http://www.fatalii.net/growing/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=54

this site has all you need to know about chilis, but i can't guarantee some of it isn't in Finnish  :)

[Joe11]

Thought id post here instead of making a new topic. This year i should have 4 types of chilli and i want to save some seed but not sure how to bag the flowers to stop cross polination! What do you bag them with? And how long do they need covering etc?

Joe

[aj]

You put a little bag over the flower before it opens, and take it off once the flower has dropped off.

You can use little ziplock bags, or muslin squares tied around with string, or there is a method of gluing the flower shut with pva which I am trying this year. The main thing is to mark the peppers so that you know which ones to save the seeds from, so I use white ribbon/rafia from when I buy canes and we both know that it's Seed Saving so only I am allowed to harvest it or else.

[Joe11]

Ah i see, well the muslin sounds good to me, ty aj