I was just wondering if anyone would interested in adding a Hybridizing forum? A lot of the genetics would be the same for different plants, so I would think it might make sense. Then there could be different threads in that forum for different plants. Just an idea, so we don't all need to reinvent the wheel each time we think about crossing crossing our plants. I suggested the idea to Dave and he suggested back to me that I add this thread to see what the interest might be from everyone. So, please weigh in with your thoughts. THANKS!

I would think it easier to have hybridizing threads within the individual plant forums, as is currently the case in the daylily forum for example, except for any plants that don't already have their own forum. But then if there's a separate hybridizing forum it could get confusing if some discussions are in that and some in the specific plant forum. Edited to add, where there isn't a specific plant forum then there could be separate hybridizing threads in the generic forums, like annuals, perennials, trees and shrubs etc.

I agree with @sooby that it would be easiest to have hybridizing threads for each specific plant within that forum.

plantladylin said:I agree with @sooby that it would be easiest to have hybridizing threads for each specific plant within that forum.

Me too, I see that as the way it would work best.

I do see the benefit in having a thread under a specific plant, but the problem I have been running into is I can't find a thread that talks about hybridizing and genetics in general. Much of the genetics involved crosses over to most plants. For instance, coloring of flowers. Which colors are dominant? Knowing this would help to decide which plant would be the seed parent and which plant would be the pollen parent when doing a cross. Having a general forum on the subject might be a faster way to get the information one needs than having to search for various threads under various plants. I have a feeling there might be a lot of hybridizing information on our site, but it is so scattered it is hard to find. Any thoughts on that matter?

I had not thought of that. Of course I don't hybridize so I will leave it to those that do to think up the best forum.

Hybridizing is something that I have been interested in for a while and would welcome such a forum. I see the value of having discussions in individual forums. I am into Hibiscus, so I watch the Hibiscus forum and it would be a logical place for a discussion on Hibiscus hybridizing. Even though I focus on Hibiscus, there is a lot of information in other plant specific forums that would still be of value to me. But finding that info would be cumbersome at best, hopping from one forum to the next hoping to find something of value. It would be nice to have a central spot to share that info. I think the problem is that many people into hybridizing are focused on one particular type of plant and follow the forums for those plants. I think it would be difficult to get those people to switch there discussion to a generally hybridizing forum.

cwhitt said:Much of the genetics involved crosses over to most plants. For instance, coloring of flowers. Which colors are dominant? Knowing this would help to decide which plant would be the seed parent and which plant would be the pollen parent when doing a cross.

I don't think it is necessarily true that the inheritance pattern of flower colours is the same for all or most plants. I wonder if @admmad would care to comment on this.

cwhitt said:Much of the genetics involved crosses over to most plants. For instance, coloring of flowers. Which colors are dominant? Knowing this would help to decide which plant would be the seed parent and which plant would be the pollen parent when doing a cross.

You've inadvertently hit on the very reason why there are hybridizing threads on specific forums. In you example, different flower colors are dominant, depending on the kind of plant. There is no generality. And for some plants, which parent the color comes from does make a difference; for others, it makes no difference at all.

I do understand your frustration about the information being scattered about... an inherent characteristic of forums in general. At least we are not like Facebook in this respect. The moderators of the Lily forum are quite forward thinking with their thread organization, with the purpose of preserving information for future member use. http://garden.org/forums/view/...