Growing Males For Seeds

[TheMadDabber]

@Pat Puffer, super helpful, thanks! It looks like I have a couple very nice sativa males developing, and I've been thinking how to deal with them. Your method is an excellent way to keep the pollen contained. FYI, I've heard that pollen in the freezer will last (at least?) 18 months. Also, is it a good idea to spray down the female with water after successful pollination? How long does that take?

Freezer gets moist. I would shoot for a cool dry dark place and you should always store pollen air sealed with a desiccant.

Best bet is using it fresh. Idk how many friends I've seen try and use pollen, and it won't take because as soon as pollen becomes wet it will enoculate it and render it ineffective for use.

Hope this helps. Cheers

 

[Pat Puffer]

The freezer was only made mention due to the fact if someone would want to keep some for a length of time. I had stored mine for at least 7 months (was it 8?) AND used it successfully.

I found my pollen "enoculate" when I didn't place it in the refrigerator for a day to rise in temperature slowly. I think that was when condensation formed and killed it.

His recommendation is correct though. The freezer becomes haphazard when bringing back to regular temps; it can be done though.

 

[TheMadDabber]

Exactly gotta watch for that condensation! Sounds like you nailed the freezer tho. I have also seen other store with success! I just wanted to throw up a disclaimer that while it's good it's not perfect. For preservation purposes I always aim to use my dust fresh. I try not to run a male unless I'm intent on using his pollen that run. At that point any you can successfully preserve is a bonus!

 

[Pat Puffer]

I love this community!

 

[cbdhemp808]

@Pat Puffer, super helpful, thanks! It looks like I have a couple very nice sativa males developing, and I've been thinking how to deal with them. Your method is an excellent way to keep the pollen contained. FYI, I've heard that pollen in the freezer will last (at least?) 18 months. Also, is it a good idea to spray down the female with water after successful pollination? How long does that take?

One thought... can I top these males, clone the tops, and then get stubby little flowering males? The two plants are looking magnificent in their 2 gal pots... 5 ft tall and haven't indicated sex yet. I'm still not 100% sure they are males, but the 2 females indicated weeks ago.

 

[Pat Puffer]

@cbdhemp808

Once cuttings are taken they go under 24 hour light for best rooting. That is going to eventually make them revert back to veg (reveg). Yes you can clone your male and have a bonsai male for pollen harvesting. That's the beauty of the bonsai set up.

 

[TheMadDabber]

One thought... can I top these males, clone the tops, and then get stubby little flowering males? The two plants are looking magnificent in their 2 gal pots... 5 ft tall and haven't indicated sex yet. I'm still not 100% sure they are males, but the 2 females indicated weeks ago.

Any pics?

 

[cbdhemp808]

@cbdhemp808

Once cuttings are taken they go under 24 hour light for best rooting.

I'm an experienced cloner. I live off grid with limited solar power, so 24 hr light is not a possibility. But my cloning light comes on early in the morning and goes off in the evening.

That is going to eventually make them revert back to veg (reveg).

All male cannabis plants are autoflowers, with some sativas being the exception. Read here.

Yes you can clone your male and have a bonsai male for pollen harvesting. That's the beauty of the bonsai set up.

I will try that. I'm not 100% attached to getting pollen, but if I can make the process very easy I'll go for it.

 

[cbdhemp808]

Any pics?

I'll take some tomorrow, and macro shots of the nodes.

 

[Lerugged]

I have not experienced males being autoflowers. I have had males for over 3 years at times and they never flowered until I wanted them too.

 

[cbdhemp808]

I have not experienced males being autoflowers. I have had males for over 3 years at times and they never flowered until I wanted them too.

What strain(s)? What kind of lighting?

 

[Lerugged]

Mostly real landrace sativas from all over Africa. Malawi, kzn , Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Congo, Tanzania, Transkei etc. I've had them mostly under cfls or sunlight. Never had an issue. I have also revegged males when I had no clones and they went back into veg no problems.

 

[cbdhemp808]

Mostly real landrace sativas from all over Africa. Malawi, kzn , Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Congo, Tanzania, Transkei etc. I've had them mostly under cfls or sunlight. Never had an issue. I have also revegged males when I had no clones and they went back into veg no problems.

Interesting.

Ed Rosenthal:
"Males and ruderalis strains from the far north are not photosensitive at all. ... Males of most varieties indicate under continuous light within three to nine months. Some equatorial sativa males are exceptions and require a dark period to flower...."

How much darkness did yours need in order to flower?

 

[greenjeans]

but the 2 females indicated weeks ago.

Hmmm...I thought that the males went first so as to be ready for the gals!!

 

[Lerugged]

12 hours. Like completely same process as flipping females.
Definitely southern hemisphere landraces so that's Hella interesting.

 

[cbdhemp808]

12 hours. Like completely same process as flipping females.
Definitely southern hemisphere landraces so that's Hella interesting.

Yes, amazing.

Another question for you... did your males indicate with pre-flowers around the same time as the females (or before), or did they require a dark period in order to show pre-flowers?

My sativa males are Green Mountain Grape, from Green Mountain Seeds, and genetics are: "...PURPLE SATELLITE {Oaxacan gold purple line X Bluehemps Baglung Nepali Sativa} CROSSED to a Mendo 70/30 Sativa dominate heirloom strain"

 

[Lerugged]

Males usually show preflowers around the same time as females. As with females this is around the same time as plants hit maturity.
Males will flower earlier though. Usually 2 to 3 weeks. So the flowers will already be opening when the pistils are stacking.

 

[Mike Wright]

Males usually show preflowers around the same time as females. As with females this is around the same time as plants hit maturity.
Males will flower earlier though. Usually 2 to 3 weeks. So the flowers will already be opening when the pistils are stacking.

Yeah, this is my experience. Definitely I have had lots of males flower before I have flipped the lights.

 

[cbdhemp808]

Any pics?

See HERE.