How long for pollen once balls show?

Once a plant has shown male, roughly how long before it produces viable pollen? Never tried to collect it before.

I have a plant in a trash can with some CFLs. I stuck a couple of paper bowls under the branches to collect any pollen that might pop. But I really have no idea of the time frame.

You'll see them swell, it will be noticeable. Right after they swell, they'll start dropping pollen. Usually a couple weeks after they start to form.

it will have pollen balls come ripe for a few weeks.

Thanks guys.

Balls are starting to swell, and a couple of them have opened up, but I'm not seeing any pollen.

You should be able to just pluck them once they're swollen and then dry them out, right? Or do you need to let them pop on their own?

ReubenIsMyDog said:

Balls are starting to swell, and a couple of them have opened up, but I'm not seeing any pollen.

You should be able to just pluck them once they're swollen and then dry them out, right? Or do you need to let them pop on their own?

Click to expand...

They will open on their own. Inside you will see a bunch of nanners, the same nanners you hear people talking about in late flower. These are what actually hold the pollen..... Instead of me typing a long post, just google how to collect pollen. There's a number methods, pick the one that easiest for you.

I did google it a couple of different ways... a lot of the systems suggested some method of catching the pollen when it pops on its own (lay the plant on its side, cut off a chunk and put it in water with some tinfoil to catch it, etc.). One article I read said you could pick them once the plump, let them dry and extract it that way, which seems way easier than trying to catch it:

"As soon as you see the pollen sacs cracking on the marijuana plant as if they are going to open, you are ready to harvest the pollen. One way that you can tell if your pollen is ready to be harvest is to carefully and gently remove the pollen sacs and allow a week for them to dry. After they are dried, you would then place them all in a re-sealable bag. To know for sure that they are ready, just shake up the re-sealable bag with the pollen and it should spill out easily. It is possible that you might have to cut some of the pollen open."
(https://cannabistraininguniversity.com/cannabis-pollination-collecting-storing-pollen/).

Was mostly just hoping for conformation.

Ya to be honest it's not my favorite chores . Out of what you just posted, I would go with the cup method. If they're really swollen cut a few branches and put them in a cup. Under that cup place a large sheet of paper, or multiple pieces to make a large footprint to catch the pollen. You can rig some foil around the cup so it doesn't fall in the cup. Paintbrushes and makeup brushes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they work great to recover the pollen.

Thank you.