A Guide To Colloidal Silver

Mountainlife420

Mountainlife420

Member
I tried unsuccessfully to produce feminized pollen recently on 3 cherry clones each approx. 1ft tall using 50ppm cs sprayed during veg for approx. 10 days at 2-3 times per day over entire plant. continued to spray after flip to flowering until significant male expression was observed on plants . plants continued to develop healthy large male buds with no pistils visible. allowed them to flower until the pods were open and easily collected by gently shaking the plant and allowing them to fall onto a collection tray. after collecting the male flowers I sifted the pollen from the flowers using a silk screen and used a paintbrush to heavily pollinate 3 cherry and 3 gorilla glue plants in early flower over multiple days. after harvesting the pollinated plants (which I allowed to run 13+ weeks to assure seed maturity) I was unable to find a single seed in any of the flowers. does anyone have any idea why I was unable to produce viable pollen considering I had excellent male expression and amounts of pollen produced ? The cherry female has historically been a very strong female that has never shown any herm tendencies even when stressed but I still don't understand why I was unable to produce any seed with all the pollen collected and used on my females?
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Mountainlife420 said:
I tried unsuccessfully to produce feminized pollen recently on 3 cherry clones each approx. 1ft tall using 50ppm cs sprayed during veg for approx. 10 days at 2-3 times per day over entire plant. continued to spray after flip to flowering until significant male expression was observed on plants . plants continued to develop healthy large male buds with no pistils visible. allowed them to flower until the pods were open and easily collected by gently shaking the plant and allowing them to fall onto a collection tray. after collecting the male flowers I sifted the pollen from the flowers using a silk screen and used a paintbrush to heavily pollinate 3 cherry and 3 gorilla glue plants in early flower over multiple days. after harvesting the pollinated plants (which I allowed to run 13+ weeks to assure seed maturity) I was unable to find a single seed in any of the flowers. does anyone have any idea why I was unable to produce viable pollen considering I had excellent male expression and amounts of pollen produced ? The cherry female has historically been a very strong female that has never shown any herm tendencies even when stressed but I still don't understand why I was unable to produce any seed with all the pollen collected and used on my females?
Click to expand...
If you produced pollen and pollinated the female plants they should have produced seed. The pollen was sterile and not viable. You don't say how long you had the pollen before pollinating the females. It's possible that if it was stored incorrectly it could go bad.
 
Aussieaceae

Aussieaceae

Well-Known Member
xtsho said:
If you produced pollen and pollinated the female plants they should have produced seed. The pollen was sterile and not viable. You don't say how long you had the pollen before pollinating the females. It's possible that if it was stored incorrectly it could go bad.
Click to expand...
How do you go about storing it. What's your method and roughly how long does it stay viable?
 
S

spek9

Well-Known Member
Aussieaceae said:
How do you go about storing it. What's your method and roughly how long does it stay viable?
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I mix mine with 2/3 parts flour at time of pollen harvest, then store it in black 35mm film canisters. I store the pollen mixture in my seed bin in the cold cellar in my basement.

I've used pollen up to a year after harvest. I have other pollen that's been down there for almost five years, but haven't tested it yet. I just recently got my grow back up and running, so I'm about two weeks away from pollination and do plan on testing with that very old batch.
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Aussieaceae said:
How do you go about storing it. What's your method and roughly how long does it stay viable?
Click to expand...
First you need to make sure it's in some kind of container and away from moisture and extreme heat. There are many methods of storing pollen which can be found online so just do a google search and read as much as you can. You'll find various methods that work. Storing pollen isn't cannabis specific and you'll find more reliable information on non cannabis sites.

The lifetime viability is going to vary tremendously with numerous variables all coming into play. Those variables include maturity of the pollen, method of storage, temperature of storage, moisture content, etc... But under optimum conditions pollen can be stored for years.
 
yabun

yabun

Active Member
spek9 said:
I've used pollen up to a year after harvest. I have other pollen that's been down there for almost five years, but haven't tested it yet. I just recently got my grow back up and running, so I'm about two weeks away from pollination and do plan on testing with that very old batch.
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Keep us updated if the pollen is still viable.
 
Aussieaceae

Aussieaceae

Well-Known Member
spek9 said:
I mix mine with 2/3 parts flour at time of pollen harvest, then store it in black 35mm film canisters. I store the pollen mixture in my seed bin in the cold cellar in my basement.

I've used pollen up to a year after harvest. I have other pollen that's been down there for almost five years, but haven't tested it yet. I just recently got my grow back up and running, so I'm about two weeks away from pollination and do plan on testing with that very old batch.
Click to expand...
Thanks!

I was intending to try the flour trick myself, but putting it in the freezer. Gonna try both simultaneously now i think.
Suppose i'll find out if it works in about a year lol.

Never really considered storing pollen until this year. I've always just settled with the best male for the next seed.
But I think I might have a stud this year. He has barely any apical dominance, has been the largest until recently. Haven't topped him once, but have chopped 4 or 5 main tops off him, just to keep him under control.
Good smell and pretty decent node spacing too.

If I don't try storing some, I know i'll likely regret it later lol.
Shit happens, I'll still have his seed from this year, but at the least I want to give it a try.

xtsho said:
First you need to make sure it's in some kind of container and away from moisture and extreme heat. There are many methods of storing pollen which can be found online so just do a google search and read as much as you can. You'll find various methods that work. Storing pollen isn't cannabis specific and you'll find more reliable information on non cannabis sites.

The lifetime viability is going to vary tremendously with numerous variables all coming into play. Those variables include maturity of the pollen, method of storage, temperature of storage, moisture content, etc... But under optimum conditions pollen can be stored for years.
Click to expand...
Thanks,

Did scour the internet the last few weeks.
One of the common methods commercially, seemed to be quick drying the pollen using silica gel, then freezing.

Was hoping for a different alternative, so figured I'd ask here.

Must say I like your vase / bottle technique for collection.
I was going to try this once the pollen starts to spread. Not enough flower on the females yet to worry.
Do you always wait until the pollen is being released, before putting the flowers in a vase?
 
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Mountainlife420

Mountainlife420

Member
I collected the pollen and used it the same day and repeated the process for 3 days ( collect pollen and fertilize females). I used a shit ton of pollen so I was thinking that it was sterile for some reason but don't have any idea why.
 
Mountainlife420

Mountainlife420

Member
has anyone had similar issues with producing sterile pollen with cs or have any idea why the pollen produced was sterile? or any tips on how to produce pollen that will not be sterile with another try? I thought using the pollen immediately after collection would be best but should I dry it first or something?
 
M

Mak'er Grow

Well-Known Member
Mountainlife420 said:
has anyone had similar issues with producing sterile pollen with cs or have any idea why the pollen produced was sterile? or any tips on how to produce pollen that will not be sterile with another try? I thought using the pollen immediately after collection would be best but should I dry it first or something?
Click to expand...
I'm far from being any expert on this process...just finished my first attempt and it did work for me...~100 Skunk #1 seeds.
When I was spraying mine and started to see the male sacks I stopped spraying.
I figured if I kept wetting it then it may become sterile much like when you spray down other plants you don't want pollinated with water to make it inert.
So maybe spraying too long or a highly humid grow environment causes the pollen to become inert/sterile?
Just a guess...lol
Good luck and happy growing :P
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Aussieaceae said:
Thanks!

I was intending to try the flour trick myself, but putting it in the freezer. Gonna try both simultaneously now i think.
Suppose i'll find out if it works in about a year lol.

Never really considered storing pollen until this year. I've always just settled with the best male for the next seed.
But I think I might have a stud this year. He has barely any apical dominance, has been the largest until recently. Haven't topped him once, but have chopped 4 or 5 main tops off him, just to keep him under control.
Good smell and pretty decent node spacing too.

If I don't try storing some, I know i'll likely regret it later lol.
Shit happens, I'll still have his seed from this year, but at the least I want to give it a try.



Thanks,

Did scour the internet the last few weeks.
One of the common methods commercially, seemed to be quick drying the pollen using silica gel, then freezing.

Was hoping for a different alternative, so figured I'd ask here.

Must say I like your vase / bottle technique for collection.
I was going to try this once the pollen starts to spread. Not enough flower on the females yet to worry.
Do you always wait until the pollen is being released, before putting the flowers in a vase?
Click to expand...
Yes I wait until is see pollen starting to be released. I know this is the colloidal silver thread but STS is another option for reversing sex on female plants to produce feminized pollen. There are several threads pertaining to that method on this site.

I let the pollen dry for a couple days and then put it in small plastic vials with airtight caps for storage. I also put a few of those little silica beads from desiccant packs in with it as well.
 
Mountainlife420

Mountainlife420

Member
Mak'er Grow said:
I'm far from being any expert on this process...just finished my first attempt and it did work for me...~100 Skunk #1 seeds.
When I was spraying mine and started to see the male sacks I stopped spraying.
I figured if I kept wetting it then it may become sterile much like when you spray down other plants you don't want pollinated with water to make it inert.
So maybe spraying too long or a highly humid grow environment causes the pollen to become inert/sterile?
Just a guess...lol
Good luck and happy growing :P
Click to expand...
thanks for the response, def sounds like it worked well for ya! stopped spraying the cs after male expression was observed and well before the male flowers were mature...room temp holds mid-upper 70s with lights on and low 70s-upper 60s after lights off with rh ranging around 35-50% (spikes for a short while after lights out)generally avgs 40% rh.
 
Mountainlife420

Mountainlife420

Member
xtsho said:
Yes I wait until is see pollen starting to be released. I know this is the colloidal silver thread but STS is another option for reversing sex on female plants to produce feminized pollen. There are several threads pertaining to that method on this site.

I let the pollen dry for a couple days and then put it in small plastic vials with airtight caps for storage. I also put a few of those little silica beads from desiccant packs in with it as well.
Click to expand...
do you dry the pollen only for storage or also before using for pollination? do you think there is any reason using the pollen immed after collecting would result in less success? have you seen better results using sts for sex reversal over cs?
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Mountainlife420 said:
do you dry the pollen only for storage or also before using for pollination? do you think there is any reason using the pollen immed after collecting would result in less success? have you seen better results using sts for sex reversal over cs?
Click to expand...
Pollen is at it's most potent immediately and if you plan to keep it for a while it should be cleaned and dried right away. I use my 180micron kief screen to filter the pollen I collect to clean it well. Then put it in a vial that I then put open into a jar with colour changing drying crystals called Drierite. I'll leave it like that for a few days then cap the vial and keep it in the jar with the crystals until I use some.

Branches off a male plant in glasses of water to drop pollen onto tin foil in the bedroom closet far away from the plants. No need to keep the whole male plant. Once balls have started forming I just cut off a few branches and stick them in water to open up and drop pollen where it can be collected. One 23W, 2700K CFL light or equivalent on a timer is plenty to get your pollen. The keif screen is bottom right. There's a SS catch pan under it.

BBmalePollen10051802.jpg

Here's a small vial with pollen about to go into that jar with others but the top will stay off for a few days before capping to dry the pollen well.

BBmalePollen10051803.jpg

All my pollen so far has been from regular male plants but I have STS now and will be using some soon to get me some ladyboy pollen to make some fem seeds.

:peace:
 
yabun

yabun

Active Member
spek9 said:
I mix mine with 2/3 parts flour at time of pollen harvest, then store it in black 35mm film canisters. I store the pollen mixture in my seed bin in the cold cellar in my basement.

I've used pollen up to a year after harvest. I have other pollen that's been down there for almost five years, but haven't tested it yet. I just recently got my grow back up and running, so I'm about two weeks away from pollination and do plan on testing with that very old batch.
Click to expand...
Did you have any success with the old batch of pollen?
 
S

spek9

Well-Known Member
yabun said:
Did you have any success with the old batch of pollen?
Click to expand...
No, sorry, I forgot to post here about that.

The pollen that was five or so years old was not viable. I only had one batch that old though, so I'm not saying it isn't possible to store it that long, I'm just saying that mine didn't work after such a long period.
 
kev1968

kev1968

Active Member
The magic of colliodal silver
Granddaddy Kush pollen harvest day!
1st pic was Feb. 12 when moved into flower room.
2nd pic Mar. 23 harvest day20200212_060357.jpg20200323_123714.jpg
 
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