Does pollen remain viable if it is kept frozen? I’ve kept beans frozen for several years without issue. The reason I ask is that I have some pollen I’ve kept frozen for close to 10 years for a strain that is no longer available. I’m going to give it whirl anyway, but just thought I’d ask.
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Give it a go and see what happens
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I’m sure one of the old timers around here could tell you for what their experiences were, but what’s the fun in that? Worst case scenario I see is that it doesn’t work and you just end up with more unseeded bud than you were going for. And who knows, it may even work if everyone told you it wasnt possible. Just make sure you include us on the ride when you give it a go 
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There’s so much quality information~tested available here it’s easy (for me at least) to forget where exactly it’s stored.
That said, I know someone here successfully keeps theirs in a freezer. For how long and whether they add anything is beyond my recall. They’ll be along at some stage.
But yea, suck it and see. We’re all voyeurs here though, so pics or it didn’t happen 
Jay
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Yes it can be kept for very long time if properly dried and then kept in freezer. It should not be defrost and then stored again. Once defrosted it should be used.
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I haven’t tried pollen older than a year, but I’d bet it really depends on how well it was dried and sealed before it went in.
I built a dry box to desiccate and package pollen without breaking the dry seal. I get the humidity down around 10-15%, and then put it in vials and freeze… But I just put that together last year, so I can’t tell you much about the longevity of it yet.
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I think I’ve had some stay viable for two years, I’d have to check and verify that. I know for a fact that I’ve had several packets stay viable for a year, though.
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Thanks for the replies folks. I’ll give it a whirl when the girls get old enough. The strain is/was Niagara. Grew the strain for a few years and finally let a male have his way knowing I had a move coming up and had to shut it down anyway. What I did when I collected the pollen was to put some in a pill bottle with a packet of desiccant. Pretty sure it has been kept frozen, so in theory… Just thought I’d put the question out there for opinion sake. Worst that can possibly come if it is more sensi.
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When pollen is collected put it on the sheet of paper for 1 day in dry space, let it dry. Then I put pollen in small paper envelopes, and then they are put in small zip baggies along with some silica gel. Then I put baggies into film containers, seal them with some tape and then put everything in freezer. That way your pollen can be viable for years.
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I’ve been collecting pollen from a male for days now. I get a little bit every night, and have been putting it all in a sealed glass jar with some silica crystals tossed in.
Should I still be drying this stuff, or should it be ok to chuck the jar in the fridge as is?
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^ so to answer my own question, YES you need to dry the pollen out. I figured the silica gel in the jar would be enough but now I see a bit of mould growing on the pollen and it’s all clumpy.
I’ll still dry it out and try it but who knows… luckily I got a bit more off him in a separate jar today before killing him off!
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Unfortunately beacher, I have absolutely no idea whether or not “drying” is required. You’d think so, to a point if you are freezing, if only to help keep freezer burn (ice crystals) at bay. Hence the reason I used desiccant.
General consensus seems to be freeze away. Refrigeration may help keep pollen viable to a point, but I wouldn’t expect long term. Hopefully I’m not steering you wrong. YMMV, as they say.
To throw a real curve at you, what would mother nature do?
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Well I guess mother nature wouldn’t store pollen in the first place, she just uses it fresh!
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True enough. Although she’s been known to do some really freaky s**t.
Good luck with your pollen capture.
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