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tomtuxman

Identifying seedlings

16 years ago

On January 1st, in response to a terrible case of the blahs, I decided to start some hot peppers from two-year -old seed (Cook's Garden Hot Salsa Mix), which I planted very successfully in my garden last year. Also wanted to find out if seed was still viable (I figure if it wasn't, no harm, no foul). Turns out it was and I have a dozen healthy seedlings starting on their first true leaves.

OK so far. Problem is the seed packet mixes all 5 kinds of pepper seeds together, so I don't know what I've got and won't know until the plants actually produce fruit.

Is there any way to identify which peppers I've got (I know there are only 5 possible varieties) by their leaves, or do I have to wait it out? Any website with pix maybe?

Comments (12)

  • 16 years ago

    I did a search and came up with this one so far. http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/pepper/2003024837000364.html

  • 16 years ago

    By leaves only, it will be tough / impossible.

  • 16 years ago

    Having the same dilemma. The packet contains 50 seeds but I only have room for 20. What if I end up with 20 of the same ones?

  • 16 years ago

    Never buy a mix of seeds that don't have them identified in some way. And I would guess some vendors would include mostly varieties no one wanted just to get rid of them.

  • 16 years ago

    Plant all of them closely and thin later when you can tell the differences.

  • 16 years ago

    Ok, I know I can just wait for fruit, but this one is growing different, and I have only a 3 to choose from. Can anyone identify this "seedling"?

    . This is either Bhut, scotch bonnet or a hot cherry. Those are the only seeds I had started. Its a very slow grower, and no branch outs - Just one main stem.

    The shelf this and 6 other plants were on fell about a month ago and I did all I could to save them, they ALL fell out of their pots and were mixed up - that's why I don't know what it is.

  • 16 years ago

    beastmaker, your statement "Its a very slow grower, and looking at the leafs, I'd bet it's the Bhut.

  • 16 years ago

    OP - I've got 2 plants that are both under 13cm while others that were planted at the same time, same dirt, same light and are over 30 with blossoms comin out. Either way - I'm sure glad I started it really early, this thing is slow.

  • 16 years ago

    I had the exact same problem last year, had half a pack of 2005 of a...oh, I think Burpee hot pepper mix that had Cayenne, Jalapeno, Anaheim, Hungarian Wax, and Poblano...so I sprouted them and put one per cell, and planted them all out and that was that. The problem was that I didn't need 5 Cayennes, and I could have used more than 2 Poblanos. And I don't really like Hungarian Wax at all, I discovered (sorry to those who like pickled peppers, I just don't!)

    Same thing happened when I did my cherry toms (I had a 3 variety sungold/pear/sweet 100) and I ended up with a million plants. I gave away the extras, and tried to match the seedlings against the seed scans. In the end, it would have been "cheaper" for me to buy 3 packs and save them for 3 years, because I don't have any seeds left (except the YP which are OP and I saved).

    I could see the value in planting out the Burpee Carnival Pack of Sweet Peppers, if you didn't care what colors you had, or what number of each color you had...I did that, and it was fun.

    However, this year, I am only growing named things! And I'm putting tags on everything, and I'm being careful letting my daughter help, and there will be no incidents!

  • 16 years ago

    Haha, glad I am not the only one, I came here to ask the same question, only mine could be any of 20 varieties! still it's a lesson learned, I will not be doing that again, :-0

  • 16 years ago

    I agree, I would say its probably a bhut.
    And its definitly not impossible to tell what plants are what, or at least give it an educated guess, before theres fruit.
    I did the same thing last year....within a few weeks I had a pretty idea of what was what based on the leaves and nature of growth.

  • 16 years ago

    Lesson to be learned:

    Never mess around with a Russian roulett (spl?).
    And NEVER plant mixed seeds, unless you don't care what you will get.

    Cyrus

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