Is there a particular time of day one needs to pollinate brugs. or can it be done whenever? A number of my plants are budding, so I should have lots of pollen to play around with very soon now. If you tell me I have to beat the bees, I'll lose. Lol.
Queen Daisy on her king in the middle of a sheet change.
What fine looking lass there, Tussie! She even has her own bed!! I am impressed. I have to share mine with my 2 babies.
If the bees are a buzzing in your blooms you will not know for sure who pollinated them, you or them! If the bees do it, you will never know the pollen donor. I always watch for volunteer pods and if I get them, then all are suspect. But if I just get pods on the ones I pollinate and tag, then I am pretty sure those are from my cross.
Some people put little coverings over a bud just before it opens that keeps the bugs out. It is like a netting material with a drawstring. Nadine was making some great ones. Or you can close them with masking tape just before they open, let them mature closed, undo the masking tape and pollinate then reclose it up.
And some get out there just as it opens and then after pollinating they close the bloom so nothing else can get in there. I have personally used masking tape to close off my blooms. I also take out all the anthers so the bloom is not as attractive to the pollinators.
I have pollinated at all times of the day and I am not sure it mattered. I try not to do it after it gets late just because I think the plant is much more active in the sunlight and wil more easily make the pod. But what do I know? LOL. Morning is my favorite time.
At home I do not really worry too much about protecting my blooms from bugs for I rarely get unknown pods. But at the plots I would have to bag them for I get so many unknown pods. At home if I want to pollinate a bloom I always take out all the anthers before they get fluffly unless I need that pollen. I have pollinated just as they open and also 1 or 2 days into it and it does not seem to matter. I get pods both ways. If I am really hot on a cross, I catch it right as it is opening and close it after to make sure no bugs get in.
I am sure everyone has their favorite way that works for them.
Good luck Tussee, you will have so much fun acting like a bee.
You've made my day Kell and I thank you for all the information. I think I have a few really nice plants to work with so I'm going to have fun speading the good stuff all around. I bought a few seeds on ebay and have had some success germinating them, but I'm already learning they are not the most consistent germanating seeds one can work with. The weather has cooled way down from the highs we have been dealing with, even found a bloom forming on my sang., Yessss, so now the plants are performing. Also noticed this morning a number of large buds on my tropical hibiscus that are going to open and not just fall off. Lol.
Tussee
I find the fresher the seeds the more germinate Tussee. Also the way you pot them up affects them. Did you cover them with dirt or let the light reach them?
Don't you just love the tropical hibiscus? So far all of mine are bug free which is a sheer thrill. I really, really like these. Post pics on the hibiscus forum, we love to see them!
And do not forget to take a pic of your sang for us.
My tropical hibiscus have been a highlight of my gardening season. This spring they were so large, tall as me, that I had to cut them drastically back, trim the roots and replace in the same pot. Pretty much the same as what I read on repotting brugs. Anyway, they have been growing so well and the flowers are starting to come. I was terrified I had cut back too much but they look great. They have had no bugs, not even white fly which love them. I have 3 new standards but they are just sticks at the moment. All of the leaves turned yellow and dropped off in shipping. They are so pathetic looking. Lol But I sprayed them with Messenger and I fertilize half strength every four days, so new leaves are showing. I cannot imagine I will see any flowers on them until this winter. BTW, my TH bloomed all winter long and were still in bloom when I pruned them this spring. You can't ask for better value for dollar spent than that.
Tussee
I bet they were an incredible joy all winter long. You are so lucky to have a GH. I bet it makes your winters so bearable. Even downright fun! LOL.
My TH have been my thrill also. I need to get into the swing of caring for them better so I make more flowers. Every morning when I go out and if I find even just 1 flower, I am so excited. What do you sue fo rfertilizer?
And guess what, if you and I get whitefly, we sure will be ready with the latest. LOL.
Kell, I don't put my TH in the greenhouse during the winter. I place them around the house and at my store in a southern facing exposure so I can enjoy them wherever I'm at. They swell all up and bloom like crazy from the ravings of customers. :) Not knowing any better, I replaced Osmocote every three months and fed Miracle Grow bi-monthly. Now that I've been made aware of the need for a smaller middle number in fertilizer, I am on the look for a new one for this coming winter. Be my luck they loved what they had and will just grow leaves with what they are supposed to have.
I had trouble with whitefly at the store last winter, but as you said, both of us are now well prepared to do war! And, win.
Tussee
Well, if you were getting so many flowers, I would have continued!! Hey, why argue with success. I used some organic fertilizer for hibiscus on mine last week and I do not see any change. Shoot.
Space inside will be so tight this winter. My dining room is already full of plants and I need to move in so many plumaria. I really need to cut back. LOL!
I bet your customers were shocked to see such incredbile flowers esp in the middle of winter in Indiana.
Even the word shocked doesn't describe the reaction of some people. They don't believe what their eyes are telling them and they want to touch to verify the flowers are real. Obviously, my customers are not gardeners. When one loves plants as you and I do, it's very hard to rein in at a certain point and say that's enough. I'm pleased with myself, so far, on my brug purchases. I've set a limit on the numer of varieties to grow, and any new acquisition means giving up one that I have. Sounds good. :)
Tussee
To keep your flowers from being open pollanated by -- Take an old nylon , cut the bottom out of a plastic cup - red seed cups are good - slide the seed cup into nylon to bottom , move your hand to about 12 inches from cup , cut nylon . . Now bunch nylon on too cup , slide over bud . PULL nylon off cup onto branch and tie to plant .
I would use twist tyes so easy to remove . Some times they are free in Veg section of Safeway and other stores .
If you put a piece of masting tape on cup , you can write what plant to what flower and color .
Gee..Tonyjr - what an ingenious idea. But I'm afraid I am a visual person..anyway you can draw or take a picture of that nylon, cup arrangement. I'm having trouble picturing it..sorry if I sound dumb.
diane Krny
Excellent idea, tonyjr. I will put your idea to work when I start dusting magic in a week or two.
Tussee
Oh Tussee, lets see how long your brug rule lasts. LOL!
Here is another way to do the bloom protectors that Nadine showed us.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/568475/
This is Nadines's picture of her handiwork! My only complaint is she didn't make them in PINK! LOL
