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lovelyiris

Who Else Is starting their daylily seeds?

lovelyiris
15 years ago

The past two days I've been up to my neck in daylily seeds and planting them. I've bought a bunch off the L.A. and figured now was a good time to get them started.

Most have been in the fridge for a few weeks up to 2 months. I have also soaked them in wet paper towels before planting them. They are now on a seedling heating mat with bright lights on top of them.

I don't have the crosses handy or I'd tell you what's in the potting soil and hopefully growing in a few days. I'm crossing my fingers that I get some really good plants out of them.

Anyone else starting any seeds at this time?

Happy Gardening, Marian

Comments (51)

  • kawaii_fruit
    15 years ago

    I have some Blackberry Lily seeds (I think it's a daylily?) that I would like to get started, but I'm not sure what to do with them. It might be a little late here in South Texas too. Any tips for a newbie?

    I would love to have a big patch of daylilies (my favorite flowers) someday--just a random, wild patch of different colors and crosses. It'll take me a bit of time to get there, since I'm saving up my pennies :) to place an order for next year (I figure it'll be more cost efficient to order more at one time than several smaller orders because of the shipping costs).

  • okbt
    15 years ago

    Not a daylily,but pretty. Copy and paste the link below for a lot of pics of it,and click the other link for info about it.

    http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/6305/

    Here is a link that might be useful: Blackberry Lily

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  • kawaii_fruit
    15 years ago

    ::blush:: Yeah, I saw that it's really an iris instead of a lily. It's orange, which is my favorite color, so I'll forgive it :)
    Now I'm on the hunt for some actual daylily seeds. I've been resisting the LA just because I know it'll mean trouble for my bank account. Can't start a daylily patch without daylilies, right? :)

  • opnjmprs
    15 years ago

    I got a lot of my seeds started right before Thanksgiving. I've also switched my seed starting method from soaking seeds in peroxide water solution to the "on the rocks method". I seem to be getting a quicker and better germination rate starting the seeds in the wet aquarium gravel, and it's taking a lot less time to check things every day. Below are a couple pics of both my seedlings (top grow light tray nearly filled), and seeds started on the rocks.

    Linda
    {{gwi:655493}}

    {{gwi:655497}}

  • uroboros5
    15 years ago

    I stopped counting seedlings a while back but I must have well over 800.

    You can check out what I got by following the link below.

    I will be posting photos of the progeny, expected to start blooming in 2011. OMG can I wait that long???

    Here is a link that might be useful: My Daylily Seedlings

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    ???? OMG uroboros are the plants on Chantal's website your daylilies? I can only imagine the beauty your seedlings will behold. I need someone like you to take me under your wings to learn how to make crosses like your working on and so forth.

    Now with that stated how would one go about finding someone willing to teach them the necessary steps and process of making wonderful crosses. There is no one close by to teach me ANYTHING here. I have to do everything the hard way and by hit and miss. I have not made any of my own crosses but mother nature has provided me with some seeds and I always plant them.

    I drooled all over my computer while looking at your crosses and all. I'm so jealous, now I've got to get busy and more organized this summer and make a few crosses myself. LOL Last summer was my first year and I must confess on more than one occassion I tried to cross tet's with dip's because I didn't have the knowledge that wouldn't work, that your suppose to do tet's to tet's and dip's to dip's. As a matter of fact I didn't even know the difference.....lol soooooo much to learn and at my age it's difficult to remember everything/anything.

    Linda, I love the picture with your little bowels setting all over the windowsill. At first glance I thought those were all shoe boxes and I was like Oh My, that woman has a million seeds in the window. Then I realized it was the bowels. LOL

    I have 10 shoeboxes but only a couple of them are planted. I did like someone suggested and planted 8 rows of 10 for a total of 80 seedlings per shoebox. Looks to me like they will have to be transplanted into something else at about a month old or maybe even less. That is unless you don't mind the roots getting all tangled up.

    I also have several of the Jiffy setups that hold 72 individual little pots/seedlings with the clear dome to go over them until they germinate.

    This year will be my first year to see some of my own seedlings I've started bloom. I'm VERY excited about what I may come up with.

    Please Ya'll keep posting photos, links, and your knowledge.

    Happy Gardening, Marian

  • berrytea4me
    15 years ago

    I'm starting mine now too. Yippee! I have been waiting for ever it seems like.

    I had some that germinated while soaking in the fridge so they got planted as soon as they germinated. Some were in November, and some in Dec.

    I have around 800 seeds I think between what I hybridized and what I bought. Add to that about 600 bearded iris seeds that I'm also starting. Plus Siberian iris and eventually I'll get to the Dutch iris & Asiatic lilies. It was a busy summer.

    I'm taking it slow, just a few bags out of the fridge at a time so that I can keep up with poking holes in the cups and getting the starter mix in them. I mix moisture crystals in mine due to such a dry climate here that I loose a lot of plants grown indoors unless I add these. Plus I'm using boiling water to wet the starting mix first time as I want to kill gnat eggs. So far so good. None of those nasty little buggers in sight.

    All of this takes more time though and I have a very limited window of time each night to plant anything that germinated that day.

    If you want to learn more about hybridizing you should consider joining the AHS and the AHS e:mail robin (e:mail list group). Lots of hybridizers chat on the robin and answer questions/give opinions. Do a search on AHS and robin here. Someone posted an introduction to it on the forum not too long ago.

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Berrytea4me I'm just like you with the limited time to plant seeds each night. I think I'm going to winter sow some of my other seeds I want to grow. But I will not wintersow my daylily seeds. When you buy them off the Lily Auction you don't want to take a chance on them. You want to watch them like a hawk and keep records on them.

    I've never tried to grow iris from seeds and yet I have over 500 named tall bearded irises in my back iries bed. Most of mine I bought from Cooley's in Oregon. Maybe we should do a couple of trades this summer. LOL

    I too use boiling water over my starting mix. I hate those nasty little gnats. I have some of the water crystals but I don't use them in my daylily mix as I was told to keep them on the dry side just slightly damp or they would root rot. ???? Who knows everyone has their own ideals and know what works best for them. Personally I like growing them all in those jiffy pots that have 72 per flat and then just transplanting them into something else a little later on. That way I can keep them compact, the dome over them and on the seedling heat mat. I took what I considered my daylily seedling station down in April. It looks like it's about time to set it back up.

    What I did was buy one of those plastic shelfs that have 5 shelfs. Then I drilled holes into each one and hung two grow lights on it. Since these things are made out of plastic I had my husband cut off the legs of each one so the lights would be closer to the seeds. Then I have several of the seedling heat mats under some of the trays. Each one will heat 144 seedlings, Then since I have this setup in a little recessed area I hang one of those things that you put up in your car window to reflect the heat off your car that is made out of what looks like foil paper and it bounces more light back onto the daylily seedlings and none of the light it wasted.

    The only problem I have with the above setup is that you have to mark the holes for your lights just right. So we marked them from the top and drilled the holes from the top so they would be EXACT. Then if your not careful when turning them off and on the can slip off the screws.

    I guess I should stop talking about it and get up and assemble it again so I can get the use out of the entire things. Oh yea, the good thing about this shelf thing is that if you don't have that many seedlings you can have just one or two shelves and add the others as needed. It's also easy to assemble and take apart and put away. Since I have it on a table with a drop leaf I store it all under the table and then put a table cloth over it to hide it when not in use.

    It works for me!

    Happy Gardening, Marian

  • sue_in_nova_scotia
    15 years ago

    Just a comment on wintersowing...I bought about 30 seeds from lily auction 2 years ago and did half of them inside and 1/2 wintersow...my inside had about 80%...the wintersow 0.. You certainly may have different results but If I were you I'd only do duplicates.

  • Julia WV (6b)
    15 years ago

    Not yet. Waiting till early-mid February to start them indoors. Been researching the different methods, asking questions and pulling all the equipment/soil mix, etc together so I'll be ready to start.
    Here are some of the crosses I have so hopefully I can see some results in 2010 (or sooner) as to what the blooms will look like.
    Blue Vodoo X Edge Of Heaven
    JT David X Ed Brown
    Wedding Band X Unknown
    Old King Cole X Ed Brown
    Joan Senior X Prague Spring
    Joan Senior X Indy Star Dust
    Beam Me Up X Victorian Lace
    and lots more.....

    Julia
    10 weeks till the official start of spring.

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hi Sue,
    I'm not doing any daylily seeds by winter sowing them. I just am not willing to risk them like that. I like to watch them too closely and make notes of what they do.

    Julia, It looks as though you should have some very nice seedlings once you do get them going. Half of the fun is not knowing EXACTLY what your going to come up with. Anyway that's how I feel about growing seedlings.

    Happy Gardening, everyone and please keep posting what your starting and working with.
    Marian

  • dragonknoll
    15 years ago

    When, Where, and what time of year is this lily auction you folks have been talking about??? I love both daylilies and Iris's. My sister-in-law gave me a big clump of the blackberry lily but it had already gone to seed so I don't know which variety I have yet. Is there anything special a person needs to do to the lily seeds to get them to germinate. I've always bought just the plant.

  • lefox
    15 years ago

    great posts thanks --

    I had started seed last year---under light-I put some in 3 inch pots--some in 5 inch pot--they are in the green house now---all were of crosses I bought on the auction. Others given to me by a charming lady at my first DL club meeting , Anita.

    Daylily People are Wonderful!!

    This year I'm going to sew them out side in raised baby beds--many are of crosses I made with Bass Gibbson-Ruckus- on some older Redcamp and Carr, such as WONDER OF IT ALL--and some other real beauties.

    And LARGE DIPS too-- WOW I love DIPS!!

    I feel out side will be better for me. I can watch them grow without having the transplanting setback--

    We will start here about april.

    colette

  • can_mj
    15 years ago

    To dragonknoll - Here's the link but I will not be held responsible for how much money you'll spend. Trust me, it can become an addiction rather quickly.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Lily Auction - seed sales

  • fairysoapgirl
    15 years ago

    I have not started seed here yet... thinking about it though... gotta get all the Christmas stuff back in the attic!! :o)

    I am excited about some (ok, all) of my crosses, here are some I am MOST excited to plant:

    Tets:
    Unvanquished x Musical Medley
    Unvanquished x Hi Ho Silver
    Spacecoast Surprise Purple x Half Moon Key
    Half Moon Key x Clown's Cabaret
    Hurricane Swirls x Across The Universe
    Hurricane Swirls x Wild Irish
    Reach For The Sun x Leslie Renee
    Fortune's Dearest x Dance Bojangles Dance
    Scarlet Lace x Dance Bojangles Dance
    Velvet Eyes x West Coast Blues
    Shores of Time x Clown's Cabaret
    Awesome Artist x Vertical Horizon
    Look Into My Eyes x Jerry Hyatt
    Blue Jean Baby x Asian Fairy Bluebird
    Pancho Villa x Hi Ho Silver
    Musical Medley x Mildred Mitchell
    Set Me Free x Green Revolution

    Dips:

    Pink Rocks x Party Pinafore
    Neusa Gergemann x Star Child
    Navy Blues x Star Child
    Little Blue Bell x Star Child
    Navy Blues x Yankee Doodle Blues
    Caribbean Twilight Time x Barn Owl

  • silverkelt
    15 years ago

    FairySoap Girl..

    You have some wonderful crosses to start!

    I bidded on every dance bo jangles dance cross I saw, and lost each one, but I set myself a limit on each auction. Plus a total I can spend in one month, If I didnt I would be soooo far in debt, everytime I log on to LA, Im like!!! I NEED THIS CROSS!

    Keep us updated!

  • Edward_Kimball
    15 years ago

    I started my seeds today. I only have one cross this year: Fairest of Them X JT Davis. I think it should be a good one for a ruffled pink with a gold/yellow edge.

    Edward

  • lefox
    15 years ago

    greetings to all--WOW--what wonderful crosses all of you have made!!!

    FairtsoapG---awsome---OH I love your Dip crosses!!!PLEASE keep us posted.
    Jt Davis --what a GREAT parent Ed --have you used it before??

    Dance BO jangle?? who the breeder??

    Good luck to all--co

  • Edward_Kimball
    15 years ago

    I haven't used it before but I have seen many seedling pictures online. It bloomed for the first time here in 2008 and I spread the pollen around enthusiasticly. I only kept the one cross because I only have room for about 20 new seedlings this year.

    Dance Bojangles Dance is from Buntyn 2007.

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:655487}}

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Fairysoapgirl, get that Christmas stuff up in the attic so you can plant those daylily seeds.

    Ed, I love that Dance Bojangles Dance, I just wish I has on or two of them.

    Dragogknoll I hope you haven't spent your life's savings ordering off the Lilly Auction. WE love it but we have to use lots of self control before we order. LOL I always figure out where I can make cuts to afford a few new daylilies.

    Happy Gardening, everyone and keep us posted on how everyone's daylilies are doing.

    Marian

  • dragonknoll
    15 years ago

    Thanks for the link can_mj and I will try to not spend to much lovelyiris. If only I was rich. I have a lot of daylilies that were given to me a couple years ago and some of them are gorgeous. Unfortunately none had names and the guy I got them from had no idea. He was going to throw them away. His loss my gain.

  • dragonknoll
    15 years ago

    Thanks for the link can_mj and I will try to not spend to much lovelyiris. If only I was rich. I have a lot of daylilies that were given to me a couple years ago and some of them are gorgeous. Unfortunately none had names and the guy I got them from had no idea. He was going to throw them away. His loss my gain.

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Dragonknoll I don't care so much about the names of the daylilies. But if you want to trade or exchange plants with others they almost always want the name. Therefore nearly every daylily in my beds have one of those little cemetery markers on them. At night time it looks so strange to see all those markers in neat little rows one after another.

    I not only grow daylilies but as you can tell from my gardening name I love irises and have a ton of them. Of course each of them have those little signs/markers in front of them too. LOL

    They come in handy to remember where each plant is planted, date it was planted, and to know for sure which plant came from where and so forth.

    Good luck and keep a tight hold on your pocket book when your visiting the L.A. or things can get out of hand real quick. Just ask any of us addicts. LOL

    I just sent off 5 checks for seeds yesterday. For some reason I can't look without buying something. The Auction makes it too easy on us.

    Oh and your NOID daylilies will be just as beautiful as our named ones. The only ugly daylily I ever saw is right here in my own yard and the more I look at it the more I like it because it is so unusual.

    Happy Gardening and Best of Luck with your daylilies.

    Marian

  • rosepedal
    15 years ago

    Hi Everyone I just love all your posts. I really am drooling right now. I totally agree Marian any daylily name or no name they are great flowers. I started mine this week too. I have one up it is funny all by itself. I love the daylily auction too rich for my poor blood. LOL

    Here are some I have started.
    Cimarron knight x Highland lord
    Drumgs along the mohawk x webster pink wonder
    Fooled me x light of the world
    Drop cloth x websters pink wonder
    Dragon king z unknown retet
    Custards candy x idas majic
    Siloam french doll x little grapette

    It will also be a while before I see blooms. I am hoping maybe with a little luck to get a bloom this year from ones I started last year but I doubt it...I can always hope... : )

  • lilynut
    15 years ago

    This is how we put our seedlings up inside. Yes we could have more seedlings in the same space using the storage box method, but for now this way has made the best percentage of first year bloom in the Pittsburgh area. They also go in the ground quickly using a bulb planter; plopping them in without disturbing the roots.

    We start soaking seeds (using the "On The Rocks Method") the 3rd week of November planning to start planting in 5-6 days. Keeping to 20 crosses soaked every 4-5 days gives us enough germination to keep us really busy in the evening for 2 weeks, then slowiing down until no more germinate.

    Here's a photo of the oldest with a few late sown seeds just starting. This setup gives us 700+ seedlings that will start blooming starting usually the end of August with a good flush mid Sept. We've had around 50-60% first year bloom in the 3 years we've went to the 16oz cups combined with the early planting.

    {{gwi:655501}}

    Good to see others trying the indoor seedling growing through the winter. Costs alot less than heating a greenhouse for the seedlings in our area.

    Cheers,
    Bruce and Tanya

    Here is a link that might be useful: Our website

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Hi Bruce and Tanya, I think I got the ideal of growing my daylily seeds inside from ya'll last year. LOL

    Anyway it appears that you plant one seed in each coffee cup. Is that correct? I would also like to experiment with different soil conditions. I don't recall what you told me before ya'll rooted your seeds in. Can you refresh my memory?

    The only problem I had with the shoe boxes is that I left the plastic wrap over the top too long on one of them and I lost nearly the entire box. I had them on a heat mat, and then the heat from the lights all together cooked them in one day. The sad part is that nearly every seed came up and where fine when I left to go to work and when I got home they were fried. Poor little babies didn't stand a chance. Now as soon as I see that they are coming up good, off comes the saran wrap.

    So far the other boxes are doing GREAT. I love the ideal of just plopping your seedlings in the ground with a bulb planter.

    Now just one more question for now. How do you keep all the weeds and grass out of the daylily beds while waiting for them to fill in.

    I find I have too much weeding to do and never enough time to get it all done. That's what happens when you plant more flowers than you can keep up with. LOL

    I still have about 5 or 6 hundred more seeds to plant. As you can see some of them are going to get a late start.

    Keep the wonderful information flowing here. I can't wait to see what everyone is working on.

    Happy Gardening Marian

  • Edward_Kimball
    15 years ago

    Three seeds sprouted today. I have been watching the shoebox like a hawk and something finally happened.

  • berrytea4me
    15 years ago

    Congratulations Edward! Isn't it exciting to see those little green leaves pop up?

    My seedling shelves are beginning to fill up, gradually. I am so excited this year to see seedlings that are from my own hybridizing rather than only purchased seed. I must peak at them 10 times a day.

    Kinda strange, I notice that my own crosses take longer to germinate. Wonder if its something to do with the climate or with the cultivars I'm working with, or something I've done differently than seed sellers?

    Boiling water, mosquito bits, and mosquito dunk in the water seem to have done the trick regarding gnats. Notta one of them little buggers in sight this year.

    I still germinate mine in bags in the closet and only plant after germination because I want to see every little stage.

    This year the daylilies are sharing shelves with Siberian and bearded iris- another hybridizing first for me. My first little Sib. baby popped up yesterday. It is so interesting to see the difference in how different kinds of seeds germinate.

  • Edward_Kimball
    15 years ago

    I thought I already posted this message but I guess it didn't take. I have also found that germination is slower with seeds from my own crosses than with Lily Auction seeds. I guess the sellers know something that we don't. Bought seeds tend to start sprouting in 7 days and mine took 11 days. For gnats I have just put up sticky paper to catch them and it is working fine so far. I spray the surface of the soil with a dilute solution of 10-10-10 and No Damp.

    Edward

  • can_mj
    15 years ago

    Just a theory - purchased seeds get some time at room temp during travel before we receive them and put them back in the fridge. Perhaps it is enough to get the germination process started then gets put on hold when we re-refrigerate them and then they pick right back up where they left off.

    It would be interesting to see if you took your own seeds out of the fridge for 4-5 days at room temp (to equal ship times) and re-refrigerated them, would they germinate at the same rate as your purchased seed.

    I have a fairly high incidence of receiving sprouted seeds because the ship times from the US to Canada can be 10-14 days. It's too late to put them on hold in the fridge. :)

    Marianne

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Well I'm glad everyone is having so much fun with their seedlings. I have a bunch of shoe boxes full of babies that are about 4 inches tall. They just started coming up about a week ago.

    Ed, I'm glad you finally have a few of yours starting to come up. I know if your anything like me I go and look at them 7 or 8 times a day. LOL Just want to make sure I'm not seeing things I guess.

    Marianne, I'm just like you alot of times I get seeds and they to have already started to sprout. Actually I'm thrilled to death when I get them like that. I feel like mother nature is taking care and helping me out some.

    I float my seeds for several days and if they don't show me signs of life emerging, then back in the fridge for a few more days.

    I've got to run right now but I'll share something else with ya'll in a little while.

    Happy Gardening, and take good care of all them babies.
    Marian

  • judslils
    15 years ago

    Have started mine also. Had to laugh at my 19 year old son who came home from college and saw my "new" set up with all the daylily babies coming up and said "I see you have a new aquarium". LOL No, he isn't studying horticulture thank god :)

  • berrytea4me
    15 years ago

    Well at least I'm not alone in my own crosses taking longer to germinate. That's comforting. As a newbie I always tend to think I've done something wrong.

    Interesting theory, Marianne. will have to give it a try with dry seeds. I have a few that I didn't soak in peroxide solution yet.

  • opnjmprs
    15 years ago

    I've been running into germination jet lag myself. Not just seeds from my own crosses, but also with seeds I've bought on the LA. Compared to other years this one has been unusual. I've had some seeds in the past that were from dormant parents which took there good old time to sprout. But no explaination as to what's going on this year.

    Linda

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Last year I had a couple of flats of seedlings that did not come up as usual. I figured that I just got some bad seed. Anyway I took the entire flat outside and left it in a place where I reuse things. A couple of months later with no more help are care from me I noticed that most of the seeds where up and doing just fine.
    I'm just thankful I didn't dump them like everything else around here that doesn't come up. LOL

    I just think some seeds for one reason are another are stubborn and come up when they get good and ready.

    Don't dump or throw anything away until you have given them ample time to do their thing. Set them aside somewhere and look at them every week or so. You might get a nice surprise like I did.

    Happy Gardening, Marian

  • keystonecrossroads
    15 years ago

    I'll be waiting until March 1 or so to start mine. I have some Annettes Magic/Lemon Fringed Pastel/Wide Awake/Forestlake Ragamuffin crosses that I am excited about.

    I always had a problem getting my seedlings enough light after they germinated, but I have the greenhouse to put them into now. I hope I can keep it warm enough.....

  • timberohio
    15 years ago

    Judslils that is funny. I have a 20 gal aquarium setup with a saltwater aquarium light on top. I only have about 20 seeds started.

    When my 22 yr old son came for a visit he asked if it was a good idea to have the aquarium right next to the window where anyone driving by could see it. I asked him why would having it in the window be a problem. He says aren't you worried about someone calling the cops. I had to laugh and explain to him I was growing daylilies not wacky weed. :)

  • lilynut
    15 years ago

    keystonecrossroads,

    Green houses are nice and we hope to have some funds to finish ours, but you will need to suppliment what little daylight we get up north. The plants will survive, but not show much growth. Atleast it seems this way for us.

    You'll need to go visit an Indoor growers supply and pick up a couple high powered lamps to burn for a few hours each day.

    IMHO if your going to spend the time and money you may was well do it right and be able to see that first year bloom in this area.

    All Best

  • berrytea4me
    15 years ago

    I had some seeds that I tried to germinate last year, finally gave up, and forgot them in the peroxide solution in the fridge. I found some of those germinated in the fridge when I got started this fall. One took 11 months to germinate the other took 8 months.

    Some of the seeds in those same bags rotted later but hey, what if I'd thrown them out last year? I've got some nice healthy seedlings growing that I would have missed out on.

    I'm finding I have more rotting seeds this year than last. They are in both my own seeds as well as purchased crosses. Not sure what's up with that.

    The only difference from last year is that this year I added the peroxide solution to the bags in the fridge 6 wks before starting germination because I was told that dry refrigeration won't break dormancy on dormant seeds, they need 6 wks of moist-cold.

    I also have a LOT of stragglers that are taking their good ole time at germinating. Some have been in the closet since Jan 3.

    Most days now I get just 3-6 seeds germinated to plant. Seems like there is a bunch that germinate w/in 3 days after they go into the closet, a bunch at the 10 day mark and the rest of the time its onesie-twosie each day.

  • tweetypye
    15 years ago

    Congrats to all you folks with the seed starting methods. All I can say is you've got more time and patience than I do. :) Most years, I just plant my seed as I harvest them or either wait till the following spring and plant them.(all outdoors) I don't do indoor seed starting. I get great germination rates without all the hassle. Another reason for my method is that I really don't have the space to do any indoor seed planting either.
    Last season, I didn't do any crosses because I had so many seedlings from the previous few years plus I was having some health issues and wasn't feeling up to doing as much as normal then either. But, I did have several seed pods which Mother Nature supplied me with and when these got ready to harvest, I just dug a shallow trench in the bed just in front of the "Mother" plant and planted them right out of the pod. I think every seed I planted this way germinated. That was the first time I'd attempted this method. Those seedlings will get transplanted to the seedling beds this spring. I guess, if you think about it, this is the way Ma Nature would plant them (except for digging the planting trench)!! :)
    Anyway, it's fun reading about all the methods ya'll use to germinate your seed and your storage methods too.
    Jan

  • lilynut
    15 years ago

    Well Jan if we just lived in zone 8 like you! No doubt living in that zone we'd be planting outside also, but alas that's not in our cards for the time being.

    Bruce and Tanya

  • tweetypye
    15 years ago

    LOL...point taken Bruce and Tanya. :) I guess living down south does have it's advantages sometimes. All I can say is thank goodness I do.
    Oh, and let me tell you, I've got blooms on some of my daffs today....yahoooo....springs a coming!!!! LOL
    Jan

  • can_mj
    15 years ago

    Daffodils! I am so jealous - I have zone envy. I'm 3+ months away from seeing mine. It was a balmy -35.6°C here this morning (-32F). No signs of spring anytime soon... :(

    Marianne

  • Edward_Kimball
    15 years ago

    I am up to 10 sprouts so I am happy. More will come but 10 is the minimum I like to get a look at the potential of a cross. There were 20-25 seeds from this cross.

    I have started thinking about next year's crosses and I really need a MUCH bigger lot. I am hoping that one of my seedlings will prove to be a good enough plant to use as a parent and I also have new daylilies that could be fantastic parents. Ones that have my heart a flutter are Mary's Baby, Gentleman's Lady, Enduring Freedom, Joan Derifield, Belle of Ashwood and Tower of Babel.

    Edward

  • berrytea4me
    15 years ago

    Brrrr Mariane. I was just about to whine about having a high of 10 above zero today but then I read your post. 10 degrees would be a heat wave for you!

    We were in the 60s for several days last week and now this cold. I sure hope the daylilies didn't foolishly start to wake up.

    ""I have started thinking about next year's crosses and I really need a MUCH bigger lot.""
    LOL, Edward. I am so there with you!! I'm about to ask the town's community garden if I can use a plot for seedlings w/o fearing they'll till it under in the fall.

    Likewise, I'm jealous to think of Jan's daff's blooming. Long time to wait here too. Not a sign of green around here except the Blue Spruce trees.

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    LOL I live in zone 8 and I still start them babies in the house. I may try my hand at doing a few seeds as Jan did this past year. That's how I do my pro.'s, just snap them babies off and plant them next to their mama's. I figure this will make the clumps bigger a lot faster.

    Jan, my daffs are up and blooming too. I have several beds that are full of paperwhites and the smell will knock you out it's so strong.

    Ed, I'm so glad you have some more of your seedlings coming up. If you need more space I'll grow some seedlings for you here....if you supply the seeds are small plants. I'll keep photos and records and anything else you would need are want. But I would want one start of each seedling for my own use in my flowerbeds. LOL

    Well I've got too many irons in the fire right now, I've got to go plant a few more crosses I just got off the L.A.

    I wish someone would breaker the curser on my computer so I couldn't get on there. Each day I say "I'm not going to buy any more seeds" Each day, I lie to myself and go ahead and click on SOMETHING ON THERE.....lol

    Berrytea4 me, I sure would like to have a couple of Blue Spruce seedlings to try to grow here. Even if it is too hot, I'd like to try. Do they come up wild there like our pine trees do here in the Piney Woods of East Texas?

    WE need some new pictures of everyone's seedlings. I don't know how to put them on here or I would. Please don't anyone offer to teach me how. I've tried before and I'm HOPELESS.

    Happy Gardening and lots of beautiful daylily babies this summer.

  • dragonknoll
    15 years ago

    Reading everyones coments brings joy to me, since mother nature threw the curve ball of ice and snow at Kentucky. I had to wait a week to get to work so I could access a computer. They say it may still be two more weeks till we get electricity back on. Planning on building a greenhouse this year so a backup generator for it and my house are in the plans as well. Keep the comments coming.

  • lovelyiris
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Oh my Dragonknoll I hope that the electricity is back up and running soon. Although I live in Texas I know 1st hand how it is to go without exectricity for a week. It's just awful and everyone gets out of hack with everything and everybody. Kids, spouses, dogs and so forth need baths, clean clothes, hot coffee, and so forth. Thank goodness we did have a small generator and could heat one pot of water at a time to rinse off with, make coffee, or heat something to eat. We were also able to run a small radio, a couple of lights and I don't recall what else. Seems like we did watch t.v. some too. But it got to be to much like work keeping the generator full of gas, and the sound was not fun to deal with either. LOL

    Don't we as humans take too many things for granted. Like for instance when you try to turn the water on, the light on, the tv, washers and dryers, toaster, cars, oh and so many other little things that we have to use at the touch of a button....COMPUTERS..... we just take it all for granted until we have to live without all of it for a few days or a couple of weeks.

    Hang in there and I'll say a little prayer for you! I'm glad you've had some time to read up on all our gardening projects. Now I'm off to plant some more seeds.

    Best Regards,
    Marian

  • dragonknoll
    15 years ago

    Lovelyiris we do take a lot for granted until it is not there anymore. We have two kerosene heaters going and we cook on one, one item at a time, but it is a job keeping them full of kerosene. Makes you wonder what they did years ago when this was regular life. lol! We will keep the perverbial chin up and keep hoping that tomorrow brings the electricity back on.

  • fairysoapgirl
    15 years ago

    Ok... I am starting seed today!! Yippee... I have to be picky right now... I can only start 72 at a time. I picked my first 50 seeds...

    Tets:
    Hurricane Swirls x Across The Universe
    Hurricane Swirls x Wild Irish
    Reach For The Sun x Leslie Renee
    Fortune's Dearest x Dance Bojangles Dance
    Scarlet Lace x Dance Bojangles Dance
    Awesome Artist x Vertical Horizon
    Look Into My Eyes x Jerry Hyatt
    Blue Jean Baby x Asian Fairy Bluebird
    Set Me Free x Green Revolution

    Dips:

    Navy Blues x Star Child

    Cole - sorry I didn't see your post before! Ack... Dance Bojangles Dance is a Buntyn like Ed says... I just really liked it, and thought would add great genetics to my purples (Bella Sera).

    Dance Bojangles Dance
    {{gwi:655504}}

    Silverkelt - I know what you mean... I REALLY wanted this set of seed.

    I'll be sure to post pictures when they *sigh* finally bloom!

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