Re: Marking Crosses
iris@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Marking Crosses
  • From: &* <p*@hotmail.com>
  • Date: Sat, 13 Feb 2010 10:52:31 -0700
Debra Scott; Timnath CO, z5 AIS reg20
One method for marking crosses that I have not seen mentioned yet is the colored wire or colored yarn method. This is used quite a bit in daylily hybridizing circles.
In this method, each pollen parent is assigned a color (or combination of colors) of wire or yarn. Those assignments are noted in the hybridizer's stud book. When pollination is made using that pollen, a small piece of the corresponding color of wire or yarn is tied around the base of the pod parent bloom.
When collecting pods at the end of the season, the pod parent is noted on the cup or container & the wire or yarn is dropped into the container with the pod. As the pods are shelled & processed the cross is then noted on the plastic bags or other containers in the same manner it would be had tags been used.
An adaptation of this method that is a bit more time consuming to start is the use of small beads on wires or strings. This is useful in the case that you have many more pollen parents than you do colors of wire. Different color combinations of beads strung onto a wire or string are used to identify the pollen parent. So, for example, the pattern black-black-red-green equals a certain pollen parent. The only thing you have to be careful about with this method is that no combination is the reverse of another.
These methods have the advantage of a) no ugly tags distracting from the beauty of the garden and b) no writing to worry about fading c) tags don't disintegrate or blow away in storms d) they can be reused for several years if so desired 

Blessings All,
Debra 
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