Can I self-pollinate flowers from a single beet plant in a patch?

[Eugene Campbell]

One of my Detroit beets came up without any red color in the leaves (haven't checked the root, I assume it will be normal), and I'd like to let it go to seed to see if I can come up with a special variety of some value. I will be letting five or six other roots go to seed, too, large ones in hopes that next year's seeds might have a genetic advantage. They will be only a few yards away. As the wind blows the pollen around, I'm thinking the no-color beet flower could be covered with a paper wrapping at the critical time, and I could self-pollinate the special plant with its own pollen. using a cotton swab or something. Would that be a mistake?

 

[Eugene Campbell]

I read that beets are very hard to keep from cross-pollinating, but I'd be as careful as possible. My question is whether the pollen from a plant can be used on the pistils of the same plant and get viable seed. If not, since I'm the only beet grower anywhere within miles I'll just let that one plant be.

 

[ChanellG]

You can try putting a mesh bag over the flower to avoid cross pollination. I've seen that suggested for other plants. However, if the plant has already flowered it may be too late. Unless you can get up earlier than the pollinating insects in your garden, it may already be cross pollinated.

 

[Eugene Campbell]

Thanks, Chanell, I had been thinking to use paper but maybe a fine-mesh onion bag would be better. And it's not flowered yet; I'm just getting ready. But -- pollen is really tiny, isn't it? Mightn't it get through a mesh? Beets are wind-pollinated -- not to say insects wouldn't help (the aroma is heavenly even if the flowers are tiny and green, not what you'd call spectacular to look at). Yet, I don't want to use paper if it will somehow smother what oughtn't be smothered...

Also, this doesn't answer my question as to whether pollen from the stamen of a plant can viably pollinate the pistil of the same plant. In may plants it's possible but other plants must be cross pollinated. I don't know what search terms I should use to find information. Been reading but nothing clarifies it yet...

 

[ChanellG]

By mesh I meant those gauzy little gift bags they sell for wedding favors and sachets. I should have been more specific, sorry. They are inexpensive two inch bags made from a sheer fabric that you can get at the craft or some dollar stores. I'm sure muslin or cheese cloth would also work.

It is my understanding that you want to get pollen from another plant with anything that is not self-pollinating.

 

[Eugene Campbell]

Chanell, I found out through some searching that beets can pollinate from other varieties such as chard and spinach and lambs quarter. In the past I had no problems getting pure beet seeds, but the quality has not been as good as if I spend money to buy seeds (too darn expensive, but it's not the end of the world).

I also found out that if I were to isolate a single plant then its own pollen would not produce viable seeds. It needs pollen from another plant, so I'd have to pollinate it from with-color plants. Thus, there is no way I can do what I wanted with my special not-red beet, that is, have it pollinate itself. Nothing lost, I'll just let it go to seed with the others in the patch, keep those seeds separate, and see what happens next generation. I'm guessing the no-red variation is a recessive gene, but who knows?

Thanks for your interest.

 

[headfullofbees]

You may still get the outcome you want if you pollinate with other beet, if the gene mutation is dominant.

I wouldn't invest too much effort; just save seeds and hope to get lucky.

One thought though, it is possible that what you have is just a white seed which got inadvertantly included in your pack, as it is possible to buy white beetroot seed.

 

[ChanellG]

This gardening stuff gets too complicated at times, lol. I have given up on starting anything other than herbs or certain flowers from seed. Anything I can propagate from cuttings will be true to the parent, so I probably won't save any seeds this season. It's easier on me right now to by baby plants, but I wish you luck!