Ummm how do you know who's pollen was used?

Nice. But do you strategically pollinate to make secondary patterns with the tags? Ha ha. That is a great idea, something nice and small but still able to distinguish them.

I have a computer and I like to use it. One spreadsheet for crosses, one for seedlings and one for summarized hybridizing info by plant.

Well, I'm old school. I like to be able to look at a tag and read what it is. If I have to go look it up I get cranky. :-p

I just know that there is now way I'm going to have my plants looking like christmas trees. Image my plants in my front lawn where people walk right by with tags hanging or sticking out of them; not going to work. If I had a nursery that would be a different story.

Honestly, I haven't once looked at a marker and wondered what pollen I used. I would like to know when I did the cross, but lately, I just look at my spreadsheet and see what needs to be checked and go do it. I have started to number/code my plants and that goes on the name stick, so I do have one ornament.

Your markers look very interesting! I used tags but only numbers writen on them, so I had to look them up anyway. So if I can find a way to use only the transparent one (for the sake of disappearing from sight), say with a different amount of knots in it, it might work. AND it will save me answering the question : "What are those little white things in your plants?" And it is amazing how many people do not know the basics of pollinating a flower!

Well good luck with that system WL. here is no way that would work for me when a few plants have as many as 20 pollinations in them. Im with Lisa and I dont have my plants out on display with tags in them.

Thanks, my system isn't for everybody, but for my hobbyist interests it seems fine. I'm pretty much maxed out on seeds and seedlings so there isn't any need or desire to do a 20 cross plant. I haven't done a cross in 10 days and probably won't do another for 2 weeks and even then I'll exhibit much restraint.

I'm sure I won't be using the same system in 2 years. I've already started work on getting an RFID (or similar) system going. The cost is currently excessive for the returns, but I think that will change.

Thanks for the photo's, I think that's a good way to mark your pollinated flowers. To date I've mainly used sections of drinking straw that I slip over the Neo flower once pollinated (the technique was said to be passed on by CS). After seeing most folks here using tags, I've tried the 'tag method' as well, but as most of my plants are in the garden it does cause some problems...I've got a VERY inquisitive 2 yr old daughter, who more than once has come to me proudly showing me a bunch of tags she's pulled out of a flowering brom! Being a keen fisho, I've got plenty of mono around, so may just give your system a try on a few plants next season.

BTW whats RFID system ???

Radio Frequency Identification WOW
Lets GPS the plants too LOL

Ditto HD, I have a MID system (memory ID) it works when it wants to an is not very reliable but if a plant has been moved/stolen/squashed by a falling tree I know that its not in its usual place!