Evolver
12-12-2011, 04:53 PM
Let use this thread for posting info that you have to share.
I've been doing allot of research on cross pollination and found that seed saving goes hand in hand. If you are going to save the seeds from you favorite plants it's very important to guard them against cross pollination so your seeds stay "true".
First generation cross pollinated fruits and veggies will look and taste the same but when you plant a cross pollinated seed (second generation) is where you will see and taste the effects. For an example say you have a hot pepper and sweet pepper that crossed what you end up with when you plant it's seeds is a fruit that could range from not as hot to not as sweet.
Here is how to prevent cross pollination on self pollinating plants which are...
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Beans
Peppers
1. If you have different varieties of like plants in the same plot you can use the "Bagging" method. This is where you place a "Pollination Bag" (small cloth or non plastic bag with draw string) over the bud or bud grouping before they blossom into a flower. The bag can be removed after the fruit "Sets" (you can see the small fruit).
The bag does two things.
1st, It will prevent insects carrying pollen from landing on the flower that are harvesting the nectar or pollen that is one of the causes of cross pollination and the other is air borne.
2nd. Each self pollinating plants flower has both male and female parts. This doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be pollinated. It still needs insects our wind to dislodge the pollen from the male parts that then pollinates the female part of the flower. Ok now back to the bag... When the bud is bagged and when the pollen is released it is contained in the bag so there is more of a chance to enter the female part of the flower.
Now... how you stimulate the flower to release it's pollen.
What you need to do is wait until the flower is in full bloom (all of the peddles are fully opened exposing the female parts) and just shake or flip the bag with your finger several times. Some people use a battery operated tooth brush that mimics the beating wings on a bee and Green Houses use fans. Hence the name Pollination Bags not Anti Pollination bags.
Pollination bags can be purchased or home made from a number of different materials that breath. It's best to have one the is semi see threw like a tight weave netting like tulle so you can see when its time to do the shaking and when the fruit is set.
The weave can't be too big though because of air borne pollen that might get in. Some bags are made from paper that has a plastic window glued in it for viewing.
2. If you stay with just one verity or if your plot is large enough to maintain 50' plus with a buffer crop between verities or there isn't a risk of crossing with the neighbors plants you might be ok not to bag.
Other Self Pollinators are most Greens. Greens produce flowers that when pollinated produce seeds (not fruit) so the bags is placed just after bolting and before the flowers start to open then can be left on until it's time to harvest the seeds. Leaving the bags on also aids in the seed harvesting.
This is a start and there is allot more on the Seed Saving and Storing Topic so lets keep this thread going. So what ya got?
I've been doing allot of research on cross pollination and found that seed saving goes hand in hand. If you are going to save the seeds from you favorite plants it's very important to guard them against cross pollination so your seeds stay "true".
First generation cross pollinated fruits and veggies will look and taste the same but when you plant a cross pollinated seed (second generation) is where you will see and taste the effects. For an example say you have a hot pepper and sweet pepper that crossed what you end up with when you plant it's seeds is a fruit that could range from not as hot to not as sweet.
Here is how to prevent cross pollination on self pollinating plants which are...
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Beans
Peppers
1. If you have different varieties of like plants in the same plot you can use the "Bagging" method. This is where you place a "Pollination Bag" (small cloth or non plastic bag with draw string) over the bud or bud grouping before they blossom into a flower. The bag can be removed after the fruit "Sets" (you can see the small fruit).
The bag does two things.
1st, It will prevent insects carrying pollen from landing on the flower that are harvesting the nectar or pollen that is one of the causes of cross pollination and the other is air borne.
2nd. Each self pollinating plants flower has both male and female parts. This doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be pollinated. It still needs insects our wind to dislodge the pollen from the male parts that then pollinates the female part of the flower. Ok now back to the bag... When the bud is bagged and when the pollen is released it is contained in the bag so there is more of a chance to enter the female part of the flower.
Now... how you stimulate the flower to release it's pollen.
What you need to do is wait until the flower is in full bloom (all of the peddles are fully opened exposing the female parts) and just shake or flip the bag with your finger several times. Some people use a battery operated tooth brush that mimics the beating wings on a bee and Green Houses use fans. Hence the name Pollination Bags not Anti Pollination bags.
Pollination bags can be purchased or home made from a number of different materials that breath. It's best to have one the is semi see threw like a tight weave netting like tulle so you can see when its time to do the shaking and when the fruit is set.
The weave can't be too big though because of air borne pollen that might get in. Some bags are made from paper that has a plastic window glued in it for viewing.
2. If you stay with just one verity or if your plot is large enough to maintain 50' plus with a buffer crop between verities or there isn't a risk of crossing with the neighbors plants you might be ok not to bag.
Other Self Pollinators are most Greens. Greens produce flowers that when pollinated produce seeds (not fruit) so the bags is placed just after bolting and before the flowers start to open then can be left on until it's time to harvest the seeds. Leaving the bags on also aids in the seed harvesting.
This is a start and there is allot more on the Seed Saving and Storing Topic so lets keep this thread going. So what ya got?