collecting and storing pollen

need a how to:) for instance, I have two blooming that I want to cross. Do I take the pollen off of them both and then do the cross??

tiG,

Do you want to set the seeds on flower A with pollen from B and flower B with pollen from A, or just to pollenate A with B or B with A?
For the case of just A with B or B with A, I would remove the pollen from the receiver, cover up the flower to prevent accidently pollinating it. I also cover up the flower of the pollinator, also to prevent accidently pollen transfer. When the pollen is ripe, I remove it from the pollenator and pollinate the receiver, using q-tip, tweezers, or small paint brush.

Now in the case where you want to cross pollinate both flowers, I hope you have more than one of each. I have never tried where I have only one of each flower. If I have 2 A's and 2 B's, I would cover one of each up, leaving the pollen of course. Then remove the pollen from the others and cover them up as well. Once the pollen is ripe, transfer pollen from A to B and B to A.

I do not know if pollen collected before it is ripe will ripen after the collection.

I'm wanting to cross them with each other, yes. I have two flowers of each, but the sphinx moths did it for me tonight, no telling what I'll get:) I didn't realize there were any out there, but they sure love the brugs.
Thanks for the info though, I may be able to get to the next ones first. I know Eric, open them up before they bloom, these just caught me busy:)
There is a way to store pollen, correct?
thanks Tim!

Anyway, that is how I cross pollinate Passifloras.

Store pollen Tig? You couldn't possibly mean collecting pollen on q-tips that have been cut in half with wire cutters and fluffed up by gently rolling between ones fingers. Then wiping those powdery anthers on the cotton tips? Perhaps storing these dry specimens of pollen in labeled film canisters in the freezer for later use? I have even gotten pollen shipped fresh and dry in envelopes to set seed pods if applied upon arrival. Some people store pollen in other types of containers, even muffin tins. I prefer any container that keeps the light and moisture out of the pollen. Going so far as to even bag up some of my pollen canisters or such in ziplock bags. Of course, I think you can buy pollen saver type containers designed for hybridizing that hold a few hundred types of pollen in a very small area in the freezer.

yes, that could be what i was talking about !!! LOL!!!

Tig,
Even better, you can send cuttings of a new hybrid with a single flower that is 2 or so days from opening. Remove all leaves and place the cutting in something to keep it from drying out during a short postage trip. The pollen will be rip upon arrival and hence of immediate use. Or, one can take cuttings removing most if not all of the foliage and just a few small buds/immature flowers. Then one can send those to another for use in a few weeks to hybridize with.

ack, never thought of doing that. I cut up one of my Isabellas to share and cut off one with several flowers. Those are sitting right here! I can use that pollen. Some of us, of course, don't have those new hybrids this year ;) but I will next year! Probably won't amount to much, but at least I can say I did it:)

Tig,
If you use the hybrids your talking about-Whiskers,Butterfly, and Culebra to set seeds...Whiskers x Butterfly, Butterfly x Whiskers, Butterfly x Culebra, Culebra x Butterfly, Culebra x Whiskers and Whiskers x Culebra. Thats a ton of crosses and something is bound to turn up with those crosses. In fact, I will be working on those same crosses myself. Between the two of us we have to get something nice. Perhaps we can trade cuttings once we get them up to flowering size? I always label the seed setter first on my crosses by the way and the pollen donor second.

what method do you use to mark your crosses? I was going to ask this anyway. right now i have cards taped to mine, and it just seems there has to be a better way!! and I'd love to share anything I get with you, but it will be summer:) Can you believe just yesterday I set up or got a line on two of my desires? Can life get much better???? still running around with a net trying to find a butterfly:)

This message was edited Wednesday, Oct 3rd 11:51 AM

tig,
My favorite crosses, I make all one cross at a time to a seed setter. Every single flower is pollinated with the same type of pollen on the Brug. This way, I only have one type of pollen setting seed at anyone time on any one Brugmansia. I also have 2 or more of the same hybrid so I can simply make a different cross to the same hybrid, but in a different spot in the yard. Hence, I may have 4 Butterfly Brugmansia and I will set a different type of pollen to each one. In this way, one labels the whole tree as to the cross. One then plants all of those seeds and selects out the seedlings that show the traits you like, ie serrated or velvety leaves or both. Perhaps your working for ruffled leaves? You select what you like and plant a few hundred of the best ones you like and then select the best 2 or so from each of the crosses once they bloom for further hybridizing.
I do use twisty ties that are color coded to mark crosses sometimes though. And metalic hanging markers for others. Ask Glory what she uses as I think she has a nack for that sort of thing as well.

This message was edited Wednesday, Oct 3rd 12:01 PM

cool! that will help, and I have only been making one cross to a plant at a time, so I don't have to mark each bloom. At least I started that right:)
p.s. I've seen several times that you don't have Charles Grimaldi, is this by choice?

Tig, I have other hybrids from Charles Grimaldi that I like better. So,it is by choice that I don't have Grimaldi. If I had Charles I would be crossing him to aurea's only though. I prefer aurea type hybrids most of all and thats just my oppinion. Everyone has their favorites. I still think Grimaldi has some exceptional breeding potential though so don't get me wrong about this hybrid.

This message was edited Wednesday, Oct 3rd 1:42 PM

well, if you ever want.....:)

tiG,
Are you looking for a Whiskers? I bet if I looked hard enough I could find one around here. LOL

You asked about marking your Burgs when you cross them. You know those Mini blind things you were cutting the other day....cut one into pieces( just big enough to write on) punch a hole in it....write on it with a pencil and hang it by the flower you just pollinated...I use cotton yarn to hang it on the Brug. Hope this helps.

Gloria

ack! why didn't I think of that!!! that one blind made about 1000 markers! I am buying a whiskers from Barbara, thank you so much though. but now, if you could put your hands on a butterfly, well then, I'll send my firstborn, he's extremely handsome;)

tiG,
Thanks for the offer but I'll pass....unless he cuts grass. LOL

not willingly!! He was just here this weekend, and he was complaining. They rented a new house, and he's used to apartment living!! oh well:)