So often the flowers on my assortment of plants won't flower at the same time.
So I dig some dried pollen out of a dried up flower and use it to pollinate another plant.
It seems to work well if the old flower isn't too old, but I have tried using last years pollen on some flowers, not sure if it worked or not.
Some flowers close up so tightly and fast that the pollen is a gooey mess as the flower wilts,
so if i have another flower I want to pollinate in the future, I will try and open the flower up so the insides will dry out and I can use the pollen next week.
I use an old dried up flower to pollinate a new flower
Re: I use an old dried up flower to pollinate a new flower
Wow, can't believe the dried pollen still work!
Is it work for Conophytum or Bulbine species?
How to keep the dried pollinate?
Is it work for Conophytum or Bulbine species?
How to keep the dried pollinate?
- greenknight
- Posts: 4823
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
- Location: SW Washington State zone 8b
Re: I use an old dried up flower to pollinate a new flower
Pollen is surprisingly durable, its cell walls are so tough it remains identifiable in millions of year old sediment - https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70156817
For longer storage it's recommended to freeze it, works with most plants - https://ucanr.edu/repositoryfiles/ca707p12-71852.pdf
For longer storage it's recommended to freeze it, works with most plants - https://ucanr.edu/repositoryfiles/ca707p12-71852.pdf
Spence
- mmcavall
- Posts: 1436
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2016 11:54 pm
- Location: São Carlos - SP, Southeast Brazil, Cerrado Region
Re: I use an old dried up flower to pollinate a new flower
Anyone has any experience with pollen storage to share?
I have had many flowers opening with a gap of one or two weeks between them. I would like to use the pollen of the earlier flowers to pollinate the later ones, but I'm not sure how to store it (plastic or paper , room temp or refrigerator, etc). Thanks for any input.
I have had many flowers opening with a gap of one or two weeks between them. I would like to use the pollen of the earlier flowers to pollinate the later ones, but I'm not sure how to store it (plastic or paper , room temp or refrigerator, etc). Thanks for any input.