I use two primary methods of collecting pollen. For larger plants like yours I will take my largest rectangular flat bottom glass baking pan to collect in. then I hold the glass pan as close to the male bud cluster that I want to collect from. If you can get the bud cluster within an 1" or so from the glass it is perfect. Then flick the bud stem like flicking a cigarette ash and pollen will fall onto the glass.
Collect from several clusters every couple days. Leave the pollen spread out to dry for 2-3 days in a very low humidity environment.
Then using a couple razor blades or a credit card and knife scape into a pile and put into air tight containers. Pill bottles work well, and so do contact containers.
If I am collecting smaller amounts, I will use a large soup spoon and a butter knife. I will hold the spoon directly under a male flower cluster and then tap the cluster with the knife collecting the pollen in the spoon. I use this method to collect small amounts of pollen.
When I do the spoon method I have made a pill bottle drying chamber. In a larger pill bottle I will add 1" of rice in the bottom that I have dried in the oven at 150 F for 1 hour. Then I put a smaller pill bottle inside the first. I raise or lower the rice so the top of the inserted pill bottle lines up with the top of the outter bottle. Then I put on the lid. Once or twice a day I tap the bottle from side to side to move the pollen around in the bottle. This helps to give even drying. Once it drys in the drying chamber for 3-5 days I transfer it to an air tight container.
The key is getting it dry and keeping it dry so it does not clump. Once you have it in air tight containers, you can seal a meal them with some rice for storage in the fridge or freezer.
For pollination, certainly the major dusting you are planning will work but I prefer to use a controlled pollenation. I’ll leave the males in the room if I am not concerned with pollenating all the buds somewhat but then will use collected pollen and a paint brush to individually pollenate buds. I think this gives me a more controlled pollenation. Sometimes it seems the pollen cloud technique doesn’t always give good pollenation.
That’s kind of how I was leaning as well. Since the goal is just the open pollenation, leaving then in there is no big deal. Once they really start dropping, I’ll probably try to do a cloud off each male, then spread them back out since I have em all intertwined right now and start collecting and apply with a brush just to ensure maximum seeds.
Might pull my 2x2 back out, put a little shelf in there with a dehumidifier so each day I can add another sheet pan of pollen. I should also order one of those pollen separator things to get all the plant matter out of it easier
I’ve been using one of these trim trays to seperate small flower bits from the pollen. It works pretty well.
I also have used it to clip off a few flower clusters to let them try on the trim tray and drop their pollen.
It also makes some nice hash or full melt if you run some bud or trimmings over the screen with a credit card. I don’t remember who it was but someone on the forum here suggested that idea.
Right! Luckily Doug was hella fast (as usual) in answering what the actual term of it was because I couldn’t find it . Up in Canada those bad boys run 45 bucks for the exact same thing. Insane! But it’ll be here tomorrow since I ordered it quick enough, so I’m excited to add a new toy to the arsenal
Starting to collect some pollen. Pollenation looks like it’s coming along pretty well too. Lots of the hairs starting to change color, so seems like I’m on the right track
Quick update:
Been collecting pollen for the last couple of days and will throw up a small wiki for people that want some and hope to get that out soon.
Female is looking all the way pollinated, and I’ve the makes slow pollen dropping, I’ll probably pull them out and reposition the lights a little better.
Ordered some safers 3 in 1 and it’ll be here tomorrow. So hopefully that’ll either completely take care of them or at least knock em back enough to finish the run out.
Not sure if you’ve seen this thread yet but I’m in the process of getting the ingredients to make sure and rotate with other IPM products to knock out any potential critters since I’ve brought in 12 clones recently and will be probably be adding a couple more too once my seedlings are all sexed.
Just saying I used safer 3 in 1, insecticidal soap, neem oil, trifecta crop control, etc and all those products seem to decrease populations but not eliminate the bastards 100%.
Just thought I’d mention it as I’d hate to see any fellow OGer get to the point of webs over buds or anything like that.
Yeah man! Always around, just haven’t had much time to be active!
I actually ran across it right after I joined and took a screen shot of everything just in case. I need to throw a batch together for in the future. I was looking forward to trying out making a bunch of hash with everyone after shucking, but seems like webs and dead bugs probably aren’t ideal to include.
Other than fungus gnats, I’ve never had any pest issues, so I need to sit down and work out an ipm solution for future scenarios because this sucks … Always next time!
which I already have two of… Oh well, I already ordered one of these
. Up in Canada those bad boys run 45 bucks for the exact same thing. Insane! But it’ll be here tomorrow since I ordered it quick enough, so I’m excited to add a new toy to the arsenal
only 13 bucks here
… Always next time!