When Should I Pollinate My Female Pot Plant?

Strawberry Fields filling out in Eric’s garden. (Photo by Brian Jahn)
Dear Dan,
My question is this: When breeding new strains, when is the best time to introduce the female to the male pollen, and when is the male pollen ready for pollination? I am currently looking at breeding a new strain I have in mind and would like to achieve optimal potential out of my pollen and seeds. — Smokey McPot

Dear Smokey,

For an expert answer to your question, I reached out to one of my favorite bud breeders Subcool of Team Green Avenger or TGA Genetics. Sub told me that female cannabis is best fertilized right around day 21 – 29 of flowering. He staggers the flowering times so that the female goes into the flowering a full week before his males are introduced.

Male pollen is best collected when flowering pods open, which tends to fall around the 3rd to 4th week of flowering. Of course, indicas mature faster than sativas, as males and females.

He went on to note: “Male plants take longer to produce pollen in winter, even if the indoor temps are the same. It’s like they can sense it’s winter outside and decide to take longer to release pollen. In summer, they seem to produce viable male stamens much faster and make pollen super fast. To combat this, we often use two males budded at different intervals.”

Hope that helps!

Total
14
Shares
3 comments
  1. I have a female plant I am crossing over to male for pollen but only spraying a few branches so I can use the rest of the plant as female to make seeds. I have been spraying these branches for almost 2 weeks to make them male. How and when do I pollinate the female branches with the pollen taken from the sprayed branches? Do I need to pollinate the female buds as soon as I put them in flower or what Lost and no one gives clear answers. HELP

    1. I’ve done this a while back but as soon as the branch that you sprayed starts to dumb pollen or show that it has yellow pods with pollen then you can use it on the rest of the plant sometimes you have to extract the pollen because it doesnt just release it like true male plants it took my seeds to mature around 5-6weeks so you got to get it pollinated asap Best thing to do is take a clone next time reverse that one like a week before the other one start flowering so that the pollen is ready when the pistils are mature 2-3 1/2 weeks so it gives enough time for the seed to mature the seeds will still mature past the due date of the plants finish time the longer you can keep the plants going I think is best even if you see them brown to make sure there ready and once you cut the plant down dont start popping all the seeds out, dry the plant with the seeds In them some might release from the calyx when they are ready as well hope this helps good luck bruh

  2. Is there a point when my 8 week feminized seedlings(12-15 week flower cycle) have been flowering to long for me to breed them together?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts
Dry Farming
Read More

Dry Farming in Humboldt

A small region along the Eel River in Humboldt County allows cultivators to grow cannabis without ever watering their plants.
Terpenes
Read More

Growing for Terpenes

Increasing terpene production can result in a more flavorful, enjoyable smoke.
Cultivation
Read More

Chadivation or Cultivation?

The cult of great cannabis and why legacy cultivators will always produce better weed than big business.
Mariposa
Read More

Predictive Plant Analysis

Developers at Texas A&M University and Mariposa Technology tackle THC levels and plant sexing.
Total
14
Share