how to bag flowers

[Lindalana]

I got these wedding tulle baggies but it seems to be fairly complicated procedure to stuff blossoms into it and keep it there...
How do you do it? Any tricks?
It is first year I decided to try as I noticed more bees early this year...

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Lindalana

I got these wedding tulle baggies but it seems to be fairly complicated procedure to stuff blossoms into it and keep it there...
How do you do it? Any tricks?
It is first year I decided to try as I noticed more bees early this year...

It depends on how big the tulle bags are since they come in different sizes, but most folks I know bag the buds, not the blossoms and the bag needs to be large enough, then, to contain the blossoms. Easier methinks to bag buds rather than blossoms.

There's also this FAQ from a place where you read/post from time to time that I think might help, although there are now several pictures missing.

http://faq.gardenweb.com/discussions...ss-pollinating

Just curious which bees you are talking about since it's usually Halictid bees that do most of the X pollinating, aka sweat bees, and they are so tiny it's hard to see them.

Here's another excellent link about NCP, natural cross pollination, that was written by Dr. Jeff McCormack when he owned SESE. I think some of his isolation distances are too conservative, but at the time he was producing lots of seed for SESE itself. The important part of the following link IMO are the many variables that can influence X pollination.

http://www.southernexposure.com/isol...es-ezp-35.html

Hope that helps,

Carolyn

[Starlight]

Sometimes it is hard to get those square bridal bags on the buds. An easy way is to get some tulle on sale, get you a piece of poster board, make a good size circle and use it for a pattern on the tulle.

Than just do a basic I guess you call it a slip stitch around the outside of the circle. The just in and out to make a drawstring bag. Just pull your two ends of string together and you got a round pouch. With it being round you can fit it over the branch and the buds alot easier.

You want to bag the branches when you see the buds. If any of the buds have opened up into blossoms, remove them as who knows by what they have been already pollinated.

Don't forget to make a tag and attach it to your branch.

Sometimes the bud will start to make a fruit and sometimes even though bagged it may abort the buds, especially if temps are too high.

[joseph]

I use floating row cover: Cut off a section, wrap it around the stem. close it with a piece of tape. If I'm feeling literate I can even write on the tape.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by joseph

I use floating row cover: Cut off a section, wrap it around the stem. close it with a piece of tape. If I'm feeling literate I can even write on the tape.

I used floating row cover, just to practice, a couple of decades ago, but the problemwith that is that the pores are too small and the stuff within the bag heats up too much and the stuff in the bag ROTS, big time.

Joseph, you're the one who wants your tomatoes to cross promiscuously, so you tell us, so WHY would you be trying to prevent X pollination?

Carolyn

[joseph]

Sometimes I make promises to people in exchange for seed. That promise often includes returning non-crossed seed to them.

Sometimes I grow seeds, of other species, that are very attractive to seed predators. Tulle looks like it would work great against bumblebees on tomatoes, but not so great against goldfinches on sunroots. I consider myself fortunate to live in the dry dry desert.


Hmm. I'm imagining a use for bagging tomato flowers in a promiscuously pollinating tomato project... Find a wild variety that is self incompatible, cross it with domesticated tomatoes that match my specifications, then bag the flowers of the offspring... Then if the bagged flowers fail to set fruit, that would be a good sign that the plant is self-incompatible (or at least that the flower shape is not suitable for selfing). So it might be possible to create a domesticated tomato that is an obligatory out-crosser. So much research, such a busy time of year.

[Gardeneer]

Nylon tulle is sold in fabric/craft stores for a couple bucks per yard.
They come in all size and colors
I buy a lot of them mainly to keep insects ( like Flea Beetles) , rats and rabbits .. away.
You can use them to prevent cross pollination as well. Choose a color that can be easily seen/detected when looking for it.

[Lindalana]

Thanks for advice!
Carolyn, I have seen bumble bees and smaller bees similar to what you mention at my perennial garden- it blooming full force. Main problem right now keeping it up with winds as stalk with buds is pretty short yet.

[pauldavid]

I bought tulle last night. They are already cut into large circles already, 97 cents for 25 pieces. I used needle and thread around the outside to make a drawstring. It looks like this will work good. First time bagging, wish me luck!

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by pauldavid

I bought tulle last night. They are already cut into large circles already, 97 cents for 25 pieces. I used needle and thread around the outside to make a drawstring. It looks like this will work good. First time bagging, wish me luck!

Way to go Paul.
Needle thread idea sound great . All you will have to do is to pull 2 ends of the thread and tie it.

Gardeneer

[Starlight]

Paul... Where did you get your circles from, please. That sure beats having to sit and cut circles. Slip sticking only takes a few minutes.

Good luck bagging and don't forget to tag the branches. Sometimes a bag may take and sometimes it won't if the flower buds don't open and develop because of heat or lack of pack pollination, so you might want to keep an eye out to make sure you have fruits forming.

Once you can see the fruits forming, you might also want to remove the bags and double check that the branch has good tag attached to it. That way the fruit has plenty of room to form and not be hindered by the bag.

[Lindalana]

Aha, so how long one has to keep bag on the flowers? I have couple blooming now.
Right now it is pretty cool so heat is not an issue. I do have limited amount of bags so unless I go shopping I will have to reuse ones that I have.

[Gardeneer]

How Long To Keep The Bag ?

I have read that it takes about 2 weeks from tiny bud till fruit set.
So, if I wanted to do it, I would keep the tulle on for 2 weeks. Then remove it and tag the truss.

Gardener.

[pauldavid]

Originally Posted by Starlight

Paul... Where did you get your circles from, please. That sure beats having to sit and cut circles. Slip sticking only takes a few minutes.

Good luck bagging and don't forget to tag the branches. Sometimes a bag may take and sometimes it won't if the flower buds don't open and develop because of heat or lack of pack pollination, so you might want to keep an eye out to make sure you have fruits forming.

Once you can see the fruits forming, you might also want to remove the bags and double check that the branch has good tag attached to it. That way the fruit has plenty of room to form and not be hindered by the bag.

Hello Star! I found the tulle cicles at Wal Mart in the Arts & Crafts section. There is a sub-section labeled Wedding. It was hanging above the tulle rolls. Hope this helps. Thanks for all the info, Star.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Lindalana

Aha, so how long one has to keep bag on the flowers? I have couple blooming now.
Right now it is pretty cool so heat is not an issue. I do have limited amount of bags so unless I go shopping I will have to reuse ones that I have.

Agree with Gardeneer in terms of keeping tulle bags on until blossoms have set fruits, you'll see those wee green knobs that indicate that, but I can't put a time limit on it since not all bagged blossoms set fruit at the same time.

And if you ever recycle the tulle bags be sure to simmer them in water for maybe 30 min which will denature proteins, and any clinging proteins you would want to be denatured/destroyed is the contaminating protein pollen.

Carolyn