Re: HYB:Hybridizing Kit

In a message dated 3/31/2002 6:02:08 PM Central Standard Time, 
jac@senet.com.au writes:

<< http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/7679/ >>

Ann, this is a super site. Thanks.  I recommend it highly for beginners.  It 
shows both the anther and the stigmatic lip which was my intention.  Hard to 
make a cross if you don't know what the parts look like. And people wonder 
why the first cross I made didn't take!  <blush>

Just as you might imagine, my routine varies just a bit from the Rochas.  

Step 1 (Rocha): I've a rather unconventional method for collecting pollen.  I 
pull the anther between my thumb and my ring finger with the pollen side 
down.  I'm left with a big clump of pollen at the tip of my finger.  Then I 
hold the receiving style crest with my other hand and roll the pollen into 
the crevice.  Occasionally, I can pollinate all three stigmatic lips with the 
one anther.  I usually get a good seed count, but last year was not usual.  
With the exception of my PROUD TRADITION X SEEDLING, my bi-tone blue crosses 
(neglectas?) gave less than 20 seed per pod, but my plicata crosses gave up 
to 79 seeds per pod.  Same procedure.  

I think pods have limits as to how many seed can or will result per pod.  
Anything beyond that is probably a waste of good pollen.  I don't remember 
ever getting more than 79 seed in any one pod.  BTW  Love the purple/beetroot 
pods I'm getting on one of my seedlings. Same seedling sets very small pods.  
Bloomed a couple of interesting seedlings from it last year.  

I wash my hands or rub them down with alcohol between crosses, or at least 
when I change pollen.  Pollen clings whether you use fingers or a brush. The 
bottle of alcohol is too big for the freezer bag--often have to run back into 
the bath room for it, much like Jan and her containers!  Only thing is--I 
talk to myself when I do this. You wouldn't want to hear!

Step 3 (Rocha): I've never done this.

Step 4 (Rocha): I place my tag at the intersection of stalk and branch.  In 
my notebook I indicate the bloom I used . . . primary terminal, secondary 
terminal, (Bill, I don't think I've ever crossed the third terminal on one!) 
top branch terminal, mid branch secondary, etc.  I don't usually use more 
than one pollen per stalk, BUT when I do this keeps them straight.  Also, it 
helps in case of bee visitations.  When you revisit a stalk with the same 
pollen it's important that you enter the location of the new cross so you 
don't mistake it for a bee pod. Or you could just assume anything on the 
stalk is the same cross? 

If the wind caught my plastic tags just right, I'm afraid it could snap a 
fertilized bloom before I can even tell that the cross took.  

And how do YOU make crosses?  

Betty Wilkerson from South-central KY . . . Zone 6 . . . sometimes.  Went out 
in the country to visit my 2000 seedlings.  Very disappointed.  They were in 
a freeze pocket or something.  All melted down.  Very discouraging.  Sibs 
here are okay.  

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