Eternal Warrior, Larry Grace, Nordic Night, Westminster Lace, Chris Salter are ones I'm thinking about. BUT before I jump and buy any more I was researching which ones to avoid paying top $$ for. I don't mind taking a chance on plants but don't want to lose a chunk of change when the dl dies. I do have some Salters but most are too new to tell how they will be until this year. These are the ones I do have: Bahama Butterscotch David Kirchhoff Ed Brown Grace and Grandeur Coming this spring is Painting the Roses Red, Moonlit Caress. I appreciate all the feedback. Julia

Wonderful pictures, Debra! I was there on Friday afternoon...in between rain showers! I just loved loved loved being in the greenhouse! Everything looked so grand...and like the pictures! I'm still getting used to my camera (my excuse) and/or maybe I need to change the lens as I had trouble getting tags on some...boohoo. At any rate, I did get a fair amount okay...including Lotus Position and Trifecta...I'll get around to putting it all up on my blog one of these days! Wish I could have gotten to some of the other places, but we were just flying by. I did get to Valley of the Daylilies on Sat., however. So many pictures, so little time...

Andrea, I hope you will get a lot of different response...here's mine... This fall will be the fifth year for me starting seeds. I tend to start mine beginning Dec, so they've been refrigerated for quite a while. I don't do it as carefully as you, I use Promix in cups under lights, nothing fancy. However, prior to the last two years, I had virtually no problem with seeds...it made me a a bit confident, I'm afraid. The last two years, I have had seeds mold...seeds that I would take out of the refrigerator moldy... I'm picky about who I buy from now...also, I make more of my own seeds each year. One of the things that I've noticed this year...(from my own seeds) is that time matters. Some of my seeds appear to be maturing prematurely (I suspect the rust may push this) as the scapes are dying. Usually, those seeds are either too dry and crunch right in my fingers or they are mushy and damp. You can tell the difference, the more seeds you handle. I don't necessarily think the wrinkling matters as long as the seeds are viable. You will get a feel for the seeds. I toss out any that don't feel right...for any reason. What I was getting at is that it looks to me like six weeks or more (at least here) is required for good seeds. Some have dates from late June...which is pushing two months...and those seeds are usually always fine. I'm sort of at peak harvest right now...and I'm Zone 7... So, I don't know this...but I suspect some sellers may be harvesting their seeds too soon. After I pick my pods, I dry them in little cups for a few days and then bag them, list them on my spreadsheet and refrigerate them. It isn't just the money, (I've never asked for money back for purchased seeds that molded or rotted)...but, there's a lot of time, trouble, and work in bringing a seedling to bloom. My time and my money are valuable and I don't want to waste either. That said, it's always a bit of a gamble. Here are a few sellers that I've bought from for years and always get good seeds (Since I'm buying less, I don't have to worry about the competition...lol...but, it's the least I can do for good sellers, right): Jeffbard aka Jeffb, Boxcar, Spunky1, Sandlapper and Yardman. Of those, Yardman will sell later as he grows further north. I also bought from Dot here on gw (Ladylovingdove) last year (and this year!) and was happy with my seeds. And Shelly from GA, too. I don't think you'll go wrong with any of those sellers....if the seeds don't germinate well from them, well (laughing), then it probably is you (kidding)! *Disclaimer....just because I didn't mention someone doesn't mean they are or aren't good....those were just the first ones that came to mind. Good luck, Andrea....and don't give up. Just curious, are you planting these outside as it seems early to grow them indoors until next spring?

Many of my daylilies die down to the soil, the leaves all die, not the crowns, after they finish blooming. They all start putting up new growth within days of the final leaf dieing off. I've thought that I was loosing some of my plants too, only to have the new growth start in a few days. I grow most of my daylilies in pots but I do have some in the ground and they do this in both pots and ground. I think that it just gets too hot and dry(of course I water my plants in pots but nothing compares to good old rain) for the plants to support the leaves and the crowns, so the leaves die off and the plant continues to feed the crowns until better weather arrives. I saw a lot of this happening this year when the days were over 100 degrees for 3 weeks. I've been putting pine bark mulch on my pots for about 4 years. I try to be careful and keep it from being right against the plants, but this is going to happen when plants are in pots no matter how hard you try. Especially when you have over 1000 pots. I've lost one plant to crown rot in 4 years, it was Mort Morss and it was the first winter after having gotten it in late fall. I've not lost another to crown rot since. I do grow most of my pots in some afternoon shade. I also keep all new arrivals and recently repotted(500 and counting now) under my big old oaks in pretty heavy shade. I'm sure this helps out by not being in that 105 degree sun. It was only 100 in the shade!!!! If your mulch wasn't totally green chips, you should be ok. Also, see if you might have critters eating the crowns and roots. I did lose one completely this year to voles and the little stinker managed to eat about 20 fans on other pots before I learned to watch for him and I pulled most of my partially underground pots up and made sure they were above the soil line.(No more trying to keep the pots insulated by burying them partially in the soil!!!) This was the first year I had this happen. I mean the little stinker(I'd love to say what I said when I found out he had killed my Spc Cranberry Kid totally!!) ate every fat root and all the crown up into the leaves!!!! Maybe your plants are just hiding from the terrible heat. I wish you good luck and please do let us know about your plants. Blessings to all, Mona