So in Britain it’s decided to rain all the time. The anthers of the roses are all wet. As long as they dry, will the pollen that comes out be viable? Also are their any tips for drying pollen/anthers.
Thanks
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If you can’t control the humidity for drying pollen, you might consider looking at a food dehydrator whose operating temperature can be set at lower temps. Here, thankfully, I can leave drying anthers and stamen sitting on sheets of paper in the living/dining room (which are seldom used) to dry. The humidity outdoors in the evenings is high but it falls to nearly single digits outdoors during the day so the material dries well without assistance. Can you tie waxed paper caps over the potential seed parents until they can be pollinated to prevent them from being drowned?
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When it’s not raining I can usually leave it open for a day or so and everything is all good. In terms of the seed parent I put organza bags over them once I have pollinated them if I think it’s going to rain. So effectively as long as I can dry the anthers the pollen will be okay?
Do you that this could do the trick on the lowest setting or is that still too high? Oypla Electrical Food Dehydrator Machine with Thermostat Control Amazon.co.uk
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I have no “scientific proof” once dried they will succeed, but logically, Nature surely has provided for that. If rose pollination was THAT “fragile”, would the species have survived thus far?
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That MAY work, and again, I have nothing scientific to back up my thoughts, but that lowest setting is approximately 95 F, which seems a bit high to me. I often have seen fewer successfully set OP hips during “hot” periods compared to temps in the high 60s to mid 80s. Iceberg and Mermaid seldom set any hips in areas with temps in the hotter ranges but put them along the coast here where those temps seldom occur and they set MANY OP hips. My own pollen pimping was much less successful when I lived where those temps were the norm compared to here where it’s seldom that hot. I dry my pollen indoors where the temps are traditionally in the mid to high sixties and I leave it through the entire season, using it when a desired seed parent is available and in this climate, it works. Hopefully, you can locate a useful, affordable alternative with lower temperature settings.
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During breeding season, I collect fresh pollen every morning, and it is frequently wet. It seems to dry normally, and anectdotally, I have noticed no difference in viability compared to anthers collected dry.
I just keep the anthers in a dry, air conditioned room, and in 24 hrs, perhaps 90% have “burst” and are ready to apply. For those few that are not ready, I’ll wait another 24 hours. Then I apply and/or freeze for future use.
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So you don’t freeze your pollen you just leave it out? I thought that drops it’s viability?
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Well this is good to know, makes life much easier when it’s been this wet for so long. Hopefully we get a nice summer this year
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No, I tried the pollen freezing years ago and found it too much to deal with considering everything else going on in my life at the time. I’m fortunate that my climate and my living situation allows me the opportunity to leave it out drying in an undisturbed room for the length of the season. The temps remain in the low to high sixties (again, climate) and as blooms become available, I simply add it to the sheet of paper for that pollen parent. It’s the only way I was able to harvest enough pollen to have sufficient quantities to work with R. Minutifolia. As for losing vitality? I can’t give you a scientifically proven answer, but I’ve obtained pollinations and germinations from the pollens I’ve dried using the method and there have been signs of hybridity. Might there have been greater successes? Who can say? I wasn’t able to obtain ANY until I began this.
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Well all I have learnt in 2 years of learning about pollen is that no one knows for certain. I guess trial and error for my climate is the key. I think I will be less scared about pollen losing viability out of the fridge or freezer in future
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Bingo! What works in a warm or even chilly position probably won’t in a very hot and or hot/humid one. My theory is, higher heat would possibly lead to faster pollen death. If freezing prolongs its viability, why wouldn’t cooler, drier conditions compared to higher heat and/or wetter conditions? Possibly logical, potentially incorrect, but it just makes sense and appears worth considering based upon my experiences in the climates in which I have pimped pollen.
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I read on this forum someone uses these rules:
Pollen after it breakes lose 3 days till descard.
Stored in the fridge 7 days till discard.
Frozen 6 months still usable 3 days after defrosting.
Last year I prepaired the rose on the late evening and pollinates in the morning. But this year my roses are not at home so I pollinate right after I prepaired them.
After 3 days I remove the cups with pollen and use fresh I collected day before.
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This is what I was going on before Timo, however I feel that roseseek is a very successful breeder. So I doubt it’s as black and white as that. Different breeds, different climates, health of plant. I should try and be more experimental
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Thank you, @James_D . Absolutely! EXPERIMENT. EXPLORE. Very little works the same everywhere and the only way to discover what works best where you are, when you attempt it is to TRY it. Not to disparage what works for some where they are, but as with many things, there ARE many ways to accomplish what you want to accomplish and the only way to find them is to TRY. Good luck!
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Hi @James_D !
I just noticed your post. Silica gel beads can be very helpful for drying anthers. Down here where we get very little rain but air humidity varies between 70-90% I use them for pretty much every batch.
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Hi James_D,
I’m using plastic Petri dishes in different sizes for a long time now. As they do not close too tightly, there is still sufficient air circulation. I also use them for freezing pollen. This also works with them very well.
For pollen that has become wet, I recommend, as @SeasideRooftop already referred, putting additional Silica gel beads into the Petri dishes.
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@SeasideRooftop, do you just use loose beads in the container with your anthers? I’ve thought about doing this, but I’m concerned about pollen adhering to them.
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@lee_hull, I leave the Silica gel beads in the small bags.
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Thanks for the great tips, all ready use little containers like Roseus, but the beads are a new edition! Exciting development
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