Cannabis plants reproduce by two means. The asexual mode of reproduction corresponds to layering, cutting, and grafting while sexual reproduction corresponds to seeds. Sexual reproduction is based on pollination. Conventional cannabis production eliminates all the male plants once they start exhibiting sexual characteristics so that the female plants do not pollinate and put all their energy into resin production without producing any seeds. These seedless cannabis plants are more potent than pollinated cannabis.
Steps In Cannabis Pollination
Here are the important steps in cannabis pollination.
Identification Of Male And Female Plants
Male plants produce pollen and the female plants receive this pollen to produce flowers. The gender of the plants can be identified between the 4th and 6th week of their growth. Identification requires the growers to pay a little attention to the stems of the newest leaves.
Selection Of The Best Plants
If you are pollinating cannabis plants for the first time, avoiding experiments is advisable. Do not attempt to create new strains or mixing any two because they are an expert’s job that will not suit the first-timer.
Obtaining The Pollen
The period between the male plant flowering and the first flower opening is about 2-3 weeks. When the male flowers are about to open, it is advisable to turn off the fans in your grow room so that pollen does not get lost. As they mature, the flowers open their sepals, exposing their stamens. You should start pollinating exactly at this point because waiting for another 3-4 days may lead to the pollen losing its fertility.
Cutting The Male Flowers
You can pollinate cannabis plants either by using the whole male plant to spread pollen on the cannabis flowers or by cutting parts of the male plant while they mature. Choose the most mature flowers and leave them in a glass bowl for 1-2 days to allow the pollen to dehydrate. You can also hang the flower upside down and dust the pollen into a container.
Conserving The Pollen
Achieving maximum dehydration is the key to conserving the pollen. If you have obtained a generous amount of pollen, you can store it in the freezer and use it for future pollinations.
Pollinate
Female cannabis plants become ready to be pollinated after they cross their early flowering stage. The ideal time for pollinating is when the female flowers have fully formed stigmas. It will take 25-35 days post-flowering for female plants to be ready for pollination.
Carrying out the best pollination strategies is crucial in obtaining the best strains.