Problems Collecting Pollen

[atomic626]

Hi guys,
I have tried twice to remove anthers and get pollen however I have been unsuccessful. I seen youtube videos where it seems so easy but when I have pulled off the anthers, I can't get any pollen to come out. I have even dried out the anthers, but nothing. Any ideas or resources that may help?

Thanks in advance.

[dipchip2000]

I too have seen the videos but the only way that has ever worked successfully for me is...

Hold a lens from a dark pair of sun glasses under the bloom and vibrate with an electric toothbrush on the back side of the blossom. Do three or four blossoms on the dark lens and you should see a small amount of pollen collect on the lens surface. Many other ways but this is my only successful effort.

ron

[Tom Wagner]

1. Clear or colored jigger
2. Tweezers
3. Mature flowers
4. Removing one anther or entire anther cone/flower
5. Tapping anther upside down on edge of jigger with tweezers
6. Pollen should show up like white powder on side of jigger
7. Try until you have the pollen you want

[atomic626]

Okay, I got 2 new methods I'm willing to try. Part of me is wondering if its because right now we have had really cold weather and rain off and on, as well as cloudy skys for a few weeks.

I'm in California, so maybe I'm use to the hot summer sun 24/7 which might be a better environment for collecting pollen. Do you guys happen to think the temperature could have any affect?

Either way, I'll try your way and see what results I get. Thanks for the fast response guys.

[kevinrs]

Where in California are you getting weather that's even reasonable? most of the state is getting hit by this storm that has them talking 500 ft snow level, snow possible in places it hasn't snowed in 60 years, etc. Locally, I'm looking at the hourly forcast, and tonight it's supposed to get to 33 with snow, high of 42 tomorrow, and dropping to 24 tomorrow night. Maybe the problem is the weather.

[TZ-OH6]

I let anthers from a number of flowers air dry for a day and then put them in these containers

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/t...uctId=10013111

I shake them up hard to release the pollen. Tthe stigma can either be touched to the pollen covered cap or pollen can be scraped into a pile on the tip of a butter knife.


Its a good way to organize pollen from several different varieties.

I have found that type of pill organizer in several differenet drug stores in differnt parts of the country.

[Tom Wagner]

I lived in California and made crosses in situ. Where the tomatoes were growing either in the greenhouse or outdoors...on the coast, in the deserts, in the mountains, or in various parts of the central valley ares.

If I couldn't get good pollen, the weather was wrong for crossing anyway. That may be your situation...I don't know.

Here in Washington, the western part, pollen is rare.....too cool most of the time. If I get some pollen on some varieties during the cool growing season it may be just enough to get a few seed rather than a full seedy tomato. Tomatoes like toasty and sunny days, something I don't get too often just when I need to make the cross.

When I made crosses in California, I started in the year out in the area just north of the Salton Sea near Indio and around. I put the plants out in January and did not start crossing until March.

That makes me think the conditions in California are not quite right for good pollen shed at the moment.

[travis]

What Dipchip says is exactly what has worked best for me, and I don't have to use an electric toothbrush to get it done. Just tap the blossom against the lens, and if the bloom is ready it will blow out the pollen.

[sprtsguy76]

After reading this and living in CA myself AND also having problems last year collecting pollen early in the season I would say its probably the weather and flower maturity.

Damon

[atomic626]

Hey Kev,
I'm in Los Angeles. Thats something I was thinking about also. As you probably know its been really cold this week and we had rain 2 or 3 days this week. So I have taken that into consideration, though the days I tried to collect was dry and sunny, but was a little chilly.

Originally Posted by kevinrs

Where in California are you getting weather that's even reasonable? most of the state is getting hit by this storm that has them talking 500 ft snow level, snow possible in places it hasn't snowed in 60 years, etc. Locally, I'm looking at the hourly forcast, and tonight it's supposed to get to 33 with snow, high of 42 tomorrow, and dropping to 24 tomorrow night. Maybe the problem is the weather.

[atomic626]

Hey guys,
Thank you all for your input. I think I'll try the container method that does seem full proof. Never the less I think I agree with you guys, that if I'm even practically cutting anthers open and not getting anything, it may be too cold. I guess I will wait until it heats up. Incidently, If I were raising the tomatoes indoors, in a window warm room, could I assume that the pollen would be more favorable under those conditions? Thanks guys for all your input.