Successful Hybridizing

[Darkhorse]

Hey Charlie,

So far, of the few crosses I've done, none of them have developed seed pods.  Of course, the crossing was spontaneous on my part so I'm not surprised.  I've read on this forum that overcast conditions are ideal for pollenation.  What are the other ideal conditions for a cross to take?  Do you have to get the pollen right as the sacs open?  Does it have to be a certain temperature or time of day?  Am I missing anything else?
Thanks!!

Jordan

[Nievesgirl]

Hey Charlie,

So far, of the few crosses I've done, none of them have developed seed pods.  Of course, the crossing was spontaneous on my part so I'm not surprised.  I've read on this forum that overcast conditions are ideal for pollenation.  What are the other ideal conditions for a cross to take?  Do you have to get the pollen right as the sacs open?  Does it have to be a certain temperature or time of day?  Am I missing anything else?
Thanks!!

Jordan

I keep reading best time to pollnate is in fall
"With outdoor plants hybridizing can be done readily in fall until the cold stops the blooms from coming and in the spring once blooming starts. Overcast days are always good times to give it a try. With indoor plants you can do it anytime you have flowers, sometimes it will work and sometimes not but there is always a chance when the highs are under 80F and the lows are above 50F as in most homes. Humidity helps and of course if you use a known seed setter as the mother plant your odds are much increased. One frustration outdoors is after making a successful cross but before the seed pod can ripen the weather turns too cold or too hot and pod drops off. That is why making crosses too late in fall or spring is not likely to be successful.
"

This is what Charles said in my thread I made hope that helps.
I have gotten seed pods in dead of summer but only 2 times it happened. It was summer humid. I did not collected seeds they fell out and I think the birds got them

So Barry S just posted this in the mail list
http://www.google.com/search?q=organza%20favor%20bags&sourceid=mozilla2&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

People are using these to collect seeds this is probably the best Idea . I need to get some to see if my seeds will make it threw the last stages.

Right now one seed pood is about 30 days old

[Charlie]

Hi Jordan,

Hybridizing is more difficult in summer. Best chance is with a plant you move into the shade, but if it is just too hot it won't work even then. Keep an eye out for days that are overcast all day long and try it then. Pollen does not have to be totally fresh, just not dried out. The pads of the seed setter also can dry out so the best strategy is to use pollen from the previous day on the pads of just opened flowers. Some people even save pollen by placing the staminal column into a photo storage cartridge or any air tight container and putting it in the refrigerator overnight. Flowers open earlier than pollen sacs which is also a common frustration and the reason you end up using pollen from the day before. Another trick is to spray the pollen with a little water after it is applied to the pads on hot days or if the pollen is getting old. You can also bend the flower or tuck it behind a leaf or whatever it takes to prevent the sun from shining directly on it.

All of this needs to be done with varieties that actually can set seeds. Otherwise it becomes a lesson in frustration.

Charlie

[Darkhorse]

Thanks, Charlie!  I will be waiting a little bit then to start trying again...  we probably won't have any overcast days until October or so.  Good thing I guess, because I'm running out of space.