The giant fruits of imported paprika from the supermarket attract the attention of gardeners in a special way. But in addition to the taste, gardeners are also interested in the possibility of growing the same pepper from the seeds of the store-bought fruit.
Of course, you can experiment, but will the plant repeat the maternal qualities?
Collecting seeds correctly
- It is worth choosing seeds only from thick-walled large fruits that are free of defects and damage from diseases. The selected specimen should not be greenish. Fruits of biological maturity are suitable for collecting seeds. In this case, germination will be maximum.
- The selected specimens need to be ripened for about a week in a warm, dry place so that they dry out a little. When the skin becomes flabby and the fruit softens, you can begin to select the seeds.
- The finished pepper is cut around the stem and the seed pod is removed.
Testing seeds
After the main selection stage, the seeds need to be calibrated, since it is the full-fledged material that will produce good harvests.
- For the test, you need to prepare an aqueous solution with salt (10 g of salt per 0.5 l of water).
- Pour salt water into a glass, add seeds and stir gently.
- After waiting 3 minutes, remove everything that floats to the surface - such seeds are most likely underdeveloped.
- Next, drain the water, wash the seeds that have fallen to the bottom of the glass and put them on a plate to dry. These are quality seeds, suitable for sowing. They usually ripen in 1.5-2 weeks.
How to store before sowing
It is best to distribute well-dried seeds into paper bags and store them in a cool, dark place without excessive moisture.
This microclimate works to preserve germination. Under normal conditions, seeds will not lose quality, even after lying for 5 years, but fresh one- or two-year-old seeds germinate optimally.
Reviews from summer residents
Preparing seeds for bell peppers is a simple procedure that is feasible even for inexperienced gardeners.
Unlike tomatoes and cucumbers, pepper seeds are easier to collect. But whether to sow them is everyone's choice.
Unfortunately, the result here can be quite unpredictable. There is no guarantee that the grown fruits will inherit the qualities of their parents.
Usually, maternal fruits are hybrids, which in the second generation may not repeat the original characteristics.
Although the experience of some gardeners suggests the opposite. Many of them are quite satisfied with the harvest they received.
