Plant Breeding made simple – The new craze of hybridising

It’s so simple, you wonder why you haven’t tried to dabble before.

1. Purchase a $1 "Aurora" brand mini paint brush from your news agent and cut a few lengths of old wool or ribbon.
2. Make a cup of coffee, wander into the garden relaxed and creative of mind.
3. Choose two geraniums (or hibiscus, daisy, lavender or even pumpkins) you may wish to marry up.
4. With the paint brush take the yellow pollen from one flower to another and dab it on the little yellow umbrella piece, called the stigma, on the second flower. Tie a piece of wool or label on the parent plants and in a few days watch for the seed to form in a stork’s bill shape.
5. When ready, pick the geranium seed, dry it in the sun and place on a polystyrene surface and rub off the chaff firmly with a rubber block used for sandpapering and then sow in a box of Yates seed raising mix and wait. This seed will germinate spasmodically, perhaps over months.

Notes: Choose similar colours, you may cross singles and doubles. It’s a good idea to cross a nice offspring to itself. Singles can produce doubles on throwbacks. Some modern varieties will not cross with old varieties as their genes are different. We choose mostly new PBR registered plants and you are permitted to name and sell the offspring of these as your own variety, even if the difference is only minor (PBR Australia - 02 6272 4228 will clarify or see PBR article at geraniumcottage.com).

You may later choose to register a new variety with the Plant Breeders Rights office yourself, thereby enabling you to claim royalties if your plant is marketable. Home growers should realise they have 12 months in which to test market a new plant without any fee payable. Hobby breeders should be wary of giving or selling new varieties to talent scouts from USA or UK without arranging an agreement about royalties.

Seed growing is fun, even if you only let the bees do the work. The latest trend in Australia is crossing the new paintbox, egg shell and coloured leaf varieties that have newly arrived here from England. Happy gardening to all.

From Roger Broinowski, Geranium Cottage WA.

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