The subject of pollen, and shipping
I use about 50% frozen pollen for making seeds, and works really well for me.
The pollen I use gets frozen as soon as I can collect it and it stays that way until I'm ready to use it.
I take it out of the freezer anywhere from a half hour up to 15 minutes before planned use, this will let any moisture dissipate.
When I am done I refreeze it.
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.
This allows me to attempt 50 plus crosses with one tube, before the fluid from the pistil makes pollen in tube useless.
I have been able to set pods with 4 year old pollen with my method as a test.
I haven't tried anything older, and I try to replace all my pollen every 2 years or less.
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.
