Since pepper flowers are capable of pollinating themselves, chaances are they they get pollinated soon after they open, before a different cultivar can cross with them. It is already fairly rare.

To guarantee that crosses do not occur, you can bag the blossom with any number of materials. I have heard of people making little bags out of toole (a type of fine netlike fabric). You could probably also use some sort of women's nylons. Don't use a plastic bag though, as it may overheat and it traps moisture.

As soon as the flower shows signs of a pepper, you can remove the bag, just mark the pepper to ensure you remember which one it is.

Agree, jt--crossing is not rare. Nicely illustrated as usual.

johnf

This year I made my own bags like JohnT. was pretty easy to do.

Michael

John super great pictures.

I learned more in a few minutes looking at your pictures than in years of reading about it.

Nice job.

I have to get some material as soon as possible.

> I have to get some material as soon as possible.

O-nut

Wally World fabric dept. Comes 3' wide by however long you want. One running yard is only 88¢. Several colors. W*M spells it tule for some reason. Waxed carpet thread works great for the string pulls. Good luck finding some.

Thanks much every one for the responses.

Easy way to prevent cross pollination is to dip the flower buds in PVA glue, 1 or 2 days before they are due to open.. this is not at all harmful to the plant or the fruit, chilli then bursts through the dried glue in due time. Use a small bottle lid and full it with the pva glue then just dip the buds in two ensure the entire portion of the petals are covered... you now have a air tight seal and the chilli is not harmed and grows as usual without outside influence/cross pollination... Happy Growing

If you have a dollar store you might be able to find the green net bags that you can cut to an appropriate size and just tie the netting around the flower. No need to actually sew them. Just use a twisty.

@northeast_chileman -

I call your bump, and raise you EIGHT YEARS! LOL

Coincidentally, this link you kindly provided in reply to my inquiry about JohnF & JohnT, contains useful advice which appears to have been somewhat forgotten over the years and which is highly relevant to a current discussion, so my
actually has a legitimate purpose! ;)

BTW, it looks like the link to the highly useful instructional photos by JohnT still works!