One easy way is to use one plant for one cross. All of my ED BROWN is crossed with VICTORIAN LACE, say, everyday. That is not a real example, by the way, but could be!

Every bloom is the same cross, so all the seeds are the same. Of course, this limits the number of crosses, but that's what I do, and a couple others as well. I don't have time for tags!!!!!

There are few plants that I limit to crosses with only one other plant. Those usually have a trait or feature that I want to add to an existing plant but usually have a bad trait or weakness. Most of my plants do multiple duty.
First, there are short crosses and then there are long crosses. Short crosses sample a cross, while long crosses finish a cross.
For short crosses: with diploids, I usually make 2 or 3 pollinations, looking to obtain 10 good seeds, with tetraploids, I make 5 or 6 pollinations, again wanting to obtain 10 good seeds. After pollinating a flower, at least remove its stamens. Covering the pistil stigma and removing the stamens is best.
When you make a short cross and it produces a good seedling, further explore the cross by making a long cross. Make enough pollinations to produce 50 dip seeds or 100 - 200 tet seeds.
I use a database to keep track of all pollinations, seed collection and seedlings planted. There are several available commercially, or you can develop your own. I have a worksheet that I use outside to collect data and then post to the database at night. I record pod parent x pollen parent and date on a tag that I put around the base of each pollinated flower.
To establish foliage traits for your plants, develop at least 4 test dates and record foliage appearance and bloom. I think the best time to determine foliage habit would be late fall and early spring. Anything with foliage when the first freeze occurs is probably semi or evergreen.
Hope this helps,
Ed

This gives me some direction anyway. I have a hard time with the tags on flowers. How do you cover the pistil stigma? Thanks for the advise on how to evaluate the foliage too!

Hi lynnda,
Putting identification on the pollinated flower is a chore. If you physically have trouble with tags, try the colored wire sets available from sources like Earth Star. One lady uses colored yarn. Just assign a color to each plant you have and when using the pollination from that flower, wrap the receiving flower stem with that colored wire. If it is just making yourself record the information, I know it's a chore and I am tempted to skip it all the time. But there is absolutely nothing more frustrating than to get a nice seedling and not know where it came from! Lots of potential lost. So each year I throw or give away probably 1000 seed that has an unknown parent/s. Lots of things happen beyond your control and I don't have the time to waste on mystery seeds/plants. Make the effort, it's worth it.
I don't cover all my pollinated pistils, just the very important ones. Take a 2 inch square of alum foil. Lay your pencil on one edge with the point about a 1/4 inch from the top. Hold the foil against the pencil and roll. Fold the top 1/4 inch over and pull out the pencil. Voilà ! I have also seen people use small pieces of straws, gum wrappers and the covers for syringes.
Hope this helps,
Ed