If that's the only pollen you have, what do you have to lose? I think others on the list have used pollen from last year. I don't freeze mine.
K

Thanks for the reply, K. I would like to cross it with cybisters and mine are not blooming yet. ES is my first bloomer followed by striatum.

I have used frozen pollen that works so I can tell you what I do at least. I collect the pollen on a Q-tip when it is freshly produced and allow it to dry for one day and then freeze it by just putting it in an envelope with the name and date on it. I can say this works on Hippis and Paramongaia for sure and the Paramongaia pollen was stored for 2 years in the freezer. If I am going to use it within a week or so I collect the same and dry for a day, but then store it in the fridge until use.

As an aside, by collecting it on Q-tips it makes it very easy to send to people in the mail and have it be useful when it arrives. I've had people send me pollen still on the anthers and that ends up being a dried up crumbly mess that is of little value so I would not suggest storing it that way.

Best of luck :o) Dan

Thanks for the suggestion Dan!
K

Why dry the pollen for a day.

I am not positive if you have to dry the pollen, but having worked in a lab for ~30 years I know that when you freeze cells you include things like DMSO (mammalian cells) or glycerol (bacteria) to prevent the formation of ice crystals (and also freeze the cells slowly). Based on that, which may not be relevant, I allow the pollen to dry so that you do not freeze the water around or in the pollen. I can not say this is required, but I know that storing the pollen the way I do it remains viable for at least 2 years. Of course, as they say, your mileage may vary so if you have a method that works for you I would disregard everything I said :o) Dan

I stored the pollen in glucose test strip containers. Thank you for your suggestion and will definitely try it in the next few days.

I always store my pollen for my own use that way, but I never thought of sending it that way too..Donna

I've done it this way for years and have sent and received pollen from around the world without problems so it seems to work. It is a nice way to share "plants" :o) Dan

I dry pollen, on the anthers,in air conditioning atmosphere for three days. I don't allow the anthers to touch each other on a small dish.Then I put the pollen in a small paper envelope. I then put the envelope in a small freezer bag. with fresh silica gel.I use a couple of table spoons full. I reuse the gel by heating it at 275 Fah for two hours.I put the bag in the refrigerator one day then freeze it.I keep my freezer below zero.I have used pollen after it had been frozen sixteen months. I've also used it successfully having been only refrigerated for eight months.I run that section at about thirty eight Fah.
Del

That's also great to know that pollen will last up to 8 months in the refridgerator!! In the past I would just throw it away after about 4 month...Donna

Hey Del, I'm guessing you also save your seeds in silica gel as this is a common method for keeping seeds for months. I have gotten anthers that way and my complaint is that you sort of have a crumbly mess.....at least when I have gotten them that way anyway. As I said, your mileage may vary, and it is why it is always good to hear how others do it with success :o) Dan

This is a great help and will make it easier to organize and use pollen. Thank you.
-J

Dan,I use forceps holding the filament and scrape the anther off in the dish,with a scapel, or exacto knife,before letting them dry. A thin,semi stiff plastic card, or a double edged razor blade is handy for transferring the pollen out of a dish to a paper envelope.It can be messy, if the anther and pollen aren't dry enough.I've never had to hold seeds that long,but if I did, I would store them in a desiccant,such as silica gel.I have also used a triangular exacto knife to scrape pollen directly into envelopes,when the pollen was already dry enough to detach readily.
Del

Hi Del, OK, I get what your saying now. I know that Mauro uses silica gel to store seed for quite some time before shipping them (or he used to from what he told me many years ago) and his always germinated very reliably. I love the fact you can use pollen 2 yrs old or more to generate some new seed I have to admit :o) Dan