Lilies: Pollinating techniques..., 0 by pardalinum

pardalinum wrote:
If it is really important for you to know "who's the daddy", then you will need to strip off all the petals to discourage insects and use an aluminum foil cap pinched over the stigma after you pollinate it. It doesn't take much pollen, but get some on each section of the stigma. You can make the caps by cutting little squares of foil, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch on a side and form it over a pencil tip or eraser end of pencil. Make up a bunch ahead of time then head out to the garden with them...

For irises you will also want to strip off all the petals but leave the styles. I don't know if the pros do anything to protect the cross after that. Here is a pic of one of my iris crosses, two strong pinks. The pod parent is Goodnight Kiss.