We use the VegiBee to collect pollen for crosses or to vibrate flowers to improve self-pollination and fruit set. Pollen is collected onto the black spoon by pressing the vibrating tip of the VegiBee onto the anther cone or behind the petals, while holding the end of the anther cone close to the spoon. To make crosses, exposed stigmas on the female parent are rubbed gently onto pollen in the spoon. To multiply seed of the outcrossing or facultative wild species, bulk pollen is collected from all plants in a population, mixed by touching the VegiBee wand to the spoon, then applied to all open flowers. After use the wand and spoon can be sterilized with a 10% bleach solution.
To collect and store pollen for future use, pollen can be vibrated directly into gelatin capsules (size 0 works well) or microcentrifuge tubes. Tomato pollen stored over desiccant at -80C will retain viability for up to several years.
