Ok, I’ve posted before my methods and theories for pollen preservation, and today I have both amazed myself and proven my point…
So, back in April we were discussing pollen, and I pulled out a bin of pollen I’ve had stored since 2004-2006. Well, just for the fuck of it, I went and fertilized one bud off each of my best plants, just to see if it still had some kick.
Well, today I had to clear one bud out due to mold - (I knew I should have avoided misting it at this density but oh well) and while I was doing so, I noticed seeds peeking out of the fertilized buds. Not quite brown yet, but swollen and peeking - so they should be ready soon.
The pollen was from Bogbubble and I fertilized one of each of the following:
White Widow
Jack47 (two different but nice phenos)
Animal Cookies (one of the most crossed lines I’ve had the pleasure of smoking)
So I’ll probably not know until next spring which are any good, but at least we know the pollen is still viable, and back in storage.
Going to find your thread. I’ve got about .5g of a nice looking neighbors plant (different thread) saved in a film canister with a few pieces of rice in it in the fridge. Maybe fill the container?
My storage begins at harvest. When the male flowers are opening and beginning to drop, I take some clean scissors and a clean plate out and clip all the male flowers onto the plate. Once I’m done, I transfer the plate of pollen to a dark and very dry place to dehydrate as much moisture out as I can.
Once the flowers are dry, they are very crumbly - I don’t separate them or crush them too much, I bag 'em with the pollen and a few silica packs, vacuum seal and then I just store them in a cool, dark place.
The package is maybe 3"x3"x.5" all told it doesn’t look like much.
When I want to pollinate I open a bag and use a fine tipped paintbrush on a flower or two, then reseal.
To further explain why I don’t freeze the pollen - organic cells almost always contain water, and when you freeze them the cell walls often rupture. That’s why freezing weed almost always results in some weird tacky texture, and you’re better off storing it in a cool, dark, and dry place - unless you want to make concentrates. Anyone who eats frozen veggies from time to time knows the difference when they bite into something fresh.
Ok, I definitely hit a wall, my last crop I tried to fert with that pollen, back in Oct of last year, didn’t take.
I knew it wouldn’t last indefinitely, but it lasted a LOT longer than I ever expected it could.
Maybe the fact that envelope hadn’t been opened to the elements preserved it and then the exposure caused it to decay?
In any case the next male I grow out, I’ll do the same thing, store it in several packets though and try and keep better track of where it is.
This is great information. You have saved me quite some time so thank you.
I did wonder about the freezing but was concerned about damaging the pollen.
I will be keeping some pollen when I do my F2 run now to chuck at some other ladies in rotation.
I’ve saved pollen on cotton swabs (Q Tips) cut in half, and placed in condiment cups with lids. I had some LA Confidential pollen that has lasted almost 10 years so far. I hit up a cross I’ve been working on about a year ago with a cotton swab of pollen, and received hundreds of seeds! I think the key is keeping it dry, no light, and around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
I will say that I collect the pollen on paper, and I roll cotton swabs around in it until I’ve collected as much of the pollen as I can. It’s worked great for me.
