These 3 requirements are mandatory
In order for the effort of manual pollination to actually result in abundant seed heads, the following requirements should be met:
- The orchids are strong and healthy to cope with the show of strength
- A single plant has at least 2 open flowers
- The flowers to be pollinated are fully open
also read
- Fertilize tomatoes yourself - this is how you force the fruit set
- Pollinate the apple tree sufficiently for a better harvest
- Pollinate pears - plant pollinating varieties in the garden
You can hope for particularly stable hybrids if you use the pollen from 2 orchids of the same species. Transfer the pollen of different species, breed You new generic hybrids with an unpredictable result.
Step-by-step instructions for manual pollination
On orchids, the pollen is hidden behind a flap that protects the dust bag. This anther valve is removed with a toothpick. The pollen packets are now exposed and can be picked up with the toothpick. It is important to note that the pollinia are golden yellow. Dark-colored pollen is no longer fresh enough to fertilize a flower. Proceed in these steps:
- Pick up the pollen with the tip of the toothpick
- Carefully transferred to the sticky stigma of the mother plant
- On mother plants, use a flowering shoe to expose the concealed stigma beforehand
You have made your contribution to pollination with it. By closing and swelling the scar, the plant signals that the procedure is successful. Now the flower wilts quickly. As the pollen migrates into the ovary in the following weeks, the actual fertilization takes place. It usually takes up to 9 months for the seeds in the fruits to ripen.
Tips
Pollinating an orchid flower with itself has no prospect of success. With a few exceptions, the plants have developed a protective mechanism against this form of floral inbreeding. If you fertilize an orchid this way, empty fruit without seeds will flourish.
