Temporary increase??? I don't think there is such a thing.

I've never seen an increase go down .... ever! That strikes me as comical. (But not happy about those prices at all!)

I was over looking for the new seeds. Rich is on a roll again with some seedlings.

49$ for 1 unbloomed seedling.....good parents...but really? Fun to watch tho.
http://www.daylily.com/cgi-bin...
Looks like Ill have to wait a little longer for the fresh seeds

Can't say I've ever seen an increase go down either....hmmm still paying a fuel charge on some bills from 7 years ago when gas went sky high( it was said to be temporary at the time). Raising shipping charges will be frustrating for both buyers and sellers.

I agree, there are some auctions that are fun to watch. Rich has some really nice crosses with good parents and I've always been very happy with the seeds I've purchased from him.

Dang. I have 2 unbloomed seedlings out of FL BRIAR PATCH X BURMESE JADE. I should sell them!

EdBurton said:

On to the subject of shipping pollen.
I have tried swapping pollen with a few online daylily friends during the bloom season and the results have been dismal at best.
I just don't believe that the pollen survives being in the postal system during the summer season for any length of time.
With the exception of 2 pods set in New York out of 300 odd attempts between us all the results haven't been worth the effort.
No one from the original pollen swappers asked to do it again, so that about sums up our experience

In a new test I sent pollen from Wisconsin to Texas in the middle of this last winter to see if shipping in cold to frigid temps would make a difference.
When I hear the results I will pass the info along.

I have the results back from my shipping frozen pollen in the dead of winter from Wisconsin to Texas.
My friend says he has pods all over the place using the pollen I sent him.
It seems that sending the pollen in winter may be the answer to success.
If anything else on the subject comes to my attention I will post that also.
Ed Burton

Thats good to know, and since it was sent in the middle of winter, he had to put it in the freezer once it got there, for use in the spring. Glad to know in the winter, it can maybe take shipping.

Awesome, helpful info, Ed! That will be a game-changer and wide-window-opener for so many. Would love to hear any follow-up on how the pods fare, subsequent seedling vigor, etc.

I would like to see more testing done by others to see what their results are.
I do know that Peter in Texas who wasn't able to grow Bass Gibson because of dormancy issues now has 3 tubes of pollen to spread wherever he desires.
He is also talking about pollen swaps for next year
So let the feedback continue
Ed

Ed was kind enough to share his "secret recipe" for sending the frozen pollen, and gave his okay to reprint it here so that everyone can give it a try - it is so easy! But, collecting the pollen would have to start now for anyone who hasn't done it before. No guarantees, surely, but so very well worth a try.

Ed's successful pollen mailing:
"I take the centrifuge tubes, I stuff them with cotton almost to the top of tube, I take the ripe pollen and brush it off on pollen usually takes all 6 anthers to fill the tube.
They get labeled, then go straight to freezer.
I use bubble wrap mailers, but I also wrapped all the tubes in extra bubble wrap placed in a plastic bag.
I sent the pollen while it was still pretty cold here in Wisconsin in March.
Looks like it worked really well"

I'll be trying it this year with other containers, like cotton in baggies, plastic pill or contacts boxes, etc., or whatever I have around, since I don't have the centrifuge tubes. My guess is that other small, hard plastic containers wrapped in bubble wrap would have some similar success, too.

Thanks again, Ed.

Could you clarify where it states " I take the ripe pollen and brush it off on pollen. Usually takes six anthers to fill the tube".

Im not sure about the 'brush' the pollen off, part. Do you put the whole anther in the tube ( thats what I do), or do you brush it off in the tube.

I put the anthers in the tub then flick the tube a bunch to free the pollen and discard the anthers.

gardenglory said:Could you clarify where it states " I take the ripe pollen and brush it off on pollen. Usually takes six anthers to fill the tube".

Im not sure about the 'brush' the pollen off, part. Do you put the whole anther in the tube ( thats what I do), or do you brush it off in the tube.

It was a typo, the original post said........

I use centrifuge tubes stuffed to almost the top of tube with cotton, I brush off pollen into the cotton until it is completely covered with the pollen, it usually takes all 6 anthers to get enough pollen to cover.

I pick anther, and take it pollen side to cotton in tube, I brush off as much pollen as I can get.
Usually it takes all 6 anthers to saturate the top layer of the cotton.
I have been successful using 4 year old pollen stored this way.

If I am using fresh pollen for the day, I keep the anthers after brushing off pollen to freeze as there is always some that doesn't rub off to the cotton.

The tubes are easy to use in the yard.
Select pollen to use for the day, remove from freezer, let sit for 10 - 15 minutes, take tubes out to garden and use on whatever is desired, then throw back in freezer.

Eventually the fluid from the stigma over time will make pollen in tube useless, but that is after making dozens of
attempts setting pods.
You will be able to maximize pollen as you get familiar using the pollen from tubes.

This is a picture of the centrifuge tubes stuffed with pollen, tubes are 1.5 mil, cheapest I could find on the web.
I take a piece of masking tape and wrap it around tube, I will write down the ID of pollen plant on tape.

Thanks Ed. I made a copy of your instructions, and saved it in my Daylily files.

I did, too! Thanks, Ed!!!!

Thanks Alex and Becky
I hope you have the success that I have had with frozen pollen.
Ed

Me Three!! Thanks for sharing the info. This will be my first time collecting pollen so I need any help I can get!

Cat it's easy.
store anything of value first, then let the heart run free

I found these at the Dollar Store. The were 8 small or 6 of the larger for $1. I am going to try them for storing pollen and seeds.