Crossing peas and a general pea thread

You have to have both in flower at the same time. Work with a flower at the bud stage or it will already have self pllonated. You take the one you want to harvest the seeds from as a bud, (I find it easier to take the purple for pollen and add this to the green, then if you get purple flowers next year you have a true cross) and you slit open the keel of your bud with a scalpel. The keel is the sealed up bit in between the wing petals - those at the sides. Inside the keel you'll find 10 little stalks with pollen on and a central one without . Remove the pollen from these with your scapel or some fine tweezers. Take a fully open but fresh flower from the pollen parent. Open this in the same way and take the pollen from this one. I usually do this with a paintbrush. Brush the pollen on the little stalk left in the middle of your emasculated bud. Tie a bit of wool onto the stem of this bud so you don't eat this by mistake. Do several, on a clear but still morning for preference. Leave these pods on for the whole season till they dry. Harvest and label the seeds with the names of both parents.

Next year when you sow these you will get all the same - the F1 generation. You have an F1 hybrid! However, seeds from these when grown on will show marked differences. The F2 generation is when all the genetic diversity comes out. Make sure these peas are sown a bit apart so you can see which is which when they flower and fruit. Then save seeds from the ones with the characteristics you are looking for. Grow these on to an F3 generation.

You usually need to go to about F6 or 7 until you have a stable line, only sowing seeds each time from the best.

Good luck - and don't hold your breath!

If you have any questions feel free to send me a pm. If I can help, I will.

Flum thankyou for a very good explanation. Unfortunately I have just checked and the last purple flower has just set. Shame, I'll have a go next year. I should have realised I need to get to the flower and checked if I had any before