The difficulty is not in the pollinating, but in the collecting. Bees and other insect pollinators are perfectly able to take care of pollen transfer, aren't you glad? It's a simple matter of picking up ripe pollen from the anthers and transferring it to the stigmatic surface of another flower. Bees and others are best suited for this job, because they know when the male and female parts are ready for this transaction. Anyway, the fabulous Mr. GreenThumb has a blog that explains the seed collecting process as well as anything I've seen. Great pictures and a video, to boot. You might have some seeds on your vine now that could be getting ready to harvest. You'll know what to look for after you look at the pictures/video. Here is a link that might be useful: Thunbergia seed collecting

slopfrog, although most citrus are self-fruitful, your Page orange (a hybrid between a minneola and clementine actually - see link) doesn't seem to be one of them, unfortunately. I recall reading somewhere (can't find it now, darn it!) that it specifically needs to be cross-pollinated with either an Orlando tangelo or a clementine tangerine - this is probably why pollinating with your lemon isn't working. Maybe someone reading this with an actual Page orange will chime in. Best of luck. Tim Here is a link that might be useful: Mandarin & tangerine link

Knowing all the subgenus levels is difficult since so many of the names are wrong. But I usually use the coronal lobes and pollinia shape to help determine the way hoyas are related. The most important note is that hoyas have their receptive stigmas on the side of the column , not terminally as in most plants. This is the biggest mistake that pollinators do not realize. They appear to be receptive but this is not the case. Remember bees, butterflies, flies and wasps are the pollinators and they stumble across the flower reaching in deep to get at the nectar. On some species, nectar is oozed over the surface of the flower and insects lap this up with gusto. Walking and getting their legs in a fix allows pollinia receptors to be attached and this is what they bring to the next flower. Trial and error is the ebst practice. Start with self pollination (note some species are self infertile) but for the most part, almost all can be self pollinated. Hoya imperialis is a species which is self infertile. But I think some of the imperialis clones are actually backcrossed hybrids and do self pollinate. Many of the eriostemmas are hybrids and we call them species. Many of the guppyi's, susseula, and others are all hybrids. This can be seen when you self pollinate these and watch the variation come out in its offspring. The best tool to use is a coarse cat whisker, a watch repairman's magnifying eye-glass attachment, and a white scotch pad (to place the pollinia upon while gathering pollinia and going from one flower to the next. The scotch pad works since the pollinia gets stuck onto it and no gust of wind or just the breeze from walking will flutter these pollinia away. Attach the cat whisker to a thin pencil-like rod and use good secured electric tape, or similar material. Do not use metal or toothpicks, or anything that can damage the coronas. If you break a corona it will bleed sap and that sap is toxic to the stigmas and pollination process. Cat whiskers are best since they are stiff but not stiff enough to damage the floral parts.

Stanton, Mashland, Karastan (higher end) are wonderful products, and I would go wool. However, Smart Strand is a good medium priced option. Agree with Elizabeth B…the padding makes a huge difference. I always recommend SmartStep. It has a waterproof barrier which keeps spills (and other liquids…(woof, woof) from seeping into the pad. Ever tried to remove a stain from a rug, think you have accomplished it and two days later it is back? It is because the culprit is in the pad and not the rug. If. the pad needs to be seemed, have the seem duct taped or as I have always called the product DuckTape.