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Mocksville, NC

I was wondering how this is done I've never done it before?
Examlpe say you have lots of males,and are waiting on the right female to pollinate. Several ways would be great to know.
Thanks Roger.

6/8/2005 5:43:45 PM

Ohio

Rog,I myself have not had good success at using frozen pollen. What worked better for me was to put it in the refrigerator. What I do is take all the same males and scrape very easy the male pollen onto a white piece of paper(so i can see it better) and put it into a pill bottle. I think 3 day old pollen is the oldest that would work for me

6/9/2005 6:23:18 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

It doesn't work very well....my success rate last year was very, very low. Better to use fresh pollen only.

6/11/2005 6:03:19 AM

Wallingford,CT

I had no success last year. I have some pollen which was frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at minus 70 dergees C since last year. I will try again but don' expect it will work. I'm going to change the collection/freezing method this year and try once more next year. Then I give up.

6/11/2005 12:19:45 PM

Mocksville, NC

Thanks Ya'll. I think I will hold off on frozen pollen for awhile, Thanks for your support,I culled a perfect 5 lober at 7 feet on my 977 Hester, because no males, 2 day's later all the males I need. Daaaanng. I did get one pollinated at 11 feet. A 4 lober I hope for fruit set.I have another one at 13 small size, the males are now starting, and are in time with the pumpkins.
Thanks!
Roger

6/11/2005 4:35:45 PM

North Carolina

Hello -

I am a newbie to pumpkin growing and I certainly have no experience in freezing pollen. I am, though, a daylily hybridizer. I freeze pollen all the time. I go to the local drug store and ask for empty pill capsules. (I usually get those for free or next to nothing.) When I collect pollen, I scrape it off into the capsule whn it's dry. I put the capsule into a pill bottle along with a few granules of silica gel to act as a drying agent. I, then, put the pill bottle in a freezer bag and place it into the freezer. Daylily pollen remains viable for 1+ years this way. I don't know if this is an appropriate way to handle pumpkin pollen or not.

Thanks.

9/30/2005 7:16:30 PM