Re: [CH] Pepper Gal Seeds
Lynn Edwards (ledwards@crl.com)
Wed, 25 Feb 1998 23:05:09 -0800
Hi CH's,
Jeffrey Rose wrote:
> I've ordered a bunch of seeds from The Pepper Gal in Florida over the
> last 2 years because they have the best selection of rare and exotic chile
> varieties. The habaneros/Scotch Bonnets usually germinate after about 3
> weeks but I've had really poor luck with many of the other types (e.g.,
> tepin, piquin, rocoto, congo, fire).
I like pepper gal and have already planted a bunch of them again this year.
Generally speaking I have had good luck with pepper gal seeds, with the caveat that
rare, weird, and new varieties have not been bred for growing in temperate climates
and cannot be expected to perform like those that have.
temperature of 90 degrees for the germinating environent and starting with
sterilized soil. Also, using a preatreatment of bleach or saltpeter speeds
results. Pepper gal sells saltpeter in one ounce packets for a dollar or so.
That's my general comment, though specifically I have had trouble with some
varieties. Rocoto is one example. Although it's been a couple years, I have grown
both yellow and red rocotos from pepper gal and have poor to zero results with fruit
set (but not germination). I have another rocoto that does so much better setting
fruit that I grow it instead.
> The Burpee habaneros and most of the
> chile seeds from Davis came up relatively quickly and produced some fine
> plants. I've decided to give Pepper Gal another try and just ordered a
> buttload of unusual seeds. Can anyone vouch for the quality of these seeds? How
> about Shepard's Red Savina seeds?
Habaneros are a big seller, and have become rather pedestrian these days. I can buy
these in the grocery store year round - a big indicator that a lot of engineering has
been going on. Red Savina is patented, and probably a hybrid. I don't think its
fair to compare commercially grown peppers with wild/rare peppers when growing them
out of ther native habitat.
Lynn Edwards
http://www.crl.com/~ledwards