Dear All, Thank you for all the information on microwaving pollen. There may be another possibility to overcome self incampatibiliy, I have not tried it but read about it in the Journal of the German Echinopsis Hybrid Society: Mix the desired fresh pollen with ordinary cement powder. Apparentliy the cement stimulates the stigma to accept pollen which it normally would not. Don't ask me how it works..... changes in pH? As I said, I have not tried it myself but the article said it did work. By for today Uli