Re: OT: pollen (was: Re: AB: Increases)

Dennis Kramb wrote:
> 
> > Dear Sharon: Tried to find pollen to send today, but no luck. Lots of I
> >BLESS in bloom, but perhaps it never makes pollen. Wanted terribly to send
> >pollen of a new wide LB dwarf with DB beards. I germanica (bitoned purple,
> >white beards,) has been in bloom for ten days at Durham Academy!   Lloyd Z.
> >in Durham. NC
> 
> How long does pollen keep? 

Depends on who you talk to.  I store SDB pollen in black film canisters,
out of the refrigerator at room temperature for later hybridizing on the
talls.  I have successfully pollenated flowers doing it this way with
pollen stored up to a month.  

> Do you have to refrigerate it?

As I mentioned above SDB pollen lasts a good month and maybe longer. 
However I am going to receive I. Pumila pollen from a friend and will
probably freeze it for use in late April/Early May.  I don't want to
chance leaving it in "the open" for that long.

> Is there any special technique to preserving pollen which you wish to use > > to hybridize
> with another cultivar that blooms weeks, or even months later?

I will probably use the film canister again with the addition of a
dessicant cube that you can get from Pharmacies.  The dessicant cube
will remove all moisture from the canister.  As you may already know
moisture makes pollen ineffective. 
> 

Rick Tasco
Superstition Iris Gardens
Central California
Zone 8
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