Re: Pollen Strike Rates

o*@aol.com wrote:
In a message dated 5/27/2004 2:49:33 PM Central Daylight Time, f*@worldnet.att.net writes:


I felt sure something was wrong when I only got 22 pods from 76 pollinating attempts this spring.


How many stigmas do you pollinate? What is normal for your pollen strike rate?


Bill Burleson
Just to add to the discussion. Cathy places the anther across the lips, squeezes them together and leaves it there. Seems to work just fine.

I use "surgical scissors"(clamps) to hold the anther and apply pollen to all three lips. I sometimes use a flat toothpick to scrape dry pollen onto the lips. On older blooms I use a brush and distilled water to wet the lips and by the time I am ready to apply the pollen they are barely moist. I do crosses in the mornings during cool nights and sub 80 degree days and evening crosses during warmer days. Days over 90 I don't even try anymore.

The chances for good size pods are best early in the season or very early in the bloom. Mid season or mid bloom they are down to walnut sized. Late bloom and especially late season ( Early May for us) they are only grape size and most become raisins.

Michael M. Stockton Ca. Zone 9b

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