very exciting..... :-))) Bet Hubby is happy too.

Awesome ! , What is the procedure ?

Thanks Ed

Thank you, Roxanne.. :-). He actually was happy and interested since he saw me making the tools to use. I had to raid his fishing line when making my little " twirl tool". So he did watch as I chose the right gauge line.. He probably worried I would help myself to the huge reels that he protects.. Lol!!

Hi Ed,

This technique came from a gentleman named Dennis S. He has a video of how he does his twirling and it's seemed very simple, so I gave it a try. It worked!! I believe he lives in Thailand but is from Oz.

I made my tools first by using a wooden skewer broken in half since they are so long. I found 20 lb test line and cut about three inches off and taped the line to the wooden skewer, leaving about an inch - two inches on the end.

The best blooms to use are the newly opening blooms or one day old blooms. You take your tool with the line and insert it into the opening and gently try and touch the bottom of the Stigma. Once you feel this, lift up just a little and twirl the line to collect the pollen from the Anthers . I moved mine around at all areas for just a few seconds ( he suggest 5..) you can angle the tool around and twirl.. Be careful to not poke through the bottom .. ( I did it a few times, but I had to to get the feel). Take the line out and you will see the pollen on the line ( but if you can't see well, like me.. Just go with it. ;-). Go to the next tree with your selected bloom and repeat the same process to allow the pollen to stick to the Stigma where it needs to germinate.

I made about five different wooden tools and wiped them off after I used them with a moist paper towel ( isopropyl alcohol) .

The trees I selected were Thai Super Round, JJ Pink, Viola, Waimea.. So I did a few trees and repeated twirling a few nights in a row selecting the newest blooms. Some did drop, but it's because I am just learning. Once you get the feel of gently touching the bottom, lift up just a bit and twirl.

After a week to ten days look at the Peduncle ( base of where the flower dropped) and if successful , you will see baby bumps form as per the picture above ...

i find it fascinating to try my hand at this and I do love to let the natural pollinators work their magic, but it's always fun to try new things.

This is why I always suggest to leave the old inflo on the tree and let Mother Nature let it drop unless their is a reason such as rot or fungus etc.

It usually takes about 9 months for the pod to mature, but through my own experience on my J-105, it took 12 months to mature. This is because my tree held onto the seed pod during the dormant period.

This is new to me so I hope I explained it well enough so you can try..

Have fun!!

Laura

This is a picture of my naturally pollinated seed pod on my J-105 that was pollinated last Season and finally opened at the end of June. I let the pod open and dry for a week and then sowed the seeds. They sprouted in 6 days.. I didn't soak or float. My seeds were just placed in the moist mix, wing up and I had close to 100 percent germination.. I kept the mix moist but not wet. The only reason I lost one was because of a torrential rain storm . The tap roots were not completely set and one went over board. Ugh.. The others that I gave away to friends did very well ....

Here are a few of the seedlings from this J-105 seed pod.

They need to be placed in their own containers... That's is part of the " to do list" tomorrow.

Have a great night!

Great job. Laura

Congratulations! It seems like you have ton of plumeria. You can grow them to sell. For sure, I'll be one of your customers. ;-)

Thank you Barb!! I was so excited.. ( if I could jump up and down like a kid, I would have..) ;-)

Mahalos Plumerias _lover. What a nice compliment, but I do grow for the love of it. It truly is so much fun to see what we can do with our flora.

Have a great weekend!

laura

Hey pollination queen!

Super excited for you. I've been trying hand pollination & cross pollination for years with no success, glad you've done it!

hope all is well!

Congratulations! I saw that video awhile back and wanted to try it but didn't have any fishing line. I recently purchased a new shirt and tried to use the thin plastic price tag holder. It didn't work. LOL! When I get my hands on fishing line, I'll try again. :)

I love the infusion of enthusiasm and inspiration your posts consistently provide, Laura - just one of the many fine qualities you possess, the sum of which make you such a valuable asset to this and all the other fora on which you participate.

Al

Laura, you are now, without question, the bees knees.

Hello Everyone!!!

Jason.... I have been thinking about hand pollination for a while and then I saw the video from Dennis. I figured why not try and see if I could have something take.... especially when I had some blooms to work with. Time is limited when we here on the east coast ( mid Atlantic) have a short growing season . So I had to work fast especially having multiple trees blooming at the same time. So I went for it and it worked!! I was so excited!!!!

Keilann .. Thank you so much!! Good try on the plastic . I'm sure you can find some small spools of line at Target !! :-)

Hi Al... That is such a kind compliment and I can't tell you how much it means to me. I have always enjoyed sharing with others and learning as well.. You and so many others have taught me so much and I truly appreciate your kind comments. Thank you!!!!

Mike... You are so funny. Mahalo!!

Have a great night!!

Laura

Great Experiment. I wish there was a way to visually identify when the timing is right for cross pollination.

I agree K.. I chatted with Dennis about this and he says that he will repeat his cross every two days when he has blooms. He mentioned how he makes his passes on the trees and says that " to imagine how Mr Moragne took his Scott Pratt and Daisy Wilcox and made over 200 colorations". It just unbelievable. ....

Hi Laura! I have a question. Did the blooms immediately fall off after your hand pollination technique? I was able to get a hold of some fishing line and tried again. I noticed that the flowers that I obtained the pollen from and the receiving flowers all dropped to the the ground the next day or two. These were brand new blooms that usually stay on the inflo for about a week. Was I being too vigorous or is bloom drop normal after hand pollination? Thanks!

LOL! Laura. Where will you have room for them until they bloom?

You will have to make arrangements to send the seedlings down to Florida to grow them up a bit on an acreage. Then you can fly down and do an appraisal / assessment on the bloom size, color and plant form. Save out the best ones and name and register them.

OR you could 'lend' out the seedlings to multiple growers and get the receiver to promise to send you pics once they flower! Have them sign a waver of propagation rights. Hah! Then you can assess, make cuttings, name/ register, etc. I might be willing to help you out!

Sounds like a new line of business?

Keilann.. I am so new to this, but I do believe they didn't stay on as long as they normally would if not manipulated . I had blooms falling the first night and then the next day. I just don't know how long it takes, but I think my blooms only stayed for a couple of days as well..

I remember thinking that I was losing them so quickly, but It was worth the try...

Good luck and keep us posted !!

Hi Dave!!!

I certainly like the way you think!! ;-) You are more than welcome to " houzz" some if you would like!!!!

Those J -105 are the ones that I'm going to keep my eye on. I think they might have some potential. It will be years, maybe more to see the first bloom and to see it make three bloom cycles before I could register, but the thought Is Truly exciting...

Flying down to Florida to check on trees sounds like a great business.. Lol..

The other pods that hopefully will stay on the Thai Super Round and any others that might appear.. I'll give away.

i just wanted to see if this was possible and have fun experimenting with the crossing...

You made me smile.. Thanks!!!

Have a great night!!!

laura

More seed pods.,. twirling success.. This time on Maverick!! I see two possible sets!! This is..

Laura

Thai super Round

That is Awesome ! Thanks For The Info !..

Ed

Very cool, Laura! Maverick makes about a thousand blooms a year but I never saw a seed pod from it, though I have a lot of pollinators. Way to go!

This is definitely a nice, simple way to pollinate vs. the cutting and taping done by the big growers in Thailand and Hawaii.

Laura, do you hire yourself out for pollination services? Hah!

i'd like to cross Penang Peach with Waimea or Hilo Beauty!

Thank you Ed!!! I'm so excited about your seed pods!! Sweet!!!

Hi Jen!!

I always think of you everytime I look at my beautiful Maverick!! ;-)

You are so right about the other ways of hand pollinating.. Lol. I keep it simple!!! I'm sure you have had an awesome summer and I bet your yard is just beautiful with all of your blooms!! It is getting to be the end of my season. The leaves are starting to yellow and drop so it's a sad time to see this happening. I Just started working getting them ready for the " March.." But I still have until the end of October.. Trying to get those inflos to full bloom before they need to come inside. AB is still looking good, but it needs more time. I'll probably put it in the greenhouse to see if I can possibly see some of them bloom.

Dave.. You just about made me spit out my coffee as I read your post.!!

OMG. Still chuckling.. I think I was using my Waimea when I crossed with Maverick. And super Round. With all of the DNA from all of the parents involved, I'm sure it will be a huge selections of colors.

I will save some seedlings for you.. Lol. I know you have room!! HAHAHA!

I would love to see Penang Peach crossed with Waimea.. Get going!! Lol..

Have a great day everyone!!

Laura

Laura, I had a good year with my JJ's varieties, a really long blooming season so I'm very happy. Glad to know the PSA sale finds from 2012 are performing for you.

It's so exciting to see what comes of the seedlings each year, too! I think I have a couple of real winners and a couple of sentimental favorites. Have you had any bloom yet from your earliest seed batches?

And I keep thinking of your beautiful Palomar white, but I can't find it anywhere. Where did you find it?

Hi Keilann!!

I understand about trying our hand with the blooms.. Mine did drop after I tried the first few cycles. Once I figured out how far to insert the line, they didn't drop from my poking them.. I only worked with a few blooms on each inflo at the time so I wouldn't have others drop .

There is always next season !! It's all about the satisfaction and enjoyment!!

Have a wonderful season!!!

Hi Jen!!!

i love all of the trees from the PSA sale of 2012!! What a great season for them as well as my JJ varieties!!

Maverick has been blooming all summer and still has blooms getting ready to open. This is a profuse blooming variety and I'm thrilled that it's doing well and producing seedpods . I think I used a Waimea, but I'm not 100 percent sure it was from that single bloom. I used other Maverick blooms, so it could be a self cross...

My other seeds from Leela I gave away and Dave P has one that he took to Florida and planted in his Father in laws garden. He sent me a picture of the beautiful tree, but it hasn't bloomed yet!! I didn't keep any from that batch, but I did keep about 16 seedlings from my J-105 seedpod. I'm hoping I'll have something special with this group!! Fingers crossed!! You have some gorgeous flowers from your seedlings.. I can't wait to see if any of mine will be as interesting.. I do have a few Thai seeds that I sowed and they are looking good. A friend sent me seeds from a ETLD and a Elizabeth Thornton seed. They look great.. Tropical Aurora seedling is coming along.. ( only one).

Palomar came from the San Diego sale in Balboa Park . This tree is very fragrant and the flowers are thick with a good keeping quality. Profuse bloomer along with Maverick. They are both blooming and were the first to open for me this spring!

If you are interested, I'm sure we can find you one next season.. Or check with Mike A on FB. Did you change your mind about whites? Lol? For some reason I remember Robert giving you a hard time about White Plumeria... Lol!!!

Take good care.. You are thought of every time I look at my CPX-25 too!! Mahalo!!

I know we can find a Palomar.. Let me know!! :-)

Laura

LOL, you're right about me and whites, but I've been known to make an exception for a big, fragrant white like Palomar! I've never seen it for sale through a nursery, so if you happen to hear of one I'd love to know!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your one Tropical Aurora seedling :) What a rarity!

I tried it today with this Unknown Variety, Don't know if its the wrong time of the year, But it was fun to try it ..

Ed