I'm still starting seeds but got alot already started and growing under lights. I decided to invest in a germination mat and lights this year. Wondering what effect on overall growth, bloom etc this will have. Fun to experiment. I will probably modify for next year but for now, this will do. I have a few more I'd like to get but still have plenty in the frig that need to get started...
And then it will be veggie time.....
And who needs grass to mow?????

Hi. This is my first year starting seeds. I have neither a heat mat nor grow lights, I just started them in my sunroom. Out of 62 seeds planted I now have 53 up and at the 3 leaf stage. They seem to be doing very well. They are still in cups but when they get to the 4 leaf stage, I will move them up to a 3" pot. If these continue to do well for me I may buy seeds next year. What's the best place to buy seeds?
Whenever I tell DH I need a new flowerbed he moans about loosing his precious grass. Isn't it funny how they then complain about not having the grass to mow?

Ive cut back more than half this year, only about 150 or so... I had more than 500 last year. However, even 150 is alot considering you have to find room for them =)... They look small now but by the end of the first season most will be sturdy size fans or larger even here.

Last year I ran out of room, so I had about 40 crosses I traded away, most were not what I was looking to do. I already have a couple I think this year that I will do the same with.. heck I might just post them for postage here. I still have a couple hundred containers of wintersown stuff that I will have to plant along with rose order. I made a new bed last fall about 30 feet by 10 or so. I still have some leftover room, Im also creating a bog garden this year as well. Time to cut down some more trees =).

Eventually I will be out of room even with taking more trees down every year. I keep telling my wife I want a real field, with acres and acres of cleared land!

Silverkelt

Silverkelt: Be careful what you wish for....

Marric: Last year I did as you are doing. No heat mat or lights and just used our south facing patio doors to set up table with all the seedlings (my first year starting from seed). This year I wanted to see just how much quicker germination/growth would be with the additional help. I am curious why you are transplanting to 3" pots?

Julia

Right now there are 3 plants per cup. I don't know how fast the roots would grow. Guess I'm just to used to transplanting my other seedlings (annuals and perennials) to larger pots and thought the daylilies would do better in larger pots to. Marg

I have started approximately 150 to 160 daylily seedlings.
The new daylily bed,will have to be expanded this spring.
I usually start a few for my Mom and neighbor.
So many seeds and limited space.
Marric,once you transplant your seedlings,outdoors from the cups,those seedlings will grow to good size by the end of summer.

Thanks poppy_power. That saves me some work.

marric: I was curious because once I've started mine in cups or shoeboxes, I just leave them that way till spring when they go outdoors into the beds. I didn't know if I was doing something odd by leaving them that way and not moving them into another container.

Julia

I won't start my daylily seeds for another month or so..but I have a question about using heat mats. I've read (somewhere...Tinkers? I can't remember) that you shouldn't use heat mats for germinating daylilies. Does anyone know if that is true?

Hi Julia,

I start my seeds in January in shoeboxes. I put 30 seeds per box and leave them in place until May when the seedlings are planted out. I don't have any problem with crowding.

Edward
Nova Scotia

Hi Weeper,
I use a heat mat under my little containers of soaking seeds just to warm them up a bit. My house is fairly cool. I fill my cups of soil with germinated seeds and leave them on the heat mat until they are full and then they go to the basement where it is cooler. It does dry out the soil in the cups so I am not sure if you would want to leave cups or pots on there very long.
Debbie

Weeper: there are so many different ways people have used to germinate daylily seeds it can make your head spin.
I'm not sure why anyone would say NOT to use, but perhaps they said wrote they NEVER use one and still get the same results?

Edward: Any tricks to get them out of the shoebox? Last year was a bit of a struggle untangling the roots.

Julia

Forgot to attach this thread here on GW on what others have done with daylily seed starting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seed Starting

i've got somewhere around 1000. just about got everything planted. started in november and do a few a week so i don't get overwhelmed

Julia, I don't usually have trouble teasing them apart.

I can proudly say that I purchased NO seed this year. I do however have probably about 500 seeds of my own that I am going to start this weekend, so I guess that kind of counts as still going overboard. I bought a few last year (about 200... that's just a few right?) and had a smaller quantity of my own crosses to do, so ended up with about 400 seedlings. I was going to cut back this year, but I just couldn't bear to get rid of very many of my seeds...what if they are the "good" ones?

I agree that grass is very over-rated!

I just realized I posted this on the wrong thread! Ack...too much college (heheehe).

I have not really bought any THIS year (2010). But I bought a few last fall in addition to all my own seeds I harvestelast fall. I already have a HUGE pot ghetto, with no bed ready to plant. BUT... I don't think I can help myself! I have to start some of my seeds!!

**For sure planting:

Toothy Grin x Red Friday (bought)
Unvanquished x Lucid Moment
Ballerina Beautiful x Blue Hippo
Velvet Eyes x Blue Hippo
G.W. Painted Pony x Bluegrass Music
G.W. Painted Pony x Heaven's Declaring
(Seedling)Popping Pink Pizzaz x Blue Hippo
Unvanquished x Bluegrass Music
South Seas seedling x Magnificent Magpie (gift)
Inquire Within Seedling x English Lavender (bought)
Caribbean Twilight Time x G.W. Painted Pony
Vino Brillante x Lucid Moment
Pink Flirt x Emma Tomlinson McHugh
Popcorn Pete x Awesome Artist
Garden Greeting x Heaven's Declaring
Hi Ho Silver x Bluegrass Music
Crystal Sea x Topgun Kathy Arthur

**I guess I have to plant these, they are sprouting in the bag:

West Coast Blues x Clown's Cabaret
Velvet Eyes x Mildred Mitchell
How Sweet It Is x Create Your Dream
Neusa Gergmann x Barn Owl
Palladian Pink x Blue Hippo (these are super long rooted already!)
Seedling 002 x Heavens Declaring (has leaves sprouting in the bag!)
Spacecoast Surprise Purple x Clowns Cabaret
Create Your Dream x Heaven's Declaring
West Coast Blues x Blue Hippo

OH MAN! I am in trouble... where to put all of these??? And that is only perhaps 10% of what I have. Hmm... maybe time to sell seeds! :o) NO MORE BUYING!!