Which are good seed bearers and which are best for pollen??
which brugs are good moms and dads?
Tig, depends on what one is considering, ease of getting good thick rich viable pollen any time of year? Ease of setting seeds to them? Or which hybrids put out the most seed? Some hybrids put out as few as 80 seeds and some as much as 420 at least thats my highs and lows...The more flowers a hybrid has the more blooms and hence the more possiblity of getting seeds even if its a poor seed setter. I personally love the Isabella as it is a heavy repeat bloomer sets seed very easily and its pollen is good even when others are having poor pollen. Of course my very best seed setters are my own hybrids which Arlene has cuttings of...best for pollen as well. I would suggest crossing those crosses back to either a pink aurea or a pink versicolor though.
Of course, the doubles are generally poor pollen donors and hard to set seed on as well compared to other hybrids, but I would love to see more Knightii x aurea type hybrids soo.....
This message was edited Thursday, Aug 30th 12:14 PM
let's say 'hypothetically' that I tried my hand at pollinating. First, I make a cut in the flower that will open tonight or tomorrow. Then I get the pollen from the donor plant. Try very hard to put pollen in the slit I've made on the momma plant.
Do this again tomorrow.
Now what? Be specific please.
Tig, After tearing open the flower or making a slit a few days prior to it opening in the early morning or late evening....you will notice 6 long filaments.5 will have pollen on them and be a bit bigger than the central filament. The central filament tip is where one applies the pollen. One applies the pollen to both sides and to the middle of it should it split open at anytime before it dries out and turns brown at the tip. Pollen of course will come off the anthers as a powder....Seeds form at the base of the central filament/pistal...in the ovary....Hope that helps.
and I do leave the flower to die on the vine?? Just want to check with this, cause some of my daturas got too heavy and broke off.
Its best to remove the corolla or the colored part of the flower in my experience as it can promote rot...Hope that Helps you Tig. As for falling off, that is due primarily to not enough water, sun, or failure to take as in the pollen did not take etc.
that does help:) thanks!