About This Variety
Etrada is a regional/commercial bell pepper variety. Its open-pollinated status is currently unconfirmed — this matters for seed saving. If it's OP, saved seeds will grow true to type (with the usual cross-pollination caveats). If it's an F1 hybrid, saved seeds will produce unpredictable offspring and aren't worth saving.
Important — Check Your Seed Packet: Before saving seed from Etrada, check the original seed packet or catalog listing. If it says "F1" or "hybrid," don't bother saving seed — the offspring won't come true. If it says "OP" or "open-pollinated," treat it like any other pepper variety below.
How to Save Seeds
Only save seed if confirmed OP (not F1 hybrid).
- Let peppers ripen FULLY on the plant — past the eating stage, until they wrinkle slightly. Full color change and some softening means the seeds are mature.
- Cut open the ripe pepper and scrape the seeds onto a plate or paper towel. No fermentation is needed (unlike tomatoes).
- Spread seeds in a single layer on a plate or screen. Dry for 1–2 weeks in a warm spot out of direct sunlight.
- Once completely dry, store seeds in a labeled envelope. Include the variety name and the year harvested.
Cross-Pollination
All common garden peppers — jalapenos, bells, Anaheims, paprikas — belong to the same species: Capsicum annuum. They can and do cross-pollinate, primarily via bees and other insects. The fruit you harvest this year won't be affected (the mother plant's genetics determine the fruit), but the seeds inside may carry crossed genetics that show up next generation.
Warning — Drew's Garden: You have 5+ pepper varieties (all C. annuum) growing in the same garden. Expect 5–15% cross-pollination from bee activity. The good news: 85–95% of saved seed will still come true to variety.
Your options for maintaining purity:
| Method | Effort | Purity |
|---|
| Accept the gamble | None | 85–95% true |
| Isolate one priority variety at 150+ ft | Moderate | ~98%+ |
| Bag / hand-pollinate flowers | High | ~100% |
