Collecting, Storing, and Mailing Pollen

[Hydro-Soil]

is it really a good practice to use flour to cut pollen ? iv heard this now a few times but are sceptical. would the flour not bring about bud rot and compromise the integrity of ur flowers and therfor seed as well due to fungus that may come from th flower its self?
all feedback apriciated thank you.

It works well for several reasons.

1. Pollen is REALLY small. Diluting it with the flour makes sure that you're not dusting 1 flower with 1,000 bits of pollen.

2. The flour helps absorb excess moisture in the pollen.

3. It makes it really easy to work with a tiny amount of pollen without wasting it.

There's no danger of rot or anything since you're only 'dusting' your flowers with the flour. It takes an EXTREMELY small amount to effectively pollinate entire branches of flowers.



Stay Safe!

 

[nobull56]

Some folks cut the pollen then take the cut pollen in a French bread bag. Bag a whole branch and shake to limit pollination on other parts of the plant.

IMHO whatever way you enjoy is where you should be! If it gets to be too laborious in any of your hobbies it becomes work not fun.

Some bull by nobull

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Some folks cut the pollen then take the cut pollen in a French bread bag. Bag a whole branch and shake to limit pollination on other parts of the plant.

IMHO whatever way you enjoy is where you should be! If it gets to be too laborious in any of your hobbies it becomes work not fun.

Some bull by nobull

Have you actually done any pollinating, collection of pollen or anything that you are posting about?

The reality is that it almost takes longer to type up the method than to actually do the work involved with it.

The upside is you can pull pollen out of the freezer a few years later and it's still good and even mailable.

I don't see that happening with a cut branch and french bread bag. (Title of the thread is "Collecting" "Storing" and "Mailing" pollen... Right?)

IME... the whole bag thing is overrated unless you're doing multiple strains on the same plant. Take the plant in to a room with still air. Take your cut branch and shake it over the bottom branches as you pull them out for access.
Let the plant sit for a few hours and then spray it down with water really good. Let dry and put back in flower room.
Done.

Even easier to do single branches with individual pollen once you've collected and added the flour. Can do whole branches or individual buds with multiple pollens and with little to no cross-pollination. A room with STILL air, I said.

Stay Safe!

 

[nobull56]

Yep I've done a bit. You are welcome to look at the posts.

You might even see some of my seeds on seedbay. That's why I got that little 'done-er' by my name.

 

[Banefoul]

so unless i missed it, what ratio of flour to the amount of pollen do you cut it with?

 

[Aardwolf]

View Image

collect bees
remove wings, legs, head
hot glue it to a stick
the hairs of the abdomen will naturally collect pollen
you can now store this stick in a vial for storing pollen
when ready for breeding projects, dab the abdomen on the female stigmas

ENJOY! SPREAD THE LOVE

Are you serious? I am not sure if you would like it if the tables were turned, I do not condone this technique.

 

[De lite]

Thanks for posting this!

 

[cambodianqueen]

Hey Telepod great info on how to store the pollen! I was wondering if you had any tips on how to extract the pollen instead of just putting it in with the ladies for pollenation. I would like to store some pollen and am having a hard time finding any good ways of extracting the pollen in a timely manner.

 

[justanotherbozo]

Hey Telepod great info on how to store the pollen! I was wondering if you had any tips on how to extract the pollen instead of just putting it in with the ladies for pollenation. I would like to store some pollen and am having a hard time finding any good ways of extracting the pollen in a timely manner.

yeah, ...you probably didn't notice but Telepod posted the original information back in 2004 and hasn't been active in the thread since then so appealing to him isn't gonna yield you any answers.

what i'd suggest you do instead is to THOROUGHLY read through this thread as there is MUCH useful information to be gleaned and then, if you don't find answers to your questions you can do further research.

here would be a good place to start.

hope this helps, bozo

 

[farmerlion]

OK I pollenated 4 plants today, I used a big fat Q-tip to do the job. I covered 3 to four bud sites on each plant. How long should I wait before I spray the leaves with mist to kill all unused pollen? I have all air flow shut down to eliminate airborne pollination, or at least minimize it the best I can. I was going to leave grow area sealed for about 12 hours before I mist the girls. Thank you

 

[nobull56]

Are you serious? I am not sure if you would like it if the tables were turned, I do not condone this technique.

No this guy was NOT suggesting this, it was a jest!


Cambo-

To collect pollen you can tap the pollen into a baggy, remove all plant parts & Freeze.

 

[Sam_Skunkman]

I collect branches as soon as they begin to flower, or a day sooner if you can.
I remove all the shade leaves, if I did not already.
I set them on a very large 80 micron screen over a black piece of plexi-glass and let them dry over night in a cool dry room.
The next day I gently lift the branches and thump them on the screen without raising a lot of pollen. Then turn the branches and let sit for another day and repeat the thumping, do one more time the next day. Most of the pollen is now through the screen. And is bug and debris free. Place pollen on paper in a dry room over night, package in small paper bindles, for easy access in a glass jar in the freezer. Or just dump a lot in a glass jar if you need a lot.
I have frozen pollen and used it 17 years later, pollination of dozens of really big plants gave 100% or close to it, seed set.
Wash screens with hot water between different male pollen collection. Dry screens before reusing.
I let the pollen warm up in the glass jar before opening to prevent condensation of humidity on to the pollen because it is so cold. I have also sprayed with an airbrush, still frozen pollen on ready females, it also worked fine. Just don't let damp pollen sit around in a lump it will sprout and then die.

-SamS

 

[spring fed]

Big up Sam! Thanks for sharing.

Thought I would post some photos of my latest pollen collection/storage. Decided to step it up from my old envelope-ziploc-fridge method.

 

[StanKDanK]

good stuff

 

[SlimOctopus]

Thanks for sharing,exactly what I was looking for.

 

[thatonedude]

I have a bunch of plastic petri dishes, would they work for long term storage in the freezer? if so what should I use to seal them air tight? would regular poly film work or do I need something better?

 

[Corpsey]

They could work, maybe if you vacuum seal the whole thing. Add a desiccant as well.

This is what I just got setup, a lock & lock box with some 5/8th dram vials and a reusable desiccant that you can renew in the oven. Still have room for 15 more vials, more pollen and long term seed storage.

 

[thatonedude]

....?......?....?

 

[JointOperation]

you can use rice if you wana be cheap..

its what i use for pollen and seed.. havent tried the pollen as i still have clones of the male.. so i dont need it. but if i ever lose my male clones.. then the stored pollen will be used..

love the idea of a spray gun..

 

[dannykarey]

Great thread, A lot of great info!!

Danny