I think you need at least four hours for pollen to take. Ideal temps for pollenating are between 70-75 degrees if memory serves me correctly. You can usually tell whether a pod is going to form in three days or so.
Nancy

I understand it takes about 1-1/2 hours for fertilization to occur. You can avoid having rain wash off pollen by rolling regular weight aluminum foil around a toothpick, kind of like when people roll their own cigarettes. Slip it off, fold over one end, and you have a tiny cover. Carefully place this on the pistil, and that should protect the pistil and pollen.

I get concerned when the temperature climbs up into the high 90's - afraid maybe the pistil could get "cooked."

You can also substitute with sections of coffee stirrers, or small squares of wax paper.

While it is recommended that pollination be carried out in the morning, or during cooler temperatures, apparently my daylilies never heard of that, for they will produce pods if fertilized as late as an hour before dark. It is very hot here in Texas, but it doesn't affect pollination until the temps climb up into the 97-98-99+ degree heat. Some fertilization does occur, but the rate of success drops off.

Nancy

Our weather has been so bad with the low temps and RAIN! that I haven't dabbed the first bit of pollen. I sure did want to today. I had about 50 pretty ones today and many of them FFO on seedlings but it rained about 8am for an hour and then it tried to for the rest of the morning. I finally got out about 12:30 to take some late pictures. I'm afraid to complain about all the rain, now the mosquitos, I will complain about, they are terrible. We've had about 15" in this month and that's alot of rain for us. We have had the draughts too, so the rain is needed and of course the wonderful weeds and grass are growing faster than anyone can pull, hoe, or rottotil out of my beds.

I heard the weatherman say that after tomorrow we are supposed to have some pretty days. YEAH!!! I hope the sunshine is for everyone. It's fixing to be the first of June and it should be bursting with daylily blooms for most of us. Have fun and blessings to all. Mona

My general rule is to make my tags 1 hour after pollinating. I jot the crosses down quickly (on a notepad) as I dab - then make my tags inside in the AC about an hour later. I usually hang the tags late in the day after it cools off a bit. If it rains during that hour after I pollinate, I deadhead the blooms and try again the next day.
Kathy

I'm lazy and just dab pollen. If it takes it takes, if it doesn't I just do it again the next day. Bending over is a chore (my back) so I do it all as fast as I can and go take a break. I'm so tired some nights I go to sleep at 8:00, of course I then wake up at 5:30 and go out with the flashlight to see what is blooming ROFL. It sure is fun though.

Dot

Make sure and freeze some pollen. An hour after the rain, stigmas are receptive to pollination.

About 30 minutes after the pollen tube starts growing down the pistil style; rain, water or bugs will not affect it. The genetic material is well on its way and protects itself from intrusion.

Tets are much more sensitive to temperature and genetic mismatches. Start pollinating your tets as soon as the pollen gets fluffy for best results. Dips are hussies.
Ed

Bless you, Kathy - I never thought about just writing the crosses on a notepad and filling out tags indoors where it's cool. That certainly is a lot easier - but the best part is not having to stand out in the hot sun writing out tags. Thanks for the idea - I've been out pollinating most of the day. I'll start doing it your way tomorrow!

Nancy

Nancy, I wish I could take credit for the idea, but I think it was Brooke that first posted it. I wish she'd come back more often...she is so garden smart and taught me more than she'll ever know. My notepad is cheap, little and light. I sit it in the shade somewhere nearby...then I dab all the blooms with a particular pollen ...then go to my notepad in the shade and write them all down. It is filled with chicken scratch and looks something like this:

rr X spm - 4
ch - 2
ccw -1

This means: Rainbow Radiance (4 blooms/tags) x Spider Miracle, Crooked House (2 tags) x Spider Miracle, Curly Cinnamon Windmill (1 tag) x Spider Miracle.

When I change pollen, I skip a line and start again. I can remember my abbreviations for a few hours, but I would not remember it by the time the pod ripens. So I'm more thorough with my tags than my notepad.
Kathy

Hi Ann

I've read somewhere that if the pollen is going to take, it will do so within an hour. I'm more concerned with high temps...once it gets into the 90's its not really worth pollinating IMHO...

I'll sometimes place a plastic baggie (loosely) over the bloom if I'm anticipating rain. I've been pretty successful at forming pods this way when it rained a couple hours later.

Nancy & Kathy: I've been writing my crosses down in a address book from the $$ store for the last few years now. Very similar to your notepad idea...but with the address book you can write down the name of the pod parent under the appropriate letter--it works really well for looking up your crosses later on. I usually then create an Excel spreadsheet with all my crosses. I also use colored pipecleaners for tagging the flowers....no need to do any writing at all as far as putting info on the plants themselves.

My address book looks something to the effect of:

Spacecoast Starburst x Mort Morss = green pipecleaner.

Just thought I'd mention it since its worked so well for me!

Sorry Ann...didn't mean to hijack your thread :)

Sandy