Watch chain plant, also known as string of hearts, is a beautiful and delicate trailing plant that produces small, tubular flowers. These flowers can be pollinated by hand to increase the yield of the plant. In this article, we will discuss how to pollinate watch chain plant to increase your yield.
Watch chain plant is a self-pollinating plant, meaning it can pollinate itself without the need for external agents. However, hand pollination can significantly increase the yield of the plant. The flowers of watch chain plant are small and tubular, and they have two stamens with pollen at their tips. The pistil is located between the stamens and has a sticky stigma at its tip.
To pollinate your watch chain plant, you will need the following materials:
Identify the flowers that are ready for pollination. Watch chain plant flowers have a long-lasting blooming period, so you can easily identify which flowers are ready for pollination. The flowers that are ready for pollination will be fully open and have mature stamens and pistils.
Collect pollen from the stamen. Using a small brush or cotton swab, gently collect pollen from the stamen of the flower that you want to pollinate. Be careful not to damage the flower or remove too much pollen.
Transfer pollen to the stigma. Once you have collected pollen from the stamen, transfer it to the sticky stigma located in between the two stamens. Gently brush or dab the pollen onto the stigma.
Repeat the process on other flowers. Repeat the process on other flowers that are ready for pollination. You can use the same brush or cotton swab for all the flowers.
Wait for the seed pods to develop. After pollination, the flowers will begin to develop seed pods. These pods will eventually turn brown and dry out. Once this happens, you can harvest the seeds and plant them to grow new watch chain plants.
A: You can pollinate your watch chain plant as often as you like, but it is best to do it when the flowers are fully open and have mature stamens and pistils.
A: Yes, you can use any small tool that can collect pollen without damaging the flower, such as a toothpick or a small paintbrush.
A: It usually takes a few weeks for the seed pods to develop after pollination. Once they turn brown and dry out, you can harvest the seeds and plant them to grow new watch chain plants.
A: Yes, you can plant the seeds directly in soil, but it is best to start them in a small container with well-draining soil mix until they have grown a few inches tall.
A: Watch chain plant requires bright, indirect sunlight and well-draining soil mix. Water the plant when the top inch of soil is dry to the touch. Fertilize once a month during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer.