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Post by Tom Akers on Jun 27, 2008 23:08:09 GMT -5
Tom Akers.....Shades of Idig? What are you referring to there?  I am referring to some of the discussions on IDig presenting opinions as science to refute others' speculations. JMO, Tom |
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Post by flowerpower on Jun 30, 2008 6:19:06 GMT -5
So anyone slicing open the flowers for breeding purposes? Flower, Yes, there are several of us hobby breeders who intentionally emasculate tomato flowers of one variety for the purpose of receiving hand pollination from another variety. pv Thanks, papavic.  I did know that this was common method for hand pollination. |
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Post by kctomato on Jun 30, 2008 12:53:23 GMT -5
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Post by PapaVic on Jul 1, 2008 16:21:51 GMT -5
Tweezers are so mechanical and tinny! Be a human and use your fingers and thumbnails.
pv
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Post by kctomato on Jul 1, 2008 16:52:32 GMT -5
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Post by johno on Jul 2, 2008 0:25:18 GMT -5
Well I've been checking my flowers at all times of day, morning through afternoon, on the plant and sun-dried, sliced, crushed, shaken and stirred, and I can't seem get them to produce one speck of pollen no matter what I do.
But on the positive side, I have finally had luck emasulating flowers with the right tweezers (thanks KC.)
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Post by jtcm05 on Jul 2, 2008 6:27:10 GMT -5
Tweezers........not just for women anymore.
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Post by tomstrees on Jul 2, 2008 8:34:48 GMT -5
Tweezers........not just for women anymore. nahhhhh - they still are  ~ Tom |
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Post by kctomato on Jul 2, 2008 8:40:52 GMT -5
Sometimes they are quite necessary
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Post by jtcm05 on Jul 2, 2008 8:48:58 GMT -5
Sometimes they are quite necessary You bastid!! ;D |
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Post by johno on Jul 3, 2008 9:55:28 GMT -5
So, how does one get stubborn plants to produce more pollen?
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Post by kctomato on Jul 3, 2008 10:07:52 GMT -5
lot of it is dependent on weather - esp humidity.
But there is a trick to getting more pollen out of flowers.
Its hard to describe but lacking an appropriate euphemism one literally beats it out of the flower by holding the toothbrush (vibration device) on the peduncle of the flower such that the end of the anther cone taps down onto what ever one is using to catch the pollen. This seems to get more pollen out of stubborn ones than a side to side motion.
This doesnt work when the air is very humid though.
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Post by johno on Jul 7, 2008 22:38:18 GMT -5
I got an electric toothbrush, but haven't had a chance to try it yet, and won't for another couple of days. I'm excited to find out if it works despite this humidity...
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Post by kctomato on Jul 8, 2008 8:50:13 GMT -5
I got an electric toothbrush, but haven't had a chance to try it yet, and won't for another couple of days. I'm excited to find out if it works despite this humidity... It's been tough here the past few days. I suspect its now getting too hot. Still you can try. Pollen sheds best from about 10am-1pm for me. Sometimes, if its not too hot and/or humid, it sheds up to midafternoon. Hold the brush so that it taps the end of the anther cone onto whatever you are using to collect it. A side to side shaking method works but not quite as well. Be patient as sometimes a flower doesn't give up pollen right away but may start to after 4-5 secs of nothing. update: it was a pretty good morning for pollen. some varieties, like P20, came out clumpy. If the weather is right for fertilization is another question 85.1 °F / 29.5 °C Clear Humidity: 64% |
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Post by johno on Jul 9, 2008 20:08:42 GMT -5
Ever tried shade cloth to cool 'em off? I've been wondering if that would help production, anyway, but that's a pricey experiment...
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I did know that this was common method for hand pollination. 
