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Covering seed heads

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Jack in NB

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Can the covering bags be safely re-used a second year without risking cross-pollination from last year's pollen?

I've been making up fresh bags each year because they deteriorated. But this year's fabrication process has been remarkably sturdy, and quite satisfactory for next year - unless the pollen from this year's seed heads remains viable next season.
 

deluxestogie

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You can re-use this year's bags on the same varieties next year, but not on different varieties. Another consideration is that if you store all the bags together, they are likely to cross-contaminate with pollen.

My Agribon-AG15 bags are sturdy enough to last for several years, and have a name label sewn into each, but I decided to toss them after each year, specifically because of cross-contamination considerations. I suppose I could store each one in its own Zip Lock, but the materials cost is fairly low. The only motivation would be to save the stitching labor.

Bob
 

Steve2md

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I agree with John. Why not just wash them. Add a little bleach to the water and there shouldn't be any probs with cross contamination.
 

SmokesAhoy

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yeah bleach will kill it, it breaks apart the nucleus or something else scientific :)

bags are a couple dollars at the hardware store, but if you can reuse it's an extra couple dollars in your pocket
 

Steve2md

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A couple bucks here, a couple bucks there, and pretty soon, you have enough for an order of whole leaf, or a chavetta, or some other fun gadget....
 

FmGrowit

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I'm using USPS tyvek priority mail envelopes this year. Turn them inside out and there's no printing... you just have to seal them on the inside and they're free.
 

deluxestogie

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What impact does bleach have on the spun polymer fabric of Agribon-AG15? Perhaps none. Maybe I'll look into that.

Does anyone know if it actually kills pollen grains?

Bob
 

Steve2md

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According to a quick Google search on the subject, all the "other" plant growing sites suggest that pollen will not stay viable very long without extremely controlled circumstances, and most suggest just using water to kill it off. bleach or Hydrogen Peroxide should be the right amount of overkill IMO. Those guys are paranoid about pollen from their grows, since pollen contamination will cause seeds in their final "product" and their plants are preferred to be cloned, rather than planted from seed.....
 

Jitterbugdude

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UV and heat also kills pollen. Do we have to worry about physically removing it? I thought part of the pollination process was that it worked via a lock and key senario.
 
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