Beiträge von Marias Cactus

  • Pollensauger

    Zitat von BernhardA

    Cool! Thanks for the video!

    will this also work with smaller amounts of pollen?



    I have used it on small flowers such as Chamacereus and have collected an amount of pollen that would have otherwise been very difficult. After cleaning the vacuum well beforehand, I brushed the pollen trapped inside into a collection bowl.

    Whether that is "better" than scissors and a small baggy for small flowers is up for debate.

    For echinopsis & co, it is by far the easiest method I have ever used, saving me much time and frustration also resulting in large amounts of pure pollen.


    It works very well on Trichocereus, Echinopsis, Lobivia. It sucks up pollen without damaging the stigma, even on small flowers.


    Best regards


    Jordan

  • Pollensauger

    Zitat von el48tel

    How do you store the pollen once you have collected it? How long is it viable? I find cotton buds stored in a plastic sandwich box in a domestic refrigerator are viable for 4 months. Is there a way of increasing the viability? It would be great if pollen from late season flowers could be held for more than 7 months to pollinate early flowers in the next year.


    After air-drying with a fan anywhere from 5 to 24 hours (depending on the amount of pollen) in stainless steel bowls, I transfer the pollen into glass vials, wrap it with tin foil, and store them in the freezer for later use. I defrost for about half an hour to 'wake' the pollen up.


    I haven't used 7-month-old pollen yet.

    However, all pollen I have stored this way proved viable. I do have a large amount of Pachanoi pollen I'm storing for spring next year. From what I've read, a household freezer will store pollen without a problem for up to a year, maybe more if stored properly.


    For reliable long-term storage, one would have to switch from "low tech" refrigeration(standard household freezer) to more commercial products, like laboratory freezers with stable temperatures. If pollen is stored correctly (dry) with no variation in temperature, the odds of the pollen being viable increase significantly.


    Hope that helps,


    Jordan

  • Pollensauger

    Hello Bernhard,

    I have had great success getting pollen from stubborn plants with a small keyboard vacuum.

    The idea is not my own but comes from the Dragon Fruit hobby here in the United States.

    Here is a link(Video)>>>

    .


    It has two filters a (pre)filter with a fine mesh screen that traps the pollen and a foam filter. The system is easy to clean with water and a light disinfectant. I don't obsess about complete sterilization as long as I use a good amount of pollen on the stigma and a clean brush; I tend not to worry but to each his own.

    (Link for vacuum)>>>https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod…tle_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


    Best regards


    Jordan