Wandering around in the mud this afternoon, I discovered my Hugonis, or what Sequoia had as Hugonis, is studded with open flowers and many buds ready to collect pollen from. I pulled off the sixty most appropriate seeming buds and the pollen is drying in the kitchen. Now to find the instructions on how to freeze pollen…
I think my florist rose pollen is going to fail – again. I can see ice crystals on the pollen inside the air tight tupperware, despite using anti-moisture packets 
I get a square aluminium foil from the kitchen, and fold it into a sort of loose open cup shape (without getting too pedantic about this), like this:
Then I place the freshly collected anthers in it, let them dry for a day or two, then I twist it all up so that there is a “bulb” shape where the anthers lie, and the rest of the foil is twisted to a tight point (I label it with paper and sticky adhesive taped onto itelsf, like this):
When I need pollen I remove these from the freezer, allow them to reach room temperature (usually takes a few minutes), then I untwist them, and pop the contenets in a clean jar, and go ahead and use it.
This has worked for me.
Jadea I use little containers for beads that fit nicely into slightly bigger containers also for beads. The little container is put in the bigger one and the pace in between is filled with powder milk. It seems to work just fine. The powder milk is ruined but it is only good for cooking anyways.
I wonder if baking soda could be substituted? Heck, I’m willing to buy pure silica just to make it work. This is the reason I gave up on Rosa primula. It blooms so early and its worthless as a seed parent. Getting enough pollen for a few hybrids in the rainy season simply was not worth tthe work and let down. That, and then factor in the genetic incompatibilities.
I initially used bead containers too… I would just dry it really well and then freeze it. I asked on here last year about the procedure and was told these steps:
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pick anthers, allow them to burst and dry thoroughly in a small lidded container.
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Discard all the large bulky parts leaving only pollen.
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Freeze as is in the container.
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When ready to use allow the container to come to room temperature slowly with the lid still on to avoid condensation build-up on the pollen.
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Take the lid off when at room temp. and dry.
As with all instructions I’ve tweaked them to suit…
Instead of using a bead container now, I use small paper envelopes (brown paper if I can find/make them), to collect the pollen ear-marked for freezing and I freeze the paper envelopes in a ziplock bag that has had most the air squeezed out. The bulky parts are discsarded, the pollen is left in the paper envelope, and the paper wicks away any remaining moisture before freezing. Seems to work ok.
Adam, did the pollen I sent you arrive looking ok prepared this way?
Thank you for the ideas! I bought fifty of the silica packs last summer and didn’t use them, so they are still “virgin” and ready for use. Now, I WILL use them! Kim
The ziplock bags work better (don’t absorb moisture) if they are heavy weight freezer bags, not sandwich baggies. Buy the smallest size, but properly wrapped, I.D’d separate pollen samples can be added to the same bag. Or the tiny bead vinyl bags can be added to the same freezer bag as pollen becomes available. Squeeze out all excess air each time you open the freezer bag. When adding or removing individually wrapped pollen samples, do not allow the whole bag to warm up-immediately return to freezer with air removed.
yes the pollen arrived fine.
So basically if you squeeze out all of the air their is no need for silicon or powder milk or other things to soak up water?
I wonder how long pollen would last if it was vacuumed sealed?
Adam,
Yes. If it is dry before you seal it in.
Oh! Awesome idea. I can use that stupid seal-a-meal Ive had sitting useless for eons.