thank all of you for this wonderful info!
Whenever I get around to hand-pollinating my plants (next year ) I will know what to do!

I have 1 question: at what time of day do you collect the pollen from the plants?
(or doesn't that matter really?)



Mayo

I try to collect first thing in the morning once it fluffs. I try to get to it before the bees start spreading it..

I do it first thing in the morning as well.

my order of 500 2.0ml tubes has arrived!!

This means I can collect and freeze the pollen of my late and re- bloomers!
I'm going with the cotton method Ed explained, that sounds easiest for a newbie

Hmm, would sending pollen across the Atlantic work?
If I understand correctly it doesn't have to be frozen, right @EdBurton ?

Mayo

Mayo, when we ship the pollen is not frozen, it might have been frozen before shipping, and some pollen that was never frozen before shipping has also set pods.
I would recommend freezing for long term storage, it seems from my experience that it will last for years this way.
Even if taken out for use, then refroze, it seems to do no harm in the long term.

I see that most of you freeze your pollen, and it can last a long time that way. I collect fresh pollen each year because my pollen parents change every year. I just let mine dry on a piece of
paper with the name written on it, and a list of the crosses I want to make with it. The dry pollen will easily last the entire season, and when I am done, I discard what is left over. If I am lucky
enough to get pollen from an expensive or hard to find plant such as Tet RFK, I will freeze the remaining pollen in one of the pill organizers commonly found at most pharmacies.
I haven't ever shipped pollen, but have no doubt that dried pollen in those little tubes in a bubble wrap envelope without ice would be perfectly fine. I am going to try using very small
Ziploc bags so I can write the name on each bag. I have found that daylily culture is extremely forgiving, and it doesn't take a lot to make any adventure a success.
I find it helpful to hear all of the different ways of doing things. My one question is if there are places that actually sell pollen?

Deryll, not that I know of.
There used to be a pollen for sale on the auction, but poor results shut it down, I do not know the how or why's of the collection or storage methods used back then.

http://www.daylilies.org/Whatl...

I have not had luck leaving my pollen out. I find I get a good week out of it, then, not so much. It could always be what Im putting it on tho, not the pollen.

I had zero results from LA pollen

Thanks to each of you for the great information!

Mayo62 said:This means I can collect and freeze the pollen of my late and re- bloomers!

And of course, after wééks of extraordinairy sunny, warm and dry wheather... it is raining today




Mayo

if I read that AHS article, that Pam posted, correctly, leaving your pollen out on a piece of paper when it is warm is not really beneficial for the viability...?

"Stored pollen remained consistent for several weeks, but garden pollen reduced its number of germinating grains by half in two or three hours when exposed to between 80°F and 85°F. After exposure to between 85° F and 90° F for one (1) hour, most tetraploid pollen was less than one-fourth the original count (or about 10% of total grains). Diploid was a little better. After six hours from pollen sac opening, all garden tetraploid pollen was dead on a moderately hot day. Later experiments revealed pollen taken from storage would accumulate time exposure and have similar deterioration of germination."

http://www.daylilies.org/Whatl...


Mayo

gardenglory said:I have not had luck leaving my pollen out. I find I get a good week out of it, then, not so much. It could always be what Im putting it on tho, not the pollen.

It depends on the conditions. I lay stamens out on regular paper inside the house, where it's generally 70°, and I notice a drop-off in effectiveness after about 4 days. I determined this because I always make a note on the cross tag if the pollen is 3 days old or older. Storing it in an open shed in a hot or humid climate might shorten its useful life. I harvest new pollen every morning, but very often the pollen I want isn't available fresh, so I have to go back a couple of days. Five days seems to be the practical limit.

I've noticed that pollen harvested late in the day is generally tough to use the next day, even if it's fluffy and appears to have been untouched by insects.

Would refrigerated pollen last longer? Do you think refrigerated pollen last for a month?

the article says:

"Stored pollen remained consistent for several weeks"

'stored' pollen should be kept at 50F, so I guess that is refrigerated?

Mayo

I used refrigerated pollen this summer with great results. I brought the pollen indoors, let it dry for a few hours, then put it in small condiment-type containers with lids that I purchased at Walmart. I wrote the name and date on the lid. Before using, I just let it sit on the counter for a few minutes before taking it outside, and brought it back in and popped it back in the fridge when I was finished. I'm not sure how long it stays viable this way, but I used pollen from Substantial Evidence a full month after it bloomed to successfully set pods (the crows destroyed all the other blooms, and I had a pic of the one bloom I got to see, so I was very certain how long it had been since it bloomed).

I put most of my containers into a freezer bag together, and put them in the freezer until next spring, so I will see what will happen in a few months when I try to use it again. I figure I have nothing to lose, so why not give it a try...

I also have a scape on Mount Herman Intrigue, so I'm going to see if I can set a pod on it next week. If it does set, I can move it into the greenhouse until the pod ripens

Ta-daaa!
My first ever pollen-in-a-tube!
It's from Banshee Lullaby and I'll be dabbing it on some EE's in the Spring



I have some practical newbie questions, now that I'm collecting pollen:
- Do I wait until the pollen is 'fluffy' before I collect the stamen, or should I cut them of and take them inside so they can unfold and become fluffy in their own time?

- Can I use the same tube tomorrow to add more pollen from the same plant (but of course a different flower), or should I take a new tube?
- If I can add to the same tube, should I keep it in the fridge or in the freezer while I'm waiting for the next flower?

- Do I keep the tubes upright in the freezer? (I have to make something then to put the tubes in, instead of just tossing them in a freezerbag )


hehehe, I see a new addiction lurking around the corner!
Anyone want to swap pollen next year?


Mayo

Bump this up!!. I too am interested in the answers to your questions, Mayo. Do you put the whole stamens in the test tube, Mayo? Next year when you want to use the pollen, do you take the whole stamen out to use or will you be using a qtip??

You let the stamens with pollen dry overnight on a paper plate and then separate the pollen from any stamen material. Add the pollen to the tubes, cap it, and either put in the refrigerator or freeze it for much later. It's best to get just pollen in the tubes, not anything else that might cause moisture in the tubes (which would ruin your pollen). I've heard some folks stuff a cotton ball down into the tube and then add the pollen to the top of the cotton before cold storage. I may try that idea.

Becky!