How do you collect/store pollen?

[DET—PDX]

Thought I would start a thread about collecting pollen. How do you do it?

After a few years of outdoor males I’ve found what works best for me.
I begin by taking fresh open or about to open pollen sacs. I wait 24-36 hours as they sit in a partially covered tin.Using sharp tweezers I rub the sacs on the side wall of the tin, then my glove. Much of the pollen is already collected for me. I then dust off my finger every 3-4 sacks with the other part of the glove. Each day I do this as they open and swell.
This is what I’m left with after every sack is removed. This is Dilly Bars #11 from exotic, He’s dropping quite a lot despite a very quick picking today. He is probably my favorite male to date.

 

[printer]

I had the plant sitting on a picture that has glass on it, let the pollen fall at will. Used a razor blade and collected it. The only thing I did was to put it in a container where I had a bag of descant to dry it off. Put it in the fridge afterward. No idea if it is the best thing to do but I have read it does not like heat and moisture.

 

[619KGB]

Couple tips on pollen is I catch it with a flat piece of cardboard (about 4'x4' depending plant size) lined with tinfoil. I make a slot in the center of the cardboard it can be slid and centered on the plant trunk. Then I'll use a secondary smaller piece of cardboard lined so I can individually dust each branch onto both pieces.

Once I collect the pollen by scraping it of.the tinfoil with business cards it slides right of the glossy ones into small jars I get at craft storez. Then I add a few grains of rice (acts as a desiccant) to the jars and pollen. I've also heard that you can stretch your pollen mixing with flour.

 

[Lanestrainley]

I always use a carrier, flour works wonderful.

 

[MikeyDread]

I will grab as many open ones that I can and jar them up and give a good shake. The ones still on the plant, I cut the stems throw them in brown paper bags and wait till they open. I shake the bag, pour and collect. Then I portion them out and into the freezer

 

[DougDawson]

I grow indoors so for me it was a matter of taking each branch and banging it into a metal bowl. Than collecting it from the bowl with a card and putting it though my pollen shaker to remove plant material. From there it goes into a sealed container that has a gasket in the lid and a portable dehumidifier in with it to dry. My 2 small males gave me over 21 grams of pollen last round and also pollinated all 3 ladies. They really were givers.

 

[Shua1991]

Take flour, stick about 2 cups in the oven to toast and dehumidify the granules, this reduces the chance of mold and or moisture moving from the flour to pollen, which if frozen or stored in the fridge will damage pollen rendering it useless.

The pollen should never experience temps above 90 farenheit during flower, or 60 in jars for storage you can keep it in the freezer, or fridge for years.

 

[Mister Grafik]

Take flour, stick about 2 cups in the oven to toast and dehumidify the granules, this reduces the chance of mold and or moisture moving from the flour to pollen, which if frozen or stored in the fridge will damage pollen rendering it useless.

The pollen should never experience temps above 90 farenheit during flower, or 60 in jars for storage you can keep it in the freezer, or fridge for years.

Instead of flour, which sits around 11% moisture (hence baking it) - it's reccomended to use startch.

Also never cut the pollen until you're ready to use it imo

 

[Vee]

I'm way lazier than these guys above me ...lol

once you note the male, I trim heavily and transfer to a very small 1? pint pot I need only 1-2 flowers at best, and move the plant to a spare bedroom
window leaning on a mirror, I then scrape up the poll with an old credit card etc, to a small jar every morning
once I have enough to do the job, I apply with a cotton bud the type you stick in your ears
then let sit for 30mins better for a hour then spray heavy with water and after another 30mins return to the grow

in over 20 years of breeding, my clumsy issues have always been contamination and how it can destroy your hard earned efforts
for this I trim the male very heavily, locate remotely from the grow, and spray myself each time I leave the pollen room,
just a light squirt above my head as I leave the pollen room again to avoid contamination