In a message dated 5/26/06 11:48:02 AM Pacific Daylight Time, mauch1@aol.com writes:
. The flowers I think that are best for receiving the pollen are starting to turn red, whose stamen 'ball' is still green and round.
Please allow me to add, the stigma will have a wet look from a sticky substance when it is receptive. I like to take a small vile such as prescription bottle, hold it under flowers with the stamen ball gray or black and with a toothpick gently run it around the stigma being careful not to break it off. Do this under several flowers. You will see in the bottle a mix of anthers and pollen. Now take a Q tip, dip in the bottle then touch the stigma of receptive flowers. Works well, I've done it many years.