highasakite

i've got 4 plants growing outside....I know i'm supposed to kill males, or else they pollinate the females, and the females don't produce good bud (is that right??)... anyway how do i get seeds? is the only way to get seeds to pollinate the female? and if so, will i get crap bud, or none? Please give me information on males/ females and seeds....
thanx
*HAAK*

Delta9

Keep the males seperate from the fems. Like far away. Usually 100m is ok, but pollen has been known to travel all the way across the Mediterranean. When the males bloom collect the pollen using a piece of glass placed under the flowers while you gently tap the branch, or by bagging each branch and giving it a tap, or leave the bag on for a while. Make long narrow bags from paper, or better parchment. You can place these bags directly over a fem branch or you can dilute the pollen collected 10:1 with flour and use a small paintbrush to pollinate the ladies. Don't do this on a breezy day, and be careful to avoid stray pollinations.
D9

Delta9

LB, since only 1 pollen grain per pistil is needed to produce a seed diluting the pollen will stretch it much further. If it isn't diluted many more grains will probably land on each pistil than needed. I suggest it for the brush method because you place the pollen more accurately than w/ a bag. You can dilute in a bag also but that method is wasteful by nature so ...
HAAK, I only suggest this if you only want 1 branch seeded with a known male. This way the whole plant isn't seeded, or you can cross 1 female with many different males, producing as many different crosses on 1 plant as branches on it. You will want to know the genetics of both plants to keep or improve seed/plant quality. Just crossing unknown parents results in unknown young. However, if you're interested in breeding you gotta start somewhere. I bought seed from a reputable source. You can start from scratch if you have to though.
Personally I believe unseeded bud is better, I'm sure some will disagree with me. You can make oil with males, however the work usually doesn't justify the return.
D9

[This message has been edited by Delta9 (edited May 26, 2000).]

lilbuddie

D9,

Just curious as to why you would dilute the pollen with flour when using the a paintbrush to apply it?

Most stuff I have read just suggests appling it directly to the bud with the brush.

LB

highasakite

why do i keep the males far away if im just gonna pollinate the plant yourself?!(with the males pollen) Is there a special reason for keeping them far away? why not just let the males pollen go on to the female? anyway, if the female is pollinated, it will produce seeds good for planting, right? but will it produce GOOD bud as well??? does pollination affect the quality of the bud? aslo, what can be done with the males? do i just use their pollen and kill 'em? or can they be used for anything???