So far, I have had no problem with the matchboxes, but I do like those flat tubes. For some reason, I just like the fact of it having a secure lid, as long as its good and dry before putting it in. I have had no luck with pollen mailing. The ice bags are going to be just what I needed to know.

No, its my fault. I asked her to split it off, because people ask about this alot, and I thought more would see it.

No worries

I have been using s system for several years also using 1.5 mil centrifuge tubes.
I stuff a wad of cotton in the tube to about a quarter inch from the top, tamped down, I use the blunt end of a Sharpie.
I wrap the tube with a piece of masking tape so I can write down name of plant with pollen inside tube.
I will take the tubes out to the garden and pull off stamens near the base and brush off the pollen to the cotton surface, there is always some pollen left in the groves of the anther if you still want to use it fresh.
It takes on average all six anthers to completely cover the surface of the cotton in the tube.
Tubes are stored in the freezer for use, and can be re froze several times, I found that the fluid on the stigma eventually will make the surface hard, and that tube is essentially used up.
I have set pods in my yard with my pollen that was 5 years old. so it appears pollen stored in a freezer will last a very long time.

Last year I experimented with growers in Georgia and California shipping pollen.
The Georgia grower we shipped early in a doubled walled thermos, and later in the middle of summer through regular mail in bubble wrap envelopes.
What we found is that we set pods both ways, we were worried that the heat would kill the pollen shipped south and west, but even though the temps in both places were in the 90's it didn't seem to matter.
I'm no expert but I believe the tubes with only cotton and pollen stayed dry through the whole process, no stems or anthers to spoil or contaminate pollen with excess moisture in the shipping.
I expanded shipping partners this last season to about 10 people ranging from Canada to Louisiana, that's about the max for my ability to collect and share, with the newest plants even 10 partners is to many.
Northern growers ship to southern growers in the winter, and southern growers ship north in June right before the northern season start.
We have had success setting pods with everyone willing to try using frozen pollen.
In my opinion fresh is best, but with overlapping bloom seasons and not being able to grow every daylily, sharing pollen does make it possible to try new things before buying or owning plants.
I should add that if you can't set a pod on a plant using fresh pollen, frozen pollen will not set one either.
Success rates have vary, but I have pods from stuff I could only dream of before, my partners are enthusiastic seeing the results.

These are the pictures I shared with my partners for collecting and using pollen.

Thank you for that, Ed. Your description and pictures makes the process very clear. I am going to try this next year.

Thanks Valerie, let me know how it works for you

@JWWC and @EdBurton -- where do you get the tubes from? I was thinking of shipping Amaryllis pollen to someone.

cwhitt
I buy mine on Ebay, the cheaper the better, look for free shipping for best deals

Lol. I'm a cell biologist by trade so I snagged a bag when it showed up on the give away shelf in the department.

They're pretty readily available though from sources through Amazon or companies like USA Scientific.

I get mine from James....lol.

This is my go to method for storing pollen.

1. Harvest the pollen. I usually just pull the entire stamen and anther off of the bloom. If it is something I really want and I know, for example, it is going to rain, then I will take them even when the anthers are closed. I bring them inside and remove the anthers from the stamen and leave the pollen sacs to open and dry on a piece of printer paper with the cultivar name written on it. I leave them on the stove top because it is flat and I can turn on the small light on the fan. Warm temps and some light and they usually open right up.

2. Save the pollen. Between 8 and 24 (but when busy I've left them out to 72) hours I will place all the anthers for a given cultivar into a 2 ml centrifuge tube and then flick the side of the tube several times to release the pollen.

3. Remove the spent anthers. I don't save the anthers. I know some do but for me it was a recipe for failure. I typically just gently tap the tube over a waste container and they come out pretty readily. You could use forceps but I was weary about cross contaminating my pollen. Yes, the retentive scientist got the better of me there!

4. For the love of all things good in the world label your tubes.

5. Freeze. I put them into boxes and stick them in the freezer.

A couple notes at this point: I try to have multiple tubes of each pollen because I'm paranoid and I have been known to stick a tube in my pocket and forget about it. I also will only put 1-2 blooms worth in a tube, generally if I am putting 2, I just repeat the process rather than try and have 12 anthers in at once.

To use the pollen:

1. I make a list of everything I want to use that day, and then pull them out of the freezer and put them in a tube rack that I keep at room temp to avoid excess condensation.

2. Normally by the time I am ready to go, the pollen tubes are warm enough to use. The enemy is condensation on the inside of the tube. You don't want to take a freezing cold tube out into super humid air and open it. If that's a concern I would let it come to temp for about 5 minutes.

3. I use toothpicks to dab the pollen. I buy the ones that are flattened. One end is rounded and the other pointed usually. Then I just gather a small amount on the tip of the toothpick and place it on the bloom. Usually I will keep using the same toothpick for the same pollen unless I notice that I've gotten it wet with dew or whatever else is floating around the garden that day.

4. Back in the freezer. I just put the tubes back in the box and go on with my day.

Brief notes - I try to keep my tubes in the shade while I am outside just so they don't get extremely hot. This is mostly a concern when it's already rather warm in the morning. Also, if it is really humid, make sure the tubes warm before opening. Condensation forming on the inside of the tube will quickly ruin your pollen. Or if you are just unlucky like me and a drip of sweat falls straight into the tube...

I found a great deal from USA Scientific and I now get my tubes from them -- $13.95 for 500!

http://www.usascientific.com/s...

But you have to order that particular item # because the others are more expensive and this item # doesn't always seem to appear when searching for tubes.

Betty,

That's a great price! But mine are still free....lol.

Great info everyone, I look forward to freezing some pollen this coming season

Thanks for the tips. Anxious to get started next year...

Im going to try the cotton. That is new to me. Im feeling a bit like an old dog, so why not try a new trick.

Ive yellow stared all of this to save. I dont know how to find my stars yet, but at least I know they are there.

@gardenglory

Pam,

If you select your profile and scroll down to the "some info about" area you will see starred pages...

Thank you, I finally found it. Not in a hundred years would I have found that without instruction

I too am going with the cotton idea.