Hello 👋 I'm very very new to this topic so I thought i would seek some advice from anyone who has done this ! ☺️
I've been wanting to cross-pollinate these two african violets in these photos, just in hopes of getting cool new plants !
They just flowered at (almost) the same time; and I will be attempting to use the pollen of the purple one onto the pink flower's stamen.
I was wondering if I should use the pollen of a flower that's been open for a while, Onto a newly opened flower? Or does the success rate not depend on the timing of those?
I did watch a few videos on this topic but I'm struggling to find a coherent guide 🙁
If anyone has tried this, what was the pollination success rate? And how long did you need to wait for the seeds to form (i ready it would take months 😭)
Also- I know it's a long-shot, but if anyone has crossed violets, if you could share what the parents' colors were, and what blooms came out of the seeds, I would love to see ! 💜💜💜
- also if anyone has any tips on this, or guides you'd recommend, I would love to read them
by j_kend
1 Comment
According to what I’ve read, you want to use the pollen from a flower that’s just begun to fade, and fertilize the stamen of a flower that’s been open for no more than a couple days. I used a sewing needle to pierce the pollen through and dab it on the stamen. I don’t know how well it works vs other methods. It has taken, but I’m still waiting for the seed pods to dry out. They are getting pretty swollen!
Personally, I think it’s worthwhile to try many different methods and see what works best for you. Next time I’m gonna try crushing the pollen sack and just sprinkling it. Maybe I’ll use a younger bloom.
The AVSA, Optimara, and various books are worth checking out to learn about genetics.
Edit: I forgot to add, these are very beautiful violets. I love the foliage on the purple one, and the blooms on the pink one.