Collecting Pollen For Breeding ~ My Style

[TheNewGuy2012]

to be honest, those are the best i can show you... I have a few other views of #2 i can post. If you notice in that last set with the purples, the stamen just barely even formed to identify the sex. Basically, it is a waiting game regardless if it's on the plant or in the cup.
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Here are those other angles I was talkin' about

In the following, Pollen is already dropping so you want the top isolated from females before this point. switching from swollen to busted open can happen in a matter of hours depending on the conditions, so cutting the top well before they are swollen and waiting is a safer option. if bulk pollen is more of a concern than allowing them to develop right up to the point they are going to open may be a better option but you will run the risk of stray pollen. Here you can clearly see 2 stamen open.

also remember that multiple tops can be extracted from the male in following weeks, so this collection can continue until you run out of cuts, or infinitely if you have the resources to keep a cut of it alive.

 

[Avinash.miles]

^^
thanks, that actually helps!

 

[supermanlives]

you can remove male totally and stray pollen aint an issue. i have never had a male revert under normal lighting .i remove whole plant and put it anywhere. i used to do branches in water . nice thread tho. everyone needs to do what works for them. sweet pics too.

 

[Coba]

 

[Avinash.miles]

i love this technique

 

[Coba]

Avi, is the pollen supposed to be sticky and clump up in clods or stick to the razor when scraped up with a new blade? should I let it dry on the mirror a little first before trying to move it around, do you think?

edit: picture of it

 

[Avinash.miles]

pic aint showing cuba,
but generally i avoid scraping it at all and just let it drop from place to place using gravity, i put a piece of paper or foil under where the branch is and collect onto the paper/foil then drop it into a container... no razor, no scraping, figured i'd keep it viable the less i actually mess with it

 

[buzzmobile]

I use wax paper to collect pollen. The pollen slides easily on it and then the wax paper can be folded to envelop the pollen. Pop the packet into a glass jar with a dessicant pack and freeze for later use.

 

[grassyknoll]

Nice technique. I'm trying it now with a Zamal Reunion male cuttings and a box lined with wax paper. Thanx

 

[Betterhaff]

I prefer parchment paper.

 

[Mr.Spliffy]

Hi grower! How many days from the switch in 12/12 the male flower are open?

 

[wdcf]

Would two weeks into flowering (generally) be to early to ax the male plant from the roots... And for clarification. A male plant will continue to flower regardless of the light cycle? i.e. I could just put the male in my bedroom...?

 

[Stan G.]

Beautiful method. Great thread.

 

[Americangrower]

Nice method New guy..
I do agree with VerdantGreen. You should dry it before freezing.
I will add that after drying you should divide pollen into tiny containers, I like the perfume sample glass tubes. I like to leave little paper packages in each tube with some rice in tube under it.
The reason for small tubes is so you only defrost a Lil at a time when needed leaving the rest frozen which let's it stay viable for years.
If you use 1 container you can't refreeze pollen as cell walls rupture from 2ND freeze.

Great thread New Guy

 

[wdcf]

Would two weeks into flowering (generally) be to early to ax the male plant from the roots... And for clarification. A male plant will continue to flower regardless of the light cycle? i.e. I could just put the male in my bedroom...?

Bump for my question*

 

[atticflowers]

Hey folks... just wanted to stop in & say thank you for the kind words.

i never got to show my favorite male because the 5 pic per post thing. since i have a fresh post to show 5 more... here are a few of my past favorites.

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Dam that is gonna make some killer buds for som lucky ladies.

 

[Jellyfish]

Hi grower! How many days from the switch in 12/12 the male flower are open?

Mr.Spliffy has a valid question here. I would like to know, and I'm sure there are some other readers that would like to know- What is the expected flowering time for a male plant?

 

[MJPassion]

Mr.Spliffy has a valid question here. I would like to know, and I'm sure there are some other readers that would like to know- What is the expected flowering time for a male plant?

I had a Black Widow male drop pollen 3 days after showing me he was a he.

Most other males I've worked with give me a week or two after showing before they start dropping pollen.

From that one experience w the BW I'd say your best bet is to keep an eye on your boys.

 

[chainmaker]

Great post. Thanks for the info and pics.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

4 pages and I'm surprised at the lack of mention of using flour and rice for storage. No worries, here it is.

Pollen viability can last for 10 years in a freezer, though viability is definitely decreased at that point. The trick is to use cooked flour as a buffer for the pollen.

- Collect your pollen and dry it completely. If you live in an area with more than 30% RH, you'll probably want to seal it in a container with some dessicant. The important part is to dry it as completely as possible.
- Measure out about 50 - 100 times as much flour as you have pollen. Put the flour in a skillet and cook it over medium heat. Keep stirring the flour until it slightly browns. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool completely.
- Do the same with a handful of rice and let it cool completely
- As soon as the flour is cooled, thoroughly mix the pollen and flour together.
- Make foil packages/bindles which will hold half to one gram of pollen. LABEL THEM CAREFULLY! A ball-point pen works well, leaving an imprint which can be read when the ink wears off.
- Put pollen in a bindle, add a few grains of rice and double fold the opening so the bindle is closed.
- Toss the packet(s) in a thermos, seal it up and toss that in your freezer.

The thermos protects the packets from micro-changes in temperature, as the freezer door is opened and closed. A chest freezer, which isn't opened often, is ideal.

To use, take the packet from the freezer and let it defrost at room temperature for a few hours. Open it carefully and dust your flowers lightly. Enjoy!