how to store pollen

[foolsgold]

i was just wondering how to store pollen, and how long it will remain viable?

 

[foolsgold]

anyone?

 

[CBF]

frozen lasts a good long time.

i use paper packets i fold up outta a square piece of paper, place in baggie, inside a mason jar with a 1 nch layer of raw rice in the bottom. place in freezer. dont fuck with it till ya need it, remove from jar and baggie let sit around were it wont get moist while it defrosts.

have used frozen pollens that were frozen for 2 years. wasnt all viable but made plenty seed. ive had a packet with water marks on it, and there was still good pollens in it.

CBF

 

[foolsgold]

wow! 2 years. that is awesome. i didn't realize pollen could last so long. thats gonna add a whole new ball game to my weak but fun seed collection.

 

[matamus]

Use basmati rice, it works well to keep moisture content to a minimal level, i use this with all my seed, grab a hand full and throw it in.

 

[Herbiraptor]

I have read that it is important to dry the pollen before freezing.

 

[foolsgold]

would you dry pollen by just letting it air dry or what?

 

[matamus]

yeah I would not ever heat pollen with any unnatural sort of heat source, could deem it useless. just let it air dry, make sure there is no breeze to blow it all around.

 

[TheCoolestMan]

Great thread! How long shall the pollen dry?

 

[radical farmer]

Awesome thread guys! Great question, as Ive been wondering the same. How much pollen does it take to pollinate a branch and get a bunch (20 +) of seeds?

 

[CAPO]

When I dried my pollen out it didn't work.
Has anybody done the same?

 

[waayne]

I have used CBF's technique for years with excellent results.
I have never dried the pollen,just collected it and froze it the same way CBF does,never had any moisture problems,but I live in a pretty dry climate so maybe that's a factor?

 

[InvisibleM]

Look up in the sticky, it is excellent.

Sticky: Collection and Storage of Cycad Pollen

 

[Seamaiden]

I have read that it is important to dry the pollen before freezing.

It is extremely important that the pollen always stays dry. I was incredulous when I was told that water kills it, but then I had a batch of girls hermie on me. Shit! No problem! the man tells me, just spritz 'em down with water after you pick out the nanners. He was right!

That said, last year I tried to make seeds on purpose but it was slightly dewy on the morning I chose, and I got a really horrible return on that little investment. Took the same batch of pollen for an indoor run of the same Cali Blue girls and I'm still harvesting seeds as I trim her up.

I put my pollen in a little screw-top plastic make-up container (from my Bare Minerals make-up), mixed in a tiny bit of flour which I now understand is not such a good thing to do, with a few grains of rice. It's stored in the same container as my seeds.

When I dried my pollen out it didn't work.
Has anybody done the same?

If it got wet it won't work. Drying it out won't make it viable again.

 

[Boots Sugarleaf]

I collect my pollen by tapping the flowers into a small vial or medicine container, etc... and add a few grains of rice. a dessicant pack should work as well, just never used them.

never had a problem with it yet. keep it in a nice cool dark place. I haven't ever frozen mine but never intended to store it too long term either.

 

[bicycle racer]

i store pollen after drying moisture is the enemy to long term pollen storage. once dry i store in sealed glass containers with silicate these go into a larger sealed container with more silicate for storage in the frezzer the colder the better.

 

[tom harrison]

Awesome thread guys! Great question, as Ive been wondering the same. How much pollen does it take to pollinate a branch and get a bunch (20 +) of seeds?

It does not take much at all to get 20+ seeds. I used to collect pollen into a small Mason jar, then turn off the fans, take a small dry watercolor brush, and "paint" the branch I was interested in pollinating one bud at a time. I would dip the brush into the jar, tap it against the jar to remove excess, and grab a sticky bud and paint it like Picasso or Dali would treat their canvas:)) One might want to pick a branch further up the plant that gets the best light rather than one of those branches close to the bottom that flower but aren't worthy of a CannabisCup entry after harvesting. You could tie a ribbon around the branch to make it easy to remember which one has been pollinated but that is pretty easy to see as the seeds start growing. Also, give the seeds time to fully mature or you will end up with a nice collection of seeds that won't sprout (like I have in my seed collection). I have created 6 strains so far and have never had a problem with pollen ruining the crop or the like.