What Does Cannabis Pollen Mean?
In flowering plants including cannabis, pollen is the dusty, powdery, usually yellowish, material produced by either male-only plants, or on the male flowers of hermaphroditic, seed-producing plants.
The pollen must find its way to the female flower in order to fertilize the female plant. Through this process, the female plants can produce viable seed so that the plant cycle of life can continue.
Pollen is transferred during pollination, which can be done artificially for indoor grown crops such as cannabis, but happens naturally on outdoor-grown crops.
Artificial pollination is especially necessary for indoor growers who don’t have the benefits of wind, rain, and insects to help spread the pollen.
Maximum Yield Explains Cannabis Pollen
Many cannabis growers pollinate their own plants rather than leaving it to fate. When male flowers develop their pollen sacs, they need to be monitored. When it appears that they are about to open, they should be collected and bagged. They can then be squeezed and/or shaken to get the pollen out of the sac. The pollen should be used immediately upon collection, but if it is kept in a cool, dry, airtight container, it can last for a couple of months.
Some growers add flour to absorb any excess moisture and to stretch the pollen further. The pollen to flour ration is anywhere between 1:2 and 1:10, with most growers using a 1:4 or 1:5 ratio.
Somewhere between days 14 and 21 of the female cannabis flowering, pollen should be introduced at the bud. This is found where the leaf meets the stem and there should be small, white hairs visible to collect and hold the pollen.
The pollen can be dabbed, brushed, or blown onto the buds, depending on the delivery mechanism of choice. Pollen is easily transported and this process should only be done in a sealed room.
