3rd times a charm

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Plans are to stay current on this journal unlike my last ones. I plan on putting all info about my grow in an update in the very near future as well as tagging all who might want to follow along. For now, I have some questions about a secondary project i have going so no better time to start.

@Low @OGIncognito

I have some questions about pollination and i recall you both discussing this on low and madam calamitys journal. Tried finding the answers on that journal but quite a few posts to backtrack through :joy:

  1. My two males are just shy of 3 weeks from flip, when should i be on the lookout for taking pollen?
  2. I took clones and am waiting for roots to pop out of the cubes, so i plan on storing the pollen till needed. Whats the best place to store the pollen and whats the ratio for pollen to cornstarch?
  3. I plan on brushing the pollen onto the flowers, what intervals do you reccomend applying at?

Male plants are 2 ethos super lemon haze and the female plants are 2 ethos peach Crescendo.

Here are where the two males are at.

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There are a few ways to go about it

When to Start Collecting Pollen from Males (3 Weeks from Flip)
• Male plants typically begin dropping viable pollen 2–4 weeks after the flip to 12/12, depending on the strain and conditions.
Look for:
• Mature pollen sacs: These will appear full, slightly yellowish, and begin to open.
• Once the sacs open and you notice pollen starting to fall, you’re ready to collect. Keep an eye out around weeks 3–4 from the flip, as this is often the prime window.

Male plants typically drop pollen for about 1–2 weeks, though the exact duration can vary depending on the plant’s genetics and environmental conditions. Here’s what to expect:
• Initial Drop: Pollen production usually begins shortly after the sacs mature and start opening, which is often around 3–4 weeks after the flip to 12/12.
• Peak Release: The majority of the pollen is released during the first 5–7 days after the sacs open. During this time, pollen will fall daily if the plant is healthy.
• End of Pollen Production: Some plants may continue releasing smaller amounts of pollen for up to 10–14 days, but the quantity will gradually diminish as the sacs deplete.

it’s best to check the plant daily during its peak release period to gather fresh, viable pollen.

Storing Pollen and Pollen-to-Cornstarch Ratio

To ensure the pollen remains viable until you need it:
• Storage:
• Collect the pollen using a clean, dry surface (e.g., glass or parchment paper).
• Dry the pollen in a cool, dark, and dry place for 12–24 hours to remove any moisture.
• Store in an airtight container or resealable bag with a silica packet to keep it dry.
• For long-term storage (months or more): Place it in the freezer. Label it clearly with the strain name and date.
• For short-term storage (a few weeks): Use the refrigerator.
• Pollen-to-Cornstarch Ratio:
• A 1:4 ratio (1 part pollen to 4 parts cornstarch) works well. The cornstarch helps to stretch your pollen supply, absorb moisture, and make application easier.

Intervals for Applying Pollen

When hand-pollinating by brushing pollen onto flowers:
• Best timing: Target mid-flower stage, typically 2–3 weeks after the flip to 12/12 in females. Look for stigmas (white hairs) that are fully formed and fresh, as this is when they are most receptive.
• Application intervals:
• Apply pollen once every 2–3 days for 1–2 weeks. This ensures proper coverage and accounts for any stigmas that emerge after your first application.
• Use a fine brush, like a small paintbrush, to gently apply pollen to the stigmas. Turn off fans during application to prevent unnecessary spread.

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Awesome, thanks for the info! Sounds like ill be on the lookout from here on out. This is my first attempt, im looking forward to what may come by crossing these two :crossed_fingers:

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Tagging along!!

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Im along for the ride too. Im about to jump.down this rabbit hole myself. Just have to get all my areas sterilized and sealed up.

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I’m in! About to do a seed run as soon as current ones finish.

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The more the merrier! If everything goes as planned, ill have my autopot systems hooked up this weekend and will do an update on my primary grow. I took some time off from growing due to moving so i jumped right back in the deep end with this run. Im hoping my replacement light from hlg will arrive this week so i can hook that up as well.

@ChittyChittyBangin what strains do you plan on crossing?

@Growdoc what strains do you have in mind for the seed run?

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@low pretty much summed it up Grow Bro and good luck on this venture. Crossing those 2 strains sounds like a fantastic Hybrid cross :love_you_gesture:

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My thoughts as well, im hoping to get the best of both worlds and find a keeper🤞

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Well… its def going to be a sunset sherbert cross. With what im still hunting… prob going to be a Nerds Genetics strain. I still have a month or so before i can start that adventure.

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I’m running Bubblegum Sherbet, White Truffle, Pancakes, Apple Fritter, OG Kush, Sweet Tartz, and Northern Lights, all to be pollinated with Blackberry Moonrocks.

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I have a chasing ballons going at the moment, excited to see how that turns out.

@Growdoc thats one hell of a lineup! Do you have a journal?

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I do, I’ll tag you in, welcome aboard!

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I think in my first pollination I waited too long. We did it on around day 20 of flower or around 5 weeks after flip.

Initially, the problem was in my reading and determining people’s standpoint on when flower starts. I consider transition separate from flower because it’s actually easier to gauge finish without too much investigating or wondering. A lot of the information i read came from sources that consider flower day of of flip. So when I was reading week 3 of flower, I was thinking week 3 of flower or week 5 from flip.

Anyway im pretty sure this had a negative impact on production for me.

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Im following along

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Chasing Balloons is no longer available so keep that in mind. I dunno if he will revive her at a later date.

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@ChittyChittyBangin i have more seeds but i might have to take a few cuts just in case this one outshines the others :thinking:

@Low im glad you clarified that on the transition period vs when actual flower starts. That always threw me off when id see people say at day 21 of flower they do a defoilation. I was left wondering is that 21 days from flip or 21 days from flower. So i just got my new apera tds20 and after too much smoke and way overthinking, my confusion level is right there with @TheAbu95 when it comes to these damn 500 vs 700 scales :rofl: the meter comes factory set at .71 which from what i read is the 700 scale. I switched it to .50 so its reading the 500 scale. Heres my question now, does this have any affect when it comes to calibration? Do i need to set it back to the 700 scale to accurately read the calibration solutions, do i want it to read them at the 500 scale since thats what ill be using, or does it have zero affect on calibration? I knew i shouldve waited till morning time with a clear head to mess with this thing :joy:

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Mannnnnn… best case @Low answers this before you make me lie to you :sweat_smile:. Whatever scale it reads after you do a factory reset is what im using. Someone explained the scales to be awhile back on my journal :thinking:. Either low or dbrn, either way, may be worth looking back a month or so on my current journal if you get desperate. Good luck growmie!

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If the calibration fluid is in EC it likely won’t matter if you are on 5 or 7. I’d probably switch to EC to see the calibration working. Might be a good idea to search @TheAbu95 journal :call_me_hand:t3:

Edit
As for the 21/42 defoliation guides people use for defoliation. It seems to me that would be from flip.

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So far of the 8 clones i took, only one of them has roots popping out of the root riot cubes. Could definitely tell just looking into the dome that one with the roots was growing, hoping the others catch up. Male plants are coming along, i should be getting pollen any day now. Weekend plans for setting up the auto pots got pushed back a little bit. Decided i needed to get my rear in gear and get the living room painted. Absolute worst chore for me. Id rather be shoveling snow or push mowing all day instead of painting. Guys at work claimed oh thats a pot heads job right there. Smoke a little and get to it. Boy have i never felt so lied to. Not too happy with the color and my painting skills leave a lot to be desired. Debating on finishing the color and dealing with it, or putting another coat of kills on it and switching colors. Never been one to shie away from manual labor, but i have never been so tempted to hire someone to do it.

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