Subject: Plants from vegetable seeds??

From: Marc Scholl <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 95 19:20:52 -0500

This may sound like a naive question, but what are the reasons, if any,
that you can't start plants from their the seeds of vegetables (peas from
nts and cucumbers) bought at frut and vegetable stands rather
than from packages of seeds?  Or can you?

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From: [email-masked] (Lynn Edwards)
Date: 12 Mar 1995 19:56:23 -0800

Marc Scholl ([email-masked]) wrote:
: This may sound like a naive question, but what are the reasons, if any,
: that you can't start plants from their the seeds of vegetables (peas from
: nts and cucumbers) bought at frut and vegetable stands rather
: than from packages of seeds?  Or can you?

You can start _SOME_ seeds and plants from store bought produce, and in 
these instances it can be the cheapest method.  

However, most plants cannot be propagated this way because they are 
hybrids.  Hybrids are a cross between two different varieties and don't 
breed true (what you get the next generation is not the same as the parent 
fruit).  Most commercially grown fruit and vegatables are hybrids. 

Second problem is that many fruits are picked unripe.  Therefore the 
fruits have not yet produced viable seeds yet and are therefore probably 
not fertile.

Third problem is that some plants that would normally sprout and grow 
spontaneously have been treated chemically to prevent just that.  
Potatoes are a good example.  It is difficult (but not impossible) to get 
grocery store bought potatoes to grow.  That is why potatoes to be 
planted instead of stored/eaten are listed as "seed" potatoes.

I've had good results from planting grocery store bought garlic, 
horseradish, shallots, and some fresh peppers (they have to be ripe 
[yellow or red]).  Dried peppers have also had limited success - but they 
have to have been dried without heat or smoke.

---Lynn Edwards
   Los Altos, California, USA

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From: [email-masked] (Gary V. Deutschmann Sr.)
Date: 13 Mar 1995 00:36:07 GMT

Just try, most of the time you can.
Some hybrids are crosses between varieties and you will end up with something totally different.
Or in some cases, the seeds are sterile.

Never hurts to give it a shot though.

Gary

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From: [email-masked] (Beverly Erlebacher)
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 22:59:02 GMT

>than from packages of seeds?  Or can you?

You can, as long as the seeds are mature.  Many vegetables are sold at
a stage before the seeds mature, including fresh peas and cucumbers.
You can usually save seed from squash, melons, tomatoes, ripe (not green)
peppers.  Dry seeds such as beans, peas and lentils are usually viable.

You can't count on the seedlings producing fruit resembling the one you
took the seeds out of, but every time I've tried it, they've been just
fine.  The variety may not be suited to your climate or growing conditions.
Don't save seed from diseased-looking or defective vegetables.

It can be a fun thing to try.  I have a strain of intense yellow bell
pepper and one of bright orange sheep-nose pepper that I started from
fruits.  The latter was a mutant in a bushel of dark red ones.

Beverly Erlebacher
Toronto, Ontario Canada

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From: Marc Scholl <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 14 Mar 95 20:51:46 -0500

I appreciate the response.  Thank you very much.