pollen sources?

[bigsby]

Also note that you can dry and keep the entire pollen sack. No need for it to reach full bloom. Just dry it out in the same way just before peak ripeness. That would make packaging, shipping, and selling considerably easier. Not sure about the legalities but I can't see why it would be different than selling seeds. I don't see a huge market, though I would certainly like to have some around so that I could reap seeds from a few buds on each grow.

[Douglas1]

It just seems like a good thing to have sitting around, If you dont want to mess with clones for some strange reason, or if your going to take a break on growing for a little while, just dab some pollen on a few buds and you'll have seeds for whenever you grow next

would be nice for outdoor too.. if you were careful with it, no buying seeds or clones every season..

[ZZTops]

Great Info...:thumbsup:

I'm seeding out my favorite strains now, within the year or so I should be off the grid and set for life. My goal is 10 stable strains and from that the end is up to my imagination...

A Pollen Bank is a killer idea, unlike seeds it would be very hard to say where the Pollen came from or what plant it belongs to...

Bigsby... I can just collect the flower heads before they open and dry/store them...?

[bigsby]

Bigsby... I can just collect the flower heads before they open and dry/store them...?

Yes, so long as they are near peak ripeness. They are at or near peak ripeness once they are fully formed. When you want to use the pollen, cut that calyxes open with a razor and extract/apply the pollen with a Q-tip. Note that I have not done this myself but I have seen this applied by someone else.

[ZZTops]

Thanks Bigs...

Makes since, once they start dropping pollen cut the Flower Head and keep the best...

Be a lot cleaner as well, collecting pollen can be dirty work...

[Douglas1]

I don't see why pollen would be any harder to keep track of than seeds for selling.. Seeds could get mixed up just as easily

at a point, what sort of pollen it is wouldn't even matter all that much if all it was used for was producing a few seeds of a good strain every harvest or so.. as long as the pollen plant was quality..

I think this next grow if I get a few males I'll set up another room for them, and see about producing some pollen to trade around locally with other growers if its legal..

[WashougalWonder]

Pollen is viable for years if it is dried and stored properly.

I have been told otherwise...actually I have been told both.

Just recently I took some 2 year old pollen and tried to fert one in flower. It came out yesterday. After it is cured I will look more closely for seeds, but for now, it does not look so good. The pollen was in a cool dry airtight dark place for over a year, maybe two.

[bigsby]

If dried and stored properly it can remain viable for several years. I'm basing this bit on research, not experience though.

When drying for long term storage (more than a few months) use a glass container. Plastic can breath / leak. Harvest, dry, and refrigerate within a few hours. Place in refrigerator for a few days with desiccant to ensure that any residual moisture is removed. Then move to the freezer. So long as the pollen does not rehydrate it will remain viable. Any moisture will explode the pollen cells in the freezer. When ready to use, remove from freezer and use within a few hours. Preferably right away.

The problem with shipping pollen around is that it quickly degrades at room temperature. At room temperature pollen remains viable for 24 - 48 hours maximum.

[GetThisOrDie]

Didnt know its lifespan was so short at room temperature.