Freezing Male Pollen

[Skunkenstein]

What is the prefered method for protecting and storing pollen.How long is it Viable ??Opinions and Experiences welcome.

 

[CBF]

use a container that wont promote moisture, use some type of dryin agent in your container, like those little packs in jerky, raw rice and such.

it willl last for years if ya keep it sealed and dont mess with it.

 

[Rootbound]

Make sure it is dry before freezing it. Moisture is your worst enemy with this!!!

 

[bonbonbondia]

use a container that wont promote moisture, use some type of dryin agent in your container, like those little packs in jerky, raw rice and such.

it willl last for years if ya keep it sealed and dont mess with it.

I don't think those little packs you find in foodstuffs are actually dessicants. They are most likely oxygen absorbers as oxygen makes stored food go bad and getting the oxygen out makes it last longer and keeps down the chances of bugs and such hatching.

I put a reuseable wireless dehumidifier in a tupperware with my pollen for a while to make sure it is dry before I freeze it. I have something like this:
I've also used it in my curing process before with good results.

http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-Renewable-EDV-300-Wireless-Dehumidifer/dp/B000H149J0/

 

[Rootbound]

I don't think those little packs you find in foodstuffs are actually dessicants. They are most likely oxygen absorbers as oxygen makes stored food go bad and getting the oxygen out makes it last longer and keeps down the chances of bugs and such hatching.

I put a reuseable wireless dehumidifier in a tupperware with my pollen for a while to make sure it is dry before I freeze it. I have something like this:
I've also used it in my curing process before with good results.

Thanks for the info!!!!:rock RB

 

[Skunkenstein]

Thanks Guys !!

I'm thinking a 35mm film container with some rice grains put inside a tupperware container.When you guys say ''Dry'' pollen, are we talking,left out for an hour or so..?? I know that pollen viability can be affected within a week from my own experience.My usual collection method is..shake pollen onto 10 by 10 glass mirror,put pollen into 35mm film canister..apply to females with a fine paintbrush.So for long term storage..let dry,use dessicant,protect from moisture!! I think I got it!! What is the longest length of time anyone has heard of pollen being used after long term storage??

 

[CBF]

I don't think those little packs you find in foodstuffs are actually dessicants. They are most likely oxygen absorbers as oxygen makes stored food go bad and getting the oxygen out makes it last longer and keeps down the chances of bugs and such hatching.

right on bro, dessicants is right, thanks;D

 

[Purkle]

What about shelf life? And how long does it need to dry? Days or hours?

 

[Skunkenstein]

Hey Purkle..!

I have soo Much Grape Krush pollen, I have to put it in a freezer..haha!! If you have some Girls, I got some Magic Dust!!:rock

 

[Guano]

Collect the pollen over time and place it into a clean vial like a film canister. I really like using a paper plate held under a group of flowers, and then gently thumping the stem. After collecting the pollen, the paper plate can be creased, held over a vial, and the sides and edges thumped until all the pollen is vibrated into the vial.

For a pollen carrier, heat about 2 or 3 teaspoons of flour in an oven to 180F for about 20 mins or in a small pot set on low heat, let it cool *thoroughly*, and mix with the pollen to dilute it. I use a ratio of about 1/4 tsp pollen to 3 tsp flour and have very successful pollination rates. Store in small containers like contact lens cases excluding as much air as possible and store in the fridge for long term storage. Remember, it only takes one male to fertilize one female ovule, and there are millions of pollen cells in a 1/4 tsp of pollen so be sure and dilute it.

Take out only enough of the pollen mixture (1/4 tsp.) to use for one session and use your finger, or a small artist brush (my preferred method) to pollinate a few of the lower branches which have fresh, white pistils. Do not contaminate the main pollen source with a resinous, sticky artist's brush! Clean the brush's bristles with Isopropyl alcohol after each session and let the bristles dry thoroughly before using it again. I hit the chosen receptor branches 3 times on a weekly basis to insure a good supply of seeds.

*Label* the pollinated branches, and harvest your seeds in 3 to 6 weeks. I just cure the seeded branches with the rest of the crop, and tear apart the seeded buds with my fingers. You'll find the seeds close to the stem. Store the seeds in the fridge or freezer, labeled of course, with a little dessicant like heat treated rice for long term storage.

 

[xchaoticmetalx]

Very nice explanation Guano, never heard of diluting the pollen before , but it makes perfect sense.

 

[Purkle]

Real good explination on the breeding process. Thank you and great tip on just doing the lowers.

 

[stone69]

Good to know! Thanks Guano.

 

[gumbe]

Hi
everyone I am new to the forum not new to growing I will be experimenting with storing pollen and have a few quick thoughts....

Can’t you store the pollen on a q tip n use one of those save a meal vacuum sealer to preserve it? if so how much pollen would have to be on a q tip and would u have to dry it before sealing it, I just did this tonight I used three q tip n rolling the tip in pollen n then sealed each in their own bag.

 

[greentipz]

very helpfull information

 

[MR.Budworthy]

would love to get some pollen to sprinkle a few of mine. i havent found any worthy males yet

 

[gumbe]

and when is the optimal time to apply it after how many weeks?

 

[aletheus]

Bump.. lol..colloidal silver could be used here, correct? And I've heard conflicting things from pollen being able to be stored indefinitely vaccuum sealed and in a freezer, to only lasting 3 years. would using cs on a clone, then pollinating another clone be considered a back-cross?

 

[kumar]

Hi there, Thank you guys from the info here, it's very useful. I'm growing since a while, but this will be my first attempt to cross polinate. My male flowers are just about to open, so I'll collect the pollen very soon. The ladies needs another month to bring enough flower to pollinate. My questions:
- May I collect the pollen right when the flower opens, or wait 4-5 days? I read different articles with different opinions regarding this.
- Is it OK if I cut the whole branch with opened flowers, dry out the whole thing, than shake the dry pollen into the ziplock bag?
- Can the pollen survive in the fridge insted of a freezer for a month? I'm a bit afraid of condensation, even if I seal the bag properly. And it's just about a month, i'm not planning to store them for years.
Cheers, Thanks!