Pam,
I think you will find the newest plants are used for their pollen in seed crosses. Established plants serve as the pod parent.
That being said, I think it all depends on how early you got the plant in the spring, or if you got it the previous fall....but mostly, how vigorous the new plant performs during the bloom season. I had two new ones that I loaded up with pods this year, LAVENDER BLUE PLANET and NORTH BY NORTHWEST, both by Curt. They didn't seem to miss a beat.
Most plants will tell you how to proceed. If pods start falling off, or if the plant looks stressed, then it's time to pull back.
Steve
