Colloidal silver to force a male- is this what is supposed to happen?

[Ckbrew]

The CS is only applied to the female plant for conversion to male to generate pollen. After the pollen is collected the male plant is incinerated or otherwise disposed of as the CS makes it toxic to use for any type of consumption (I have read). The pollen is then transferred to another female for seed production without transferring any kind of chemical contamination. This started as a project to attempt to save the genetics of a desired strain and the decision to try had to be made without knowing what the final product would be. But as fate would have it, the genetics were not pure. This was known last year, and the progeny of last year's wayward pollen are not showing the same characteristics as the mother. No way to tell for sure until the mother is harvested, but the aroma is way different. So this entire thing could turn out to be an academic learning experience. Now if I only could figure a way to save genetics from dried flowers...

[Ckbrew]

Week 5 bloom, day 1

The forced male, many flowers were trimmed leaving the main center stalk and 2 side branches with balls, a few have opened, they appear empty...


Fitted with a plate to catch pollen, looks like one of those cones you put on an animal to keep them from getting at something.


closer


even closer


Then I decided that it would be easier with most of the excess leaves removed. I just hope there is something in there to use.

[SoOrbudgal]

Now that's a great way to collect pollen. I even do similar on the clones to help them stay up. Poke a hole in the plate cut it down to over the glass pop a clone threw it. Hope someone new sees this Ckbrew

[Puglover1]

You Cone of Shamed weed, LoL.

[Ckbrew]

Week 5 bloom, day 5 RP-1 force male pollen maker

I never thought I would see the day when this was a good thing.Interesting plant. Usually these are disposed of.



I was waiting for pollen then doh't- using a white plate. I finally found a good use for junk mail.


Tomorrow, like rabbits I will bring the female to the male and use my paint brush to pollinate it's clone sister.

[Gingerbeard]

Hold on a second! It sounds like you have some amazing offers! You would be a fool to pass them up. A fool, I say!

[Ckbrew]

The best offer is tumbling down slope leaving that trail of powder, you could be right, this project could be a fool's errand. Waiting on harvest of the mother for the final verdict.

[Ckbrew]

Week 6 bloom, day 1 male
and
Week 4 bloom, day 1 female

I brought the female to the male, collected a bunch of pollen, and painted it on the pistils of the female plant. I will repeat this process in 3 days. After that, the male plant will be disposed of.


The two breeders sharing the nursery


A close up of a freshly pollinated flower. Doesn't look any different yet.

[Ace1973]

I pollinated every day for three days, your pistils will turn orange and curl in, you will have a five to six week wait for your seeds.

[Ckbrew]

Ty Ace1973 First time doing this, details sometimes make a difference.

[Ace1973]

not a problem Ckbrew been doing this for two years and you have done well for your first time, you will go crazy with breeding seeds, I have thousands from different plants, and this is better than keeping a mother plant.

[Ckbrew]

Week 6 bloom, day 3 male
and
Week 4 bloom, day 3 female


Back in the nursery, RP-1 female seed breeder, all alone. After 3 consecutive days of pollination the male was chopped. I saved 3 male colas in a paper grocery bag and will let it dry out, maybe save some pollen. I am pondering moving this plant back to the main grow area as the lights in the nursery are not adequate for a proper grow. I was wondering if in a few weeks I spray the plant down with water in the hope of killing any pollen that might be remaining on the plant to avoid cross contamination. Good idea or bad? What have other people done?


Close up of one of the flowers. Some of the pistils are getting thinner and slightly curved, almost like the plant stopped supplying water to them. Hard to tell in the pix. The sisters in the experimental grow do not have the same appearance, so I am guessing that this was a successful pollination.

[grouchyoldman]

Good job Ckbrew! I think you'll find your Lady to have been fully pollenated and a big pile of seeds await you.

Regarding a water spray before returning her to the rest of your plants, the general advice is YES! Spray her down really well, let her dry then do it again. Otherwise you are almost certain to have cross contamination. A friend with much more experience than I put it like this: "Treat live pollen as though it were weaponized ebola gas and you'll be in the ballpark!" BTW, if you are storing any extra pollen be sure to dry it really well, sieve out any plant material then put it in the freezer for storage. Should be good for at least a few months that way.

[Ckbrew]

Ty Grouchy. Is there any length of time to wait from pollination to water washing? Good thing I am using sterile technique with the pollen.

[grouchyoldman]

" Is there any length of time to wait from pollination to water washing?"

Really good question and the consensus among those who know more than I is that It takes somewhere between an hour and overnight to be sure your pollination was successful before washing down the plant. I only waited an hour on my last pollination and I don't think it was as successful as previous attempts when I let them sit overnight. What is nice is that if you thoroughly wash down the pollinated plant is really does seem to make it safe to bring her back to the growroom with your other plants without cross pollination.

[Ckbrew]

Week 4 bloom, day 4 seed maker


If you zoom in you can see that many pistils are turning brown, they look bruised, and starting to curl and deflate like they would in a older flower. I guess this means that there is successful pollination.

[Ace1973]

you did it right, give it a couple of days more and in a week or two you will see the calyxes swell, I really envy on your first time you did better than me.

[Ckbrew]

Ty Ace1973 . I have GWE and the advice from people on this forum to thank for helping me to accomplish this.

[Going2fast]

Congrats. I believe she is preggers. The pollinated ones will begin to swell quickly. Here's mine 3weeks from pollination.

[Ckbrew]

I have been looking at GWE and GH site for information on feeding schedules for a seed plant. Do you do anything different from the normal bloom schedule? extra grow? My search came up empty.

[grouchyoldman]

Hi again CK, I went asking around looking for an answer to feeding a seeded plant and the advice seems to be normal balanced Veg nutes right through the seeds ripening. Here's a quote from an old school grower: "I should say a well balanced nutrient, don’t skimp out on the N. Gives them more of the nutrients that’s needed for seeds, and hopefully Keeps them from fading out before the seeds are mature. I’ve been giving the seeds 6wks from the last pollination, or until the buds themselves die and dry on their own and the seeds are popping out."

I kept on the normal flower nute schedule and still got a good result but his advice is probably better.

[Ckbrew]

Ty GOM, just what I needed to know.

[Going2fast]

For this run I'm experimenting. First time in such small containers. I was gifted a liquid flower nute that I have been feeding them since week 2 of bloom. Seems to be keeping them alive. Other than that just recycled miracle grow organics and home made compost. Here's a pic of the product.

[Ckbrew]

Week 5 bloom, day 1

RP-1 seed maker was washed with water and dried twice, then put back in the tents with the sisters, experimental clones. So far no sigh of pollen contamination.


A close up, the calyx are swelling, looks like the pollination took.

Here come the seeds.

[SoOrbudgal]

Interesting development posting i'm really digging it. Thanks

[Ckbrew]

Week 5 bloom, day 5 RP-1 seed maker


The seed maker and the two sisters, from the same mother, cut at the same time


Side by side, seeded on left, non seeded on right.


Seeded close up.

[SoOrbudgal]

Really great side by side i appriciate what you've done the last pic looks ready to " spill the beans " congrats

[Ckbrew]

Week 6 bloom, day 7

RP-1 seed maker- Some new growth on the top of the flowers, don't know what to make of it. It is starting on the tops of several buds.


And the unseeded sister

[Ckbrew]

Week 8 bloom, day 1

The seed clone (front) and experimental clones (rear) are marking time, and stacking up.


View from above


With the clone sisters, seeded on right, non seeded on left


A close up.
Can anyone tell me if the new growth is normal for a seed bearing plant? It is only on the tops of the buds but is still progressing.