Unopened flower buds are collected and grated across a screen to separate the pollen. The pollen is then dried. Pollen can be stored until next year, or used in the current season. Each peach, apricot, and nectarine cross is a laborious process of hand pollinations on whole trees, either in container or in the orchard. Plum trees can be crossed with the use of whole-tree screen frames where a bouquet of the pollen source is placed within the tree and a small hive of bees to disperse the pollen.
Plum cages in-place in the orchard.
Sprinklers in use in a hybrid seedling block for freeze protection. Our breeding program specializes in development of cultivars for the early market. Fruiting commences as early as April in Texas and we are continuously in the field throughout the season, evaluating fruit quality in our own orchards, in our hybrid seedling blocks, and in grower-cooperator orchards throughout the State. When an exceptional genotype is found in our hybrid seedling blocks, we select the tree to undergo further trials. A selection is often propagated and planted into our own evaluation orchards.