Pollinate when the stigma opens wide. If you want to be sure your intended pollen is utilized, carefully pull the pollen buds off the bloom's anthers.
K

John, make sure the stigma curls way up and when the 3 lobes open wide then you can start pollinating, For best results do it at east twice a day for several days. And as Kristi says make sure that from the very start you carefully remove the pollen anthers from the flowers you wish to pollinate (you can cover the stigma with a piece of cut straw while removing the pollen sacs if they have already opened, I like to remove them before they open and they will open in a dish for you later and you can still save them) because pollen flies around and you may have unexpectedly selfed it before you start with your chosen pollen.

You'll get the hang of it and be prepared for many more failures than successes, it happens to all of us...Donna

This post was edited by dondeldux on Mon, Dec 23, 13 at 17:35

See in this picture the front flower is not ready; the right hand flower is almost ready and the left is ready..