[Phalaenopsis] Pollination steps and tips
 

Hello out there orchid lovers!

So, in this topic i want to collect all tips and steps for orchid (Phalaenopsis for now) pollination.

I have two with different color phals and i want to make some seed from them.

Q1 : Is better to cross pollinate them , self pollinate them or to try both pollination methods ( 2 flowers self pollinated and 2 cross pollinated) ?
My opinion is to try the third method. What are you say?

Q2 : Which is the maximum number of flowers i can pollinate in one plant ? Maybe 4 are too many ?

Q3 : My phals are now started to bloom (there are open 4-5 open flowers). I have to wait for all flowers to got opened and then pollinate some of them or doesn't matter ?

Q4 : How old must the flower be to pollinate it ?
I read that you have to wait a week after it opened and then pollinate it. Is that ok ?

If someone can answer to one/some of these question i will be very thankful.

:bump: good luck!

Q1- depends on what your goal is. I you want to cross the two you have, then obviously a cross would be better. If you want to self them then you will get seedlings of the same hybrid but there will be some variance in them, but mainly it will be similar to the parent you self. If you want to self both and make a cross I would self each and them make the cross on just one of the plants, I would pick the healthier of the two to set the pod on.

Q2-I dont have much experience, but I usually like to just keep one or two pods on the plant, sure you could do have more, but if the plant can't sustain them, it will abort one or all of them, if one of the pods is your favorite, it might be that one that gets aborted, you never know. Sometimes they will abort them when you only set 1.

Q3/4- I have been told to wait a week before harvesting pollen or putting pollen on. If I were me, I would let I get to full bloom, and let the last open flower be open for a week and use that one to cross with. But that's only because I would like to enjoy the flowers.

Flower that receives the pod should be relatively young. Pollen can be quite a bit older.
Depending on the size of the plant, you should be very careful putting lots of pods on a plant. The reason is, it take a load of energy to develop the pod. If you have a really mature well grown plant, it could probably take 4, but I'd stick with one or two.
See Bob's answer on what to breed, as he makes a good point.

Thanks a lot for your answers.

I have had up to 25 seed capsules developing, some have since aborted. What I have noticed ( apart from what has been already stated ) :
1) the fresher the pollinia, the better, so fully opened flower. That ties in to nature where pollen is harvested by insects when the flower opens.
2) the column/stigma ripens after the pollinia - in other words it becomes "sticky" so that pollinia will attach easily.
3) its best to remove the anther cap/pollinia of the recipient flower as you don't want the possibility of selfing.
4) any non-viable seed capsules should drop before one month, any flower that is not fertilised drops within 2 weeks. You do get the odd exception.
5) some pollinia within anther cap are not "sticky". After I harvested with a forceps, the pollinia fell straight off - so be careful. I cant tell yet whether this was due to the viability of the pollinia - the 2 affected orchids still have developing seed capsules.
6) the healthier the recipient plant the better. I have a zygo with 5 capsules, and a few phals with 3. All with no apparent ill effects on the parent.
7) and now the tricky part........when to harvest. I have been told that its when you see a yellowing of the capsule at both ends.
GL - its interesting, and you wouldn't believe how big the capsules are in comparison to the plant/flowers !