pollinating loph's ...

[Chief BigTittyFlapFlaps]

...if there is a better way please let me know. 

[roach]

I used a toothpick because I didn't have a small paintbrush.

[Chief BigTittyFlapFlaps]

i didn't have a toothpick or a small paint brush but i have many q tips.  what is the best, do you know? 

[roach]

Not sure. I'm waiting to see if my plants produce fruit. I will keep you updated.

[Chief BigTittyFlapFlaps]

yeah wait and see.  i read they are self fertile but helping them out a bit helps seed production. 

[Inyan]

L. w. Quatrocienegas x L. w. v. texensis
L.w. v. Huizache x L.w. texensis
In my opinion, it is always better to cross pollinate with another variety if you are trying to increase seed set and genetic variability. Whether this means your cross pollinating with a northern variety to a southern variety or simply making a more closely related regional cross or even crossing the within the same genetic pool/region it is your choice. As for collecting pollen, I find that q-tips work fine. However, if you fluff the ends of the q-tip by rolling the cotton between your fingers getting it to loosen up you can gather more pollen and when you apply it you can be gentler with the stigma as you are not approaching it with a hardened mass of cotton that may crush the flower if you are too heavy handed. Paintbrushes also work well for this, but care must be taken if you are going to claim that you have indeed made a cross. Removing the anthers of one flower before it has opened is one option if you are dealing with a regional variety that is self fertile. No need to worry about this as much if you are working with a regional variety that is not known to be self fertile. As always, cover any flower after you have pollinated it to ensure only the pollen you have chosen is applied to that flower. When using paintbrushes if you go from more than one flower to another and you have not removed the anthers from all flowers before they matured you have a chance of having contamination from those other flowers with your paintbrush or your q-tip and thus you can't be entirely sure of your cross. It is better to collect and store your pollen in many mini micro centrifuge tubes or the like and properly label them all. Use once and discard. You can store several q-tips of one pollen variety in a single tube properly prepared or you can shake out pollen onto q-tips for use when you need it.