Re: HYB: mailing pollen
In a message dated 4/29/2003 8:22:51 AM Mountain Daylight Time,
lmann@volfirst.net writes:
> Anybody have much experience sending pollen thru the mail? Sharon
> McAllister mailed some arilbred pollen to several of us back in the
> early days of this group, so I know it can be done.
>
> To mail pollen, I am planning to let it dry at room temperature for a
> day, or until the fleshy parts of the anther are dry enough not to sog
> up the pollen in the mail. Then I'm going to make a little paper
> envelope by folding up a rectangle of ordinary notepaper, then put the
> anthers inside, and stick it shut with a tiny piece of tape or sticker.
>
> Will that work?
>
Yes. The key is to dry the anthers sufficiently -- and I've found that this
takes several days even in New Mexico's natural dessicating oven. [At
sundown this evening, the temperature was still above 80 degrees F. and the
relative humidity just 10%.]
I have received pollen in hand-made envelopes such as you describe, of waxed
paper or regular typing paper. Also in manila "coin envelopes", 2 1/4" x 3
1/2". All work well if the pollen was dehisced and properly dried.
I have sent pollen in hand-made envelopes, coin envelopes, and condiment
cups. All work. The cups have produced the most favorable comments in terms
of convenience, but they are also the most expensive and most difficult to
pack. Overall, I favor the coin envelopes for large batches.
Sharon McAllister
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