SYSTEM WHICH IS THE FUNCTION OF THE PLANT

THE FLOWER

The flower is the part of the plant which houses the reproductive organs, there are several parts to a typical flower.

The Receptacle

This is at the base of the flower and supports other parts.

The Green Calyx

This is made up of leaf-like sepals, protects the inner reproductive organs and to attract insects.

The Corolla

The ring of colourful petals serves to protect the inner, reproductive organs and to attract insects.

The Stamens

The male reproductive bodies that surround the pistil. A stamen has two parts (a) the filament, which supports the (b) anther in which develops the grains of pollen. Each pollen grain contains two male nuclei or gametes.

I find you will need at least 3 years of breeding before you start to get a line going of your own. You will get to know pollen bearers and seed bearers. Keep using your line with different cultivars of proven abilities of different sorcos (nurperios). 

You can keep them in a tomato seed tray or seed tray, 3 1 / 2 " pots or two plants to a 6" pot. Root them or keep your spares for this purpose when you first start off. Stop them twice and allow them 3 or 4 flowers per plant. 

I start to black out middle of June for 6 to 8 weeks (6 pm to 8 am each day). Water and now and then a weak feed. Early August I stop blacking out when buds start to break. I use infra-red light above the flowering heads (this allows pollen to develop, especially on large exhibition types and fully grown flowers from exhibition types). This also stops damping of florets.

You don't need specialist equipment!

I do prefer to use a growth retardant to keep the plants dwarf - I generally use this 3 times during growing period.

Equipment you will need

1.  Framework made to cover and black Out plants with black polythene.

2.  Sable hair, fine artists brushes (at least 3) 001 - 002. I have at least 6 brushes of this nature.

3.  Good jewellers glass with spectacle holder, which fits to your spectacles and keeps the glass in place. I now have a special bifocal 1000 - 3000 twin eyepiece - this flips up and doesn't strain your eyes.

4.  I use cardboard disposable plates, which are painted with matt black finish emulsion paint. This shows the pollen grains easily (or you can use a mirror). 

5.  You need a sieve to get the seed separated from husks.
Small brown envelopes, roughly 2" X 2". 

7.  I use Algofen for the water, when I cut the flowering stem once I have pollinated. 5mls to 2 gallons of water kept in a 2-gallon plastic container.

8.  Razor blades. Sharp small surgical scissors.         Methylated spirits - to dip razor blades or scissors (you can use this to clean sable hair brushes). 

9.   Masking tape - to name the crosses you have done. Cut 4" long and then tie to stem - this is the best way of labelling. 

During August I start to prepare the flower heads for pollen and stripped ready to accept the pollen. You must strip them of all leaves and cut them 8" long. I use sharp surgical scissors to cut back flower heads, near as possible just above the stigma and then finally cut them back with a razor. Allow 12 hours for time to allow the cut petals to heal.  You can cross them on the plant if you prefer, especially if you have them in 6" pots - slightly awkward if in 3 1 / 2 " pots.
 
Once the flowers are starting to open, I use my mercury infra-red light above the flowering head; this certainly helps the pollen to develop. Also, if you have used full grown flower head from your exhibition flowers it will help. You will need this on during dull wet days and damp nights. If it is sunny you don't need to use it.  I use a piece of doweling about 8" long to tap the flower head onto paper plates, gently tapping the stems. You must then tie the masking tape to the stem and what you have crossed with.
 

Always try and get into 4th or 5th row of petals - more preferably - always try and get your pollen into the bottom row of petals. I am convinced this will always give your seedlings plenty of petal.I have crossed earlies with October ones, earlies with lates. However, I think you are best to stick to earlies with earlies, lates with lates.  You will find when the stigmas are receptive to the pollen they will lay ten two to quarter three and generally go over with pollen twice. Once you have crossed your plants, store them in a warm airy place. I store mine under the velux window upstairs. Leave for 8 to 10 weeks, longer if needed. You can tell once they have ripened. Then break and sieve through your sieve. I use disposable plates once again, only this time they haven't been black matt painted, just plain.
	It takes time to learn which is seed and which is not, normally it has a line similar to wheat seed - however, you will get it in different colours black, gray, brown etc.

I normally sow the seed early January, I use half seed trays. Fill the seed tray up full. Water in. Sow seed on top. Cover very lightly with very fine vermiculite. I then cover the top with glass and place paper over top, placed on top of soil warming cable at 60 degrees or small propagation. 

Check after two weeks and once seeds are through take off paper and keep turning over glass each day until the seeds have made sufficient growth to take off the glass altogether. Once you are able to take off the glass, take them out of seed tray carefully - I use an old fork for this purpose. I prefer to use seed soil-less potting compost for sowing seed and potting on.

3" pots for seedlings. Once grown to filling root of 3" pots, either pot into 6" pots and grow one up. Break bud method or stop like ordinary plant. Allow two breaks per plant. I stop all earlies May 1st and lates June 1st, if been grown on stops. I prefer lates grown on break bud method, it saves space and helps to save compost.

Earlies grown in land, treat as normal plants.

I hope in some small way I have helped to explain the hidden mysteries of plant breeding.