My, How pretty!

When exactly did you start the seed?

Sue

Wow! You have some gorgeous seedlings - every one of them is a keeper. It is unreal that you have blooms on seedlings started in '08. I live south of you in TN and have mine in the ground by late April or Early May and I have never had blooms that first year. What is your secret?

Enjoy your gorgeous blooms and please keep posting pictures for the rest of us who have very few blooms. I love looking at everyone's seedlings.

Ann

Sue, I started the seeds indoors under growlights in January, February and March.

Ann, You know I never really thought about why it wouldn't be the same in southern area's. Dear hubby has this theory regarding why we get first year bloom....he thinks that when the evening temperatures begin to fall into the 50's and 40's it triggers some internal signal to scape and bloom. Bruce and Tanya (Lilynut) don't live too far from where I live and they have been getting first year bloom on their seedlings every year also. I really don't have any secret. Maybe the difference in grow lights has something to do with it. My lamps are pretty effective, and I think Bruce and Tanya's lighting is pretty near industrial. Even more odd is the fact that I have other seedlings that were started at exactly the same time...grown exactly the same way with the exception of my not getting them planted until around the end of June, and those have not scaped. OR maybe I have magic dirt in one area of my seedling beds. :-)

Linda

How exciting!!! Are these crosses you did on your own or did you buy the seed? Just asking to find out if you took care of them from step 1.

I bought my 1st seeds not too long ago & was told I might have to wait until the 2nd year to see them bloom. Patience isn't one of my best virtues & reading this has got me even more excited...I'm in zone 5.

Really nice job, Linda.

How much space do you have for seedlings? Looks like a large area.

Some of my '08 seedlings are larger than bloom size fans that I bought & bloomed this year but I would be very surprised to get any scapes this fall. Several are increasing well already. Even if any do send up scapes it has been so cool that the few buds of named cultivars I have are not opening properly. STRAWBERRY CANDY was the excepton as it opened fine yesterday (we had 2 hot days even though the nights were still cool) but I all but missed it as it was only 1/2 open when I left for work and too dark to take a picture when I came home.

I do think "magic soil" has something to do with it because all of my borders were enriched the same with 3-5 inches of sheep manure 3 years ago, and all seedlings were fertilized the same but the largest seedlings are those that I planted in one area that formerly housed a compost heap. Even though the compost was moved away the soil is still in nicer condition there. The seedlings there are noticeably larger than some planted on the same day just a few feet away.

I also suspect hours of light has something to do with it.
You may have that perfect combination.

Your blue eyed seedlings look grear, and the others show real potential too. It looks like you've got a very large seedling bed. I wish I had that much room for mine. Congratulation on a lot of really nice seedlings this year. I've never gotten any first year bloom. Most of mine didn't even bloom in their second year. I think it must be drought related.

Debra

Wow, Lucky you.Love them seedlings too.Very nice blooms on them ALready.

Jean

lalalandwi, The seeds are mix of my own, and some that were purchased on the LA.

Linda

Oh how wonderful. I got one first year to bloom last fall just like yours and I had started them indoors. I don't have grow lights though, just a good North facing window.

Your seedlings are beautiful!

Linda,

Very nice! I like all of the seedlings, and the scape count that you have in your beds is amazing! I have never had a first year bloom, but have not given my seedlings "the best spot in the house" either. Looking at your success, I think that I will experiment with a new bed in a better location next year and see if it makes a difference. Thank you for sharing your pics!

Julie

Berrytea4me, We're very fortunate to have a lot of open and unshaded land to put in as many beds as I can manage to take care of. All the beds get ammended with very aged horse manure....most were top dressed with as much as 6" of manure which was tilled in deeply before the seedlings were planted. I think that you are probably right....it's likely a combination of lighting and soil conditions. It is a lot of fun to see so many blooming at this time of the year, even though the cooler evening temps are making it difficult for some of them to open properly. I counted a total of 42 scapes in that particular 08 seedling bed today.

Linda

Linda,

We are still having new seedlings bloom. Nothing exciting in our eyes.

Oh that first one you should mark. I'm quite sure you will be jumping for joy when it blooms next year. We like it! 8-)

Seems to us under good indoor lighting, planting so the seedlings will be 10 months old in August/September, being planted in April outside, good soil, and plenty of water helps them bloom the first year.

It's costs us approx. $60.00 a month to run our banks of lights, plus the potting soil, fertilizer, cups and our time to achieve this. Only you can say if it's worth it though! It gives us something to do while the snow flies and we get to see some green in the winter also.

Lucky you to have land....I so want to find land soon with irrigation.

I'm only 1 yr into this and already running out of room on my city lot.

Of course that could be because this winter I'll be starting 500 iris seed and 500 dl seed plus asiatic lily seed.....I expect I'll have better survival rates this year too.

Last year I started just under 500 dl seed but ended up with only 185 planted out due to those darn gnats.
Found the mosquito treatment in granular form this year so will be putting some in the soil as I plant. That should get rid of the gnats before they can even get started.