hybridizing african violets. |
||
|
The diagrams on this page I credit to my daughter Ninette
Brownlee |
||
|
If there is one thing I have learned in life it's there are no "fail safe methods" for anything! There are more ways than one, all I have to do is find what works for me! |
||
|
It is hard to imagine something so original as "one of a kind" but all the information I have managed to gather state that like snowflakes, each new seedling is different from all others. The chosen "parents" will make all the difference in what crosses will produce. Professional crosses take a great deal into consideration...it even makes a difference which is chosen as the "seed parent" as compared to the "donor parent". Most seedlings produced will be attractive enough for indoor color, very few will be really outstanding. I can well imagine there are some out there who would not agree with me, but I do not hesitate to recommend anyone who likes violets to give hybridizing a try. I am going to. So on to the |
||
|
Mechanics of Hybridizing |
||
| Each african violet blossom contains the necessary male and female elements to make a cross, and these are easily seen by the naked eye. The two small yellow sacs (anthers) contain the |
|
|
| dust-like pollen. The small spike that projects from the flower's center is the pistil. The slightly enlarged tip of the pistil is the stigma. At the other end of the pistil, and beneath the flower is the ovary which will become the seed capsule when fertilized by placing the pollen on the stigma | ||
| The best time for pollination is when the flower appears mature. Although even when the flower falls off, both pollen and stigma usually are still ripe for fertilization. At this time the stigma becomes slightly sticky, enabling it to hold the pollen. |
|
|
| To cross two flowers you must transfer the pollen from the anther of one to the stigma of another. There are several ways you can do this, use whichever method that seems the easiest. If you cut a tiny section in an anther and let the pollen fall on your thumbnail, then you can place this pollen on a stigma of your chosen seed parent. | ||
|
Another way is to take an anther from a flower (even
one that has just fallen off) slit open the pollen sac with needle, then gently
pinch the sac to open it wider and apply the opening to the sticky stigma of the
seed parent.
|
|
|
| A small artist's paintbrush also can be used to transfer the pollen to a stigma. During the middle of the day when the air is warmer is the best time for making your crosses. | ||
| After you make your cross you may want to attach a small tag noting the name of each parent to the stem below the pollinated flower. Usually the seed parent is listed first followed by an X then the name of the pollen parent. If the cross is successful within a week you will see the seed capsule starting to grow. |
|
|
| As it continues to develop it will protrude more and more from the green calyx which once clasped the base of the flower. It takes anywhere from six to nine | ||
| months for the seed capsule to ripen. During this time the stem beneath the seed capsule may turn or twist at an angle. The seeds are ripe when the stem and seed capsule turn brown and start to shrivel. When this happens remove the capsule and put it in an open dish to dry. Be sure to keep different crosses in separate drying dishes so the seeds will not become mixed. Set the dish in a warm bright spot and leave them uncovered. Many growers allow seeds to dry about a month, but you can plant them right after harvesting or as much as a year later. Occasionally, an apparently healthy seed capsule will turn brown and drop off long before you think it should. Don't throw it away, save it and plant the seeds anyway. Some of them may be fertile. | ||
| Note of interest
Almost two years ago my violets suffered an attack of thrips... The first signs I noticed was a yellow dust (pollen) sprinkled randomly on all my blooms. I thought it strange, and on looking closer I could see a dark speck here and there on the petals of my violets. I tried blowing the speck and dust off the blooms and was horrified to see the speck move in the opposite direction than it should have. I pulled out my reference book and identified the "bug" as thrips. As I read up on thrips, a little bug that breaks the pollen sac in the bloom I realize how devastating such an attack could be to a hybridizer.... all the work and records would have been in vain once thrips decide to visit. |
||
| Dust the seeds on an inch or so of moistened planter
mix in a covered container some take-out or deli food containers are ideal for
this, and keep in a warm place- for example the top shelf of your light
stand. If the lid is kept tight you will not have to water the seedlings
which should appear in 2 or 3 weeks. Seedlings can usually be transplanted in about 2 months
and should produce their first bloom in 7 to 10 months. (dedicated to Robert) Here is a wonderful page on starting seeds. Janet's Low Tech method of starting african violet seeds. |
||
| soils
Some use peat pellets, others just a light soil mix or you can buy planter mix from most gardening outlets especially for starting seeds. |
||
Dear Rachel, I wrote to you a while back asking about starting AV seeds. I mentioned to you that I had some that was very old. I thought that you might be interested in an update on that ancient seed. I originally sprinkled my remaining seeds onto a damp white paper towel that I had put in a covered casserole dish. (Dish has clear glass lid, just in case you were wondering.)! Anyway, I put them down on October 13th and now, two months later I have Two Little Green Sprouts!!! I had almost thrown the lot in the trash, but I figured that as long as they weren't going mouldy (a couple did) I may as well leave them alone. I wasn't in a big hurry for the dish and it wasn't in my way. They have been getting plenty of bright light from a north window, so I just decided to be patient. So, my patience finally paid off. If anyone writes to you in the future about starting seeds, be sure and tell them to be patient! and just make sure the little things stay damp, relatively warm and in bright light. As a matter of fact, mine might have sprouted sooner if they had had more warmth. The room they are in is open to the rest of the house, but does not have it's own heat source. So, these were sprouted a little on the cool side. Take care, Jeanette |
||
|
I wrote to Jeff Smith and he very kindly gave me his permission to print his notes for you here. Jeff Smith's Notes |
||
|
If there is any subject you would like to suggest please write in..... and request it |
||
|
|
||
 |
|
|
