Bagging blossoms?

[Love2Troll]

I want to know the last possible moment during which I can prevent crossing and insure selfing.

Is this one too late?



This one is OK? Looks to be a double, but don't have a lot of blossoms yet to take pic of or play with due to late start.



Truth is, I'm not going to bag or emasculate them or any of the normal things. I'm going to glue them. Works for capsicums and want to try on tomatoes.

jt

[Love2Troll]

I think found a better blossom to experiment on. Clipped the petals off.



Used Elmer's Rubber Cement on this one. It's clear so you can't see. Elmer's waterproof wood glue thinned with distilled water is next.



jt

[dice]

You may find this recent thread in the Crosstalk
forum helpful:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=5261

(My guess after reading the above would be that
you need to do the pollen test on the first flower,
and the second one is probably a good bet to get
a cross that has not been self-pollinated yet.)

[geol]

I don’t know what variety it is, but the blossom in the first pic appears to have an exerted stigma. I’m not sure how that would work if covered with glue. It appears mature enough that it could have already crossed.

[barkeater]

I'd say, by the time you see yellow, it's one crossed fellow!

[Love2Troll]

Not having much luck with tomato blossoms yet. Pepper blossoms are much easier.

These buds I dipped in glue before they opened and the stigma exposed. Durned things burst at the sides as they matured.



Will keep trying different glues and methods. Remember, ALL I want them to do is self and prevent crossing.

jt

[nctomatoman]

It's not nice to fool (around with) mother nature!!!! I don't think she will like it....

[Lee]

jt

Even if you do glue them and they stay shut, I don't think you can positively ensure you don't get crossing from a very tenacious bumble bee.

They typically bore into the side of the flower to reach the pollen and could probably bypass the glue as well. Bags keep them completely away from the
flower, so you can ensure no crossing.

Just my observations.

Lee

[Love2Troll]

Lee writes about bumblebees....

They typically bore into the side of the flower to reach the pollen and could probably bypass the glue as well.

I remember Keith telling me about bumblebee "bites" out of blossoms, but not sure he has photo evidence. That would make one cool video. Unfortunately bumblebees are now extremely scarce in my garden. In fact all bees are scarce. Although typically underground I think, have had them nest in a low to ground Carolina Wren box under my deck.

Peppers are so much easier to dip in various glues and I expect to be much more successful with them. Started on the 23rd and should know within a day or two more.









jt

[the999bbq]

yes I never heard of the glue method for tomatoes in fact - can it be used for tomatoes ?
I bag my flowers in small maze nets, some say the mazes are to big for airborn pollens but that's up to nature in my greenhouse (low on air currents) - I only take the two best early fruits from that clusters and move on to a cluster that is all green flowers...
a lot of amateurs don't bother isolating and rely on the 95% chance of the tomato not crossing (except for tomato leaf and white varieties who appear to have bigger chances in cross pollination - because of being recessive types, external/extruded stamina,... ?)
You could teabag them individually, I would play safe though and always go for the green flower-wannabees...

[chilhuacle]

Originally Posted by Lee

I don't think you can positively ensure you don't get crossing from a very tenacious bumble bee.

Originally Posted by Love2Troll

Lee writes about bumblebees....
Quote:

They typically bore into the side of the flower to reach the pollen and could probably bypass the glue as well.
I remember Keith telling me about bumblebee "bites" out of blossoms, but not sure he has photo evidence. That would make one cool video.

I've seen this before and went out to try and get a picture. Unfortunately tomato blossoms are too far apart and too small. Tomato plants also have too much foliage. The bees are way too fast on tomato blossoms to get good photos. My wife's flowers are a little easier though. The plant literally buzzes with all kinds of bees. These shots are typical of what I see on my tomato blossoms. BTW, video would be a real challenge, still images are difficult enough.

A Carpenter Bee boring into a blossom.

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Another boring in.

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A honey bee following along, using the Carpenter bee's bore hole. Smart!

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Bee landing.

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Bee cleared for takeoff.

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