New Zealand Garden Swap Newsletter
Garden Swap Website - Newsletter Cover - Page 5 - Page 7
HYBRIDISING
Mechanics of Hybridizing
Each african violet blossom contains the necessary male and
female elements to make a cross, and these are easily seen by
the naked eye. The two small yellow sacs (anthers) contain the
dust-like pollen. The small spike that projects from the flower's
center is the pistil. The slightly enlarged tip of the pistil is the
stigma. At the other end of the pistil, and beneath the flower is
the ovary which will become the seed capsule when fertilized by
placing the pollen on the stigma
The best time for pollination is when the flower appears mature.
Although even when the flower falls off, both pollen and stigma
usually are still ripe for fertilization. At this time the stigma
becomes slightly sticky, enabling it to hold the pollen. To cross
two flowers you must transfer the pollen from the anther of one
to the stigma of another. There are several ways you can do
this, use whichever method that seems the easiest. If you cut a
tiny section in an anther and let the pollen fall on your thumbnail,
then you can place this pollen on a stigma of your chosen seed
parent.
Another way is to take an anther from a flower (even one that
has just fallen off) slit open the pollen sac with needle, then
gently pinch the sac to open it wider and apply the opening to
the sticky stigma of the seed parent.
A small artist's paintbrush also can be used to transfer the pollen to a stigma. During the middle of the day when the air is warmer is the best time for making your crosses.
After you make your cross you may want to attach a small tag
noting the name of each parent to the stem below the pollinated
flower. Usually the seed parent is listed first followed by an X
then the name of the pollen parent. If the cross is successful
within a week you will see the seed capsule starting to grow. As
it continues to develop it will protrude more and more from the
green calyx which once clasped the base of the flower. It takes
anywhere from six to nine months for the seed capsule to ripen.
During this time the stem beneath the seed capsule may turn or
twist at an angle. The seeds are ripe when the stem and seed
capsule turn brown and start to shrivel. When this happens
remove the capsule and put it in an open dish to dry. Be sure to
keep different crosses in separate drying dishes so the seeds
will not become mixed. Set the dish in a warm bright spot and
leave them uncovered. Many growers allow seeds to dry about
a month, but you can plant them right after harvesting or as
much as a year later. Occasionally, an apparently healthy seed
capsule will turn brown and drop off long before you think it
should. Don't throw it away, save it and plant the seeds anyway.
Some of them may be fertile.
