I keep good records on crosses and seed set. This year has been a banner year. Past years I’ve made between 30 and 55% of my crosses actually making seed. This year it is at ~80% and the number of seeds per cross has increased. Also, the number of OP seed buds has increased maybe 3 times greater than a typical year. I’ll be analyzing the data as it comes in, but I think it is because we had a very dry Spring. Maybe most of the pollen I used this year is 2023 pollen. Has anyone noticed how rain impacts seed set?
It is not the rain but the steady warm temperatures. I too found thast the early crosses in the cold that dipped into the 20’s did not set well. even those that were made in dry conditions later fared better. Midseason, it looked like virtually everything took. Yes a bumper year for seed.
So I’ve collected all my 2023 seeds. I made 129 crosses and 98 made seed. 76% seed set. A banner year. I also know what year I collected pollen. I store frozen pollen for 3 years. Is it still good? Based on this years results.
2020 (3 year old pollen) used on 3 crosses and 2 made seed 66%
2021 (2 year old pollen) used on 3 crosses and none made seed 0%
2022 (1 year old pollen) used on 57 crosses and 46 made seed 80%
2023 (New pollen) used on 65 crosses and 45 made seed 69%
So I can plant seed at any time. Looking for advise on when should you plant seed. I typically plant in September/October.
I’m glad you guys had good pollen years. I had a horrible pollen year and
have few seed to show for it.
Clay
Hi Bill,
I think it is easiest to bake seed over summer in a dry safe place and then plant them in the autumn.
I think some autumn species seed will sprout the moment they touch water, which will sometimes be in the same autumn they flower in the wild. You may lose these if you plant them at the wrong time.