Shelf Life Of Pollen?

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malamus

malamus

89
33
Depends on storage and amounts. Small amounts in the bottom of a tube at room temp a month maybe, I've had some die after a week in the fridge due to being a thin layer.

I have a 1/3 filled tube in the freezer that's hitting four years and just starting to show signs of degradation.

All my tubes have silica for peace of mind and I ensure tubes are room temp before opening of they've been stored in the freezer.
 
Napata

Napata

46
18
Depends on storage and amounts. Small amounts in the bottom of a tube at room temp a month maybe, I've had some die after a week in the fridge due to being a thin layer.

I have a 1/3 filled tube in the freezer that's hitting four years and just starting to show signs of degradation.

All my tubes have silica for peace of mind and I ensure tubes are room temp before opening of they've been stored in the freezer.
Thin layer of what?
 
M

mediuseA

27
13
Hiya, know I am new here but I do feel I have something to contribute to this convo, so here it is...

I store pollen or seed in accucheck blood test-strip containers. They are airtight, lightproof medical grade storage containers so will withstand long term storage in chest freezer w/o getting brittle. I write my strain info on paper in pencil and store it in the container as well as labelling the outside of the container. I use pencil because it WILL NOT fade with age or freezing. [write all relevant info down! Can YOU recall right now wh@ you had for lunch on the 4th of last month? Don't use code or abbreviations, write out the date you store the pollen, the strain name in full including the F-rating if relevant.]

[These type containers can be gotten from anyone who has a blood test machine IE: Diabetes, though they can be had from doctor's surgeries, hospitals, old folks care homes or sometimes even schools, ask around, be consistent and oft-times when you do find someone or some place, they will initially have a LOT of these containers onhand :D ]

I remove all plant matter other than pollen [the bits of male flower] and will hold the container with lid open over a light bulb for 40 seconds or so to heat it just a bit more than the surrounding air, before sealing the lid. The theory behind this is the warmer air will contain less moisture than the rooms air before I seal it.

Larger amounts of pollen are more optimal than small amounts as over time it WILL lose viability. I use a card to scrape large amounts of pollen on a smooth surface [glass for example] or a small artists brush to collect pollen from other surfaces. [note: fine pointed makeup brushes might also be used but WOE TO THEE if you get caught! just sayin' :D muahaha]

Start in one area and work your way over the collection area with the artists brush. Even if one cannot SEE pollen on the surface being used to collect it, it will still be there and a careful brushing will gradually pile up pollen to amounts one can see with the naked eye [or with glasses if ya half blind like me :D muahaha]. Even if you think you have no pollen, give it a try there may be more there than you think.

Often, removing male flowers from the pollen is as simple as touching the tip of the brush to the flower. It could be moisture, static electricity or 'art' but most of the time the flowers will easily stick to the brush tip and can be lifted to remove them rather than drag them from the collection surface. Tweezers or a toothpick do work but I have found the gentle touch of a small artists brush will get the job done fast.

IF you get a chance to get a simple paper mouthmask, it will remove the chances of a forgetful exhale blowing your hard sought goodies away. [SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE HERE **double facepalm**]

Pollen in these containers will last months if stored in the bottom of the fridge, and years if stored in a chest freezer. I have successfully made seed with 8+ year old pollen, so storing it for years IS possible. Its vitality will decline over time so this is why I advise storing as much as you can. I will fill an accucheck blood test-strip container up to half full. I don't store in quantities more than this though I don't advise against it. I have stored as little as a matchhead's thickness of pollen for years with success.

When I remove pollen or seed from the freezer or even the fridge, I let it reach room temp before opening, this is because the air and rh temp difference between the room and the inside of the container might induce absorption of moisture and potentially ruin pollen, or @least lower its viability.

Hope this helps some.

muA
 
M

mediuseA

27
13
One last thing I forgot.
When I have little pollen or need the best chance of a LOT of seed, I cut the pollen with cornflower gently heated over a lightbulb to remove any moisture before adding to the pollen. I have had success using it 1:1 as well as anywhere up to 5:1 cornflour/pollen. Cornflour will not stop a flower from being pollinated so adding it will spread out the pollen you do have. Pollination can be via artists brush, the paperbag method [pollen/carrier in paper bag, put over a branch, tie it off and shake] or even a pufferbulb.

muA
 
Napata

Napata

46
18
Thanks for the collective. I have gg4 and hazemans Fugu regs so I want to maximize my potential for breeding!

Thanks again!!!!
 
dankninja

dankninja

486
93
try slow drying if anything... I have had pollen last for up to 4 mos with proper environment ie cold and dry.
 
GeorgeWKush4

GeorgeWKush4

58
33
Hiya, know I am new here but I do feel I have something to contribute to this convo, so here it is...

I store pollen or seed in accucheck blood test-strip containers. They are airtight, lightproof medical grade storage containers so will withstand long term storage in chest freezer w/o getting brittle. I write my strain info on paper in pencil and store it in the container as well as labelling the outside of the container. I use pencil because it WILL NOT fade with age or freezing. [write all relevant info down! Can YOU recall right now wh@ you had for lunch on the 4th of last month? Don't use code or abbreviations, write out the date you store the pollen, the strain name in full including the F-rating if relevant.]

[These type containers can be gotten from anyone who has a blood test machine IE: Diabetes, though they can be had from doctor's surgeries, hospitals, old folks care homes or sometimes even schools, ask around, be consistent and oft-times when you do find someone or some place, they will initially have a LOT of these containers onhand :D ]

I remove all plant matter other than pollen [the bits of male flower] and will hold the container with lid open over a light bulb for 40 seconds or so to heat it just a bit more than the surrounding air, before sealing the lid. The theory behind this is the warmer air will contain less moisture than the rooms air before I seal it.

Larger amounts of pollen are more optimal than small amounts as over time it WILL lose viability. I use a card to scrape large amounts of pollen on a smooth surface [glass for example] or a small artists brush to collect pollen from other surfaces. [note: fine pointed makeup brushes might also be used but WOE TO THEE if you get caught! just sayin' :D muahaha]

Start in one area and work your way over the collection area with the artists brush. Even if one cannot SEE pollen on the surface being used to collect it, it will still be there and a careful brushing will gradually pile up pollen to amounts one can see with the naked eye [or with glasses if ya half blind like me :D muahaha]. Even if you think you have no pollen, give it a try there may be more there than you think.

Often, removing male flowers from the pollen is as simple as touching the tip of the brush to the flower. It could be moisture, static electricity or 'art' but most of the time the flowers will easily stick to the brush tip and can be lifted to remove them rather than drag them from the collection surface. Tweezers or a toothpick do work but I have found the gentle touch of a small artists brush will get the job done fast.

IF you get a chance to get a simple paper mouthmask, it will remove the chances of a forgetful exhale blowing your hard sought goodies away. [SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE HERE **double facepalm**]

Pollen in these containers will last months if stored in the bottom of the fridge, and years if stored in a chest freezer. I have successfully made seed with 8+ year old pollen, so storing it for years IS possible. Its vitality will decline over time so this is why I advise storing as much as you can. I will fill an accucheck blood test-strip container up to half full. I don't store in quantities more than this though I don't advise against it. I have stored as little as a matchhead's thickness of pollen for years with success.

When I remove pollen or seed from the freezer or even the fridge, I let it reach room temp before opening, this is because the air and rh temp difference between the room and the inside of the container might induce absorption of moisture and potentially ruin pollen, or @least lower its viability.

Hope this helps some.

muA

i also use these containers for pollen and my bag seeds if i find any worth keeping.

Thanks for the collective. I have gg4 and hazemans Fugu regs so I want to maximize my potential for breeding!

Thanks again!!!!

how is hazemans gg4?? i have heard good things but yet to hear anyone finding any good gg4 phenos, i have hazemans gg4 X underdawg
 
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