This was from another site on the internet:
"The tools I use are simple.
A Plastic soda bottle 2-3 Ltrs...with the label removed and the bottom cut off. Clean it with a bleach solution and let it dry for a day before beginning...This will be our isolation chamber.
A brush. A NEW brush...not a used one!...an artist's brush is ideal, but a makeup brush is also fine...you could even use a piece of card if you want.
A glass of tapwater and a clean sheet of printer paper, unbleached if possible.
Take a cutting from a male with flowers on it...you will have to time it to take the cutting before the flowers open.
When you take the cutting, make sure all fans are turned OFF. You do not want stray pollen flying about
Your cutting does not need much light to drop it's bundle for ya. A single cfl or indirect window light will be enough to keep it alive to drop pollen.
Place your glass of water on the clean paper...put your cutting in it, leaning @an angle over the side of the glass. Then place the clean bottomless soda bottle over the cutting with the lid removed.
Collect the pollen every day or two. Remove the soda bottle, remove the glass with cutting to a new piece of paper and cover again with the soda bottle.
Use your brush to form a pile of pollen...if you can put a crease in the edge of the paper to brush the pollen along into your storage container. Use small brush strokes, and do NOT breathe onto the paper...keep your head @a downward angle and breathe through your nose. Don't wanna blow the pollen around
Storage. I use containers th@ diabetic blood-test strips come in for my pollen storage {airtight, medical grade plastic!}. I have also used film cannisters {collect them while you can!...film is becoming RARE with the digital age}...anything th@ can seal air-tight is ideal...cheap and nasty containers will result in loss of pollen. Other suggestions are...plastic smarties tubes, or any of the sealable plastic containers many confectioneries come in, some vitamin jars with the sealable plastic lids might also be used, but not for freezing. The glass might be damaged.
Cheap plastic pens can be used for storing pollen.
Remove the nib/ink-tube.
Get clear pens so you can see inside.
Make sure they do not have an air hole along the length of the tube...if so, block it/fill it.
Next you need to fill the nib end of the pen...bee's wax might be used?...put a grain of rice in the pen, pour in the pollen, slip in ID paper and put the endcap back in.
These PollenPens can be stored in a glad baggie with the air removed.
A desiccant can/should be used when storing pollen. Small desiccant gel packs, often found in vitamins, medicines and electronic equipment can be used. I either tape or superglue the pack to the inside lid of my container and store it upright. A few grains of uncooked rice or a small piece of dried bread {crispy!} can also be used.
Pollen can be stored @room temp for a few days and still remain highly viable...it can be stored in the fridge for a few weeks to a month...it can be stored for months to years in the freezer{9 months is the oldest I have used frozen pollen}.
WARNING! When putting freshly collected pollen into the fridge or freezer, always give it time to dry a bit. 12-48 hrs is the timespan I use. The reason you do this is you do NOT want MOIST pollen...the water in it will freeze and damage it. Conversely, after taking the pollen out of the fridge, leave the container to reach room temp BEFORE opening the container...this will be hours in the case of frozen pollen, about 40 mins from the fridge.
The reason for this is condensation might form inside the container as the air temp equalizes...and the pollen could be rendered mush...
Write the name/#/date of harvest on a piece of paper in led pencil and store it IN the container with the pollen AND write the same info on the OUTSIDE of the container.
The reason I say use led pencil is th@ there are no chemicals to effect the pollen, the pencil will not fade with time or light.
And the reason you write on the outside of the container is th@ you don't want to open the pollen until you need it.
It is preferable to store your pollen in multiple small batches rather than 1 big batch....this allows for multiple
pollinations, multiple pollenbanks {for genetic security investments} or pollen to trade or give away! [PollenPens!]
Using Your Pollen.
After you have let your pollen reach room temp, it can be applied directly {NO FANS!} with a small artist's brush or cotton tip with small dabbing motions so as not to fling pollen around. Cornflour can be added to the pollen as a carrier so th@ it goes further...I have had success with a ratio of up to 20-1 but I recommend 5-1 to 10-1 as a better ratio.
Wait a few {4-24} hours before spritzing your gal with clean water to inactivate any pollen remaining, and then put her back into the flowering room."
"The tools I use are simple.
A Plastic soda bottle 2-3 Ltrs...with the label removed and the bottom cut off. Clean it with a bleach solution and let it dry for a day before beginning...This will be our isolation chamber.
A brush. A NEW brush...not a used one!...an artist's brush is ideal, but a makeup brush is also fine...you could even use a piece of card if you want.
A glass of tapwater and a clean sheet of printer paper, unbleached if possible.
Take a cutting from a male with flowers on it...you will have to time it to take the cutting before the flowers open.
When you take the cutting, make sure all fans are turned OFF. You do not want stray pollen flying about
Your cutting does not need much light to drop it's bundle for ya. A single cfl or indirect window light will be enough to keep it alive to drop pollen.
Place your glass of water on the clean paper...put your cutting in it, leaning @an angle over the side of the glass. Then place the clean bottomless soda bottle over the cutting with the lid removed.
Collect the pollen every day or two. Remove the soda bottle, remove the glass with cutting to a new piece of paper and cover again with the soda bottle.
Use your brush to form a pile of pollen...if you can put a crease in the edge of the paper to brush the pollen along into your storage container. Use small brush strokes, and do NOT breathe onto the paper...keep your head @a downward angle and breathe through your nose. Don't wanna blow the pollen around
Storage. I use containers th@ diabetic blood-test strips come in for my pollen storage {airtight, medical grade plastic!}. I have also used film cannisters {collect them while you can!...film is becoming RARE with the digital age}...anything th@ can seal air-tight is ideal...cheap and nasty containers will result in loss of pollen. Other suggestions are...plastic smarties tubes, or any of the sealable plastic containers many confectioneries come in, some vitamin jars with the sealable plastic lids might also be used, but not for freezing. The glass might be damaged.
Cheap plastic pens can be used for storing pollen.
Remove the nib/ink-tube.
Get clear pens so you can see inside.
Make sure they do not have an air hole along the length of the tube...if so, block it/fill it.
Next you need to fill the nib end of the pen...bee's wax might be used?...put a grain of rice in the pen, pour in the pollen, slip in ID paper and put the endcap back in.
These PollenPens can be stored in a glad baggie with the air removed.
A desiccant can/should be used when storing pollen. Small desiccant gel packs, often found in vitamins, medicines and electronic equipment can be used. I either tape or superglue the pack to the inside lid of my container and store it upright. A few grains of uncooked rice or a small piece of dried bread {crispy!} can also be used.
Pollen can be stored @room temp for a few days and still remain highly viable...it can be stored in the fridge for a few weeks to a month...it can be stored for months to years in the freezer{9 months is the oldest I have used frozen pollen}.
WARNING! When putting freshly collected pollen into the fridge or freezer, always give it time to dry a bit. 12-48 hrs is the timespan I use. The reason you do this is you do NOT want MOIST pollen...the water in it will freeze and damage it. Conversely, after taking the pollen out of the fridge, leave the container to reach room temp BEFORE opening the container...this will be hours in the case of frozen pollen, about 40 mins from the fridge.
The reason for this is condensation might form inside the container as the air temp equalizes...and the pollen could be rendered mush...
Write the name/#/date of harvest on a piece of paper in led pencil and store it IN the container with the pollen AND write the same info on the OUTSIDE of the container.
The reason I say use led pencil is th@ there are no chemicals to effect the pollen, the pencil will not fade with time or light.
And the reason you write on the outside of the container is th@ you don't want to open the pollen until you need it.
It is preferable to store your pollen in multiple small batches rather than 1 big batch....this allows for multiple
pollinations, multiple pollenbanks {for genetic security investments} or pollen to trade or give away! [PollenPens!]
Using Your Pollen.
After you have let your pollen reach room temp, it can be applied directly {NO FANS!} with a small artist's brush or cotton tip with small dabbing motions so as not to fling pollen around. Cornflour can be added to the pollen as a carrier so th@ it goes further...I have had success with a ratio of up to 20-1 but I recommend 5-1 to 10-1 as a better ratio.
Wait a few {4-24} hours before spritzing your gal with clean water to inactivate any pollen remaining, and then put her back into the flowering room."
