Mona - You harvested 80 pods in one day? It sounds like you did a whole lot of crossing! I only harvested seven today, with only two having all good seeds.

Debra

The shriveled up prunes are usually just as good as plump ones, some just shrivel more than others. I pinch test them when I crack open the pods then I do it again after drying and then again when I go back later and seperated them into individual bags for sale. If they don't crumble like a dried dead leaf when pinched they are usually good and I will keep those for myself and the plumper ones go into the for sale. If I know a cross is going to be just for me I don't bother drying them before going into the fridge. I use the glassine envelopes so no moisture can get in and I make sure the fridge is cold enough. I have never had a problem with mold in these or even when they are in the plastic baggies.
One key thing that I do is spray my hands with bleach water and keep a paper towel damp with the bleach water to occasionally wipe my hands when handling the seeds.

Yes, Debra, 80 in one day. When I went out yesterday, I figured I might find 30 pods but I was in for a big surprise. Most of these were pollinated from May 15 - May 20. I was really a busy bee during that period, really busy!!

The 70 that I got bagged up and in the fridge yesteday were from May 10- May 20.

On my last count, from all the crosses I wrote down, I had about 2000 pods set. I'd say a 1500 pods will be harvested from the way it looks.

I just counted and I've harvested over 280 pods so far. That's more pods than I got all last year. I started 6-20 with just a very few with most of them coming the last week. I'm a good 3 weeks ahead of my normal pod gathering days but everything has been really early this year.

Wow, that's plum scary, I went crazy pollenating and I just stopped 2 days ago. The heat basically stopped all seeds from setting. It's going to be alot cooler this week and it's rained the last 2 days. I guess me being my crazy self, Ill dab a little pollen this coming week but it won't be much. Two things, not many blooms and I really really don't need anymore

I got about 50 pods yesterday, thats a LOT for me. My little drying cups are all full lol. I have about 60 little plastic drying cups. If I overflow the cups I put them in a plastic box with dividers, But I don't like doing that, they are hard to get out, plus I worry that I might drop some and mix them up.

Dot

Michele - Those are some great tips! What are glassine envelopes, and where do you get them? I use the small plastic bags and sometimes end up with moldy seeds.

Debra

I harvested my first pod yesterday 4 seeds Lace cookies x Pandora's Treasure. So many of my pods are just shriveling up, it's so frustrating. I haven't even done any crosses the past 3 days it's been so hot

Kim, I tried, really tried hard to get some pods to set this last 10 days or so, but I think I only got about 5 pods to set. So, I gave up and didn't do any crosses the last 3or 4 days either. I honestly believe it was so hot that the pods were cooked. I saw where some of my blooms tried to set a pod but it was just plum mushy instead of a nice hard little bity pod.

We're supposed to cool off this week, so maybe you will too. I know all our Northern folks need a break from the terrible heat you've had. Dear hubby and I were talking earlier about ya'll having a hard time. Atleast we are used to the extremes of the weather here in the South.

Your cross should produce some pretty babies, good luck!!!

Kim - Congrats on your pod harvest starting. With the cooler temps this week, you should be able to have some success making crosses.

Debra

Debra, the glassine envelopes are the kind that stamp collectors use to put valuable stamps into so that moisture doesn't get in and ruin the glue on the back. I think it was Mick Morry over on mydaylilies.com that said he uses them and has never lost a seed to mold.


I get the 1 3/4" x 2 3/4" open end ones from here in larger quantities https://www.herbariumsupply.co...
or here for smaller quantities http://www.dianeseeds.com/glas...
It is a lot more expensive to use these rather than the plastic baggies but if it saves an important cross then I feel it's worth it. If they are for your personal use you can be reused them over and over. Just use masking tape on the front to write the cross on and put a small piece over the flap to close it. Masking tape is a whole lot easier to remove than scotch tape. You can either remove the label the following season or just put another piece over the old.
Do you use pieces of paper towel in the plastic baggies when you store your seeds? Most people do this and it helps to control moisture. Also, if your crisper drawers have a moisture control on them try adjusting it to less moisture. I also turn the dial on my fridge to the colder side a little more than normal to be safe.

I started using these because I was so worried, after reading other peoples comments on other sites and such, that with the plastic baggies I would end up with mold and then if I had already sold the seeds I would have to give a refund if I didn't have replacement seeds.

MIchele - Thanks for the info on the glassine envelopes and sources! I do include little squares of paper towel in the bags, but sometimes I still get mold. I used to sell seeds every year on the Lily Auction under the name Lilipod, but my job became so demanding last year that I couldn't deal with anything extra. I'm a Literacy Coach for a public school in Nashville, and I get summer break to make crosses. But in two more weeks it's back to the insanity. I'll have to see if I have enough energy and presence of mind this fall to deal with seed orders. I usually wait until September to start listing seed auctions because I don't like to ship them when it's really, really hot.

Debra

Well, I finally starting to havest more pods with good seeds. Five out of the last seven had all good seeds! And with the cooler temps and rain this week, the harvest should be improving. At least the pods have stopped aborting.

Debra

I can't even imagine having to deal with that many seeds! I've got a whopping 5 pods growing! Even the bees aren't having much success this year, and I've all but given up myself!

I have question about mailing cost. I went to the usps site and it's terrible to try to find answers.

Here's what I need. What size padded envelopes to use with small order of seeds, cheapest??
Is there a set price to ship these envelopes and what is it??

Is there an easy way to find this on the usps site?

I'm really slow today and I get so disgusted when I go to a web site and can't navigate it

Mona, there is no set fee for sending a padded envelope. It all depends on the weight. I've shipped seeds a few times in small padded envelopes, and it doesn't cost much at all, but I wasn't shipping a huge amount of seeds. The only thing you can send with a set price is the flat rate envelopes and boxes.

Mona, she's right there's no set price. However, I looked at some of my receipts from last year and they were generally the same price.

I think postage went up again, I'm not sure, but the last time I shipped seeds it was $1.95 plus .85 for the delivery confirmation (optional). I use the 4"x8" bubble mailers from U-line. If you plan to ship a lot it's probably cheaper to order a case of 500 for $69 plus around $11 shipping (at least to here). It comes out to about 16 cents per envelope. I'm not sure how much they are if bought locally.

Michele, I think you are right about postage. It does seem like it went up some, but I can't remember exactly when that was!

What a great deal on padded envelopes! I'm not in the seed businesses, but if I was, I'd have to look into that! I've never seen them that cheap!

I've bought from Uline before. They are easy to deal with and great quality. I just ordered 500 of the mailers for $56 +15 shipping. They are on sale if you go to the special offers page. It doesn't show on the regular order page for the mailers so I don't know if they would give you the sale price or not if you posted to your cart from that page. Here's a link if anyone else is interested.

link: http://www.uline.com/Promotion...

I sure do apprecialte the information on the USPS. I used to be able to go their and find a list showing the size envelopes with ounces in a grid that showed the cost to ship each size envelope per onunce shown. Now, you have to put in all your info and I had no idea if I was using the right size envelope since it just states letter or large envelope and has nothing about size. There's a bunch of different size padded envelopes and I'm quite sure it varies per size.

I guess when I start shipping, I'll just have to go to the PO and they can show me how. The last time I asked at a PO they told me they had no idea, and I bet that's the same answer I get the next time. Our PO really don't want to help. Of course since they may lose their jobs, they may have changed their attitudes. Our mail lady is fantastic, but the ones inside the PO are so rude, it's unbelieivable. OH well, such is life!!

Thanks again and have a great day!!!! Blessing to all, Mona

I am using padded envelopes I bought online. I got 100 envelopes for about 23.00 and that included shipping. If anyone wants a link I will send it to you.

Mona, I put 3 stamps on the envelopes and put them in the mailbox, last year I was putting 2 stamps on them but yes postage did go up a bit. My envelopes measure 7" x 10". I do not use delivery confirmation for seeds just packages. Now if you want delivery confirmation you will have to go to the post office. I don't know how to print out a small amount of postage for these small envelopes, like I do for packages. When printing postage for packages, delivery confirmation is free online.

Dot

The only way to print out postage for these type envelopes, that I know of, is through click-n-ship for business. It's a download that you get from USPS (off to right of the print labels page) and it allows you to do first class parcel which is what these mailers are considered. You can put in the weight just like a package. I may use it this year to save on waiting in line at the PO (except on the international ones). I was just playing around with it and it looks like the base price for mailing one of these is $1.95. You would either have to buy shipping labels to print them out on or print on regular paper and tape it on (uses too much tape for me). I'm not sure how the parcel labels print out as I have never done so. I buy the labels from labeluniverse.com, 500 sheets (1000 labels if you don't print receipt on the second one) for $57

I like to include the delivery confirmation on anything I send because there have been many times I get an email wanting to know where the package is and it had already been delivered. Some of the buyers that buy a lot on the LA print out their invoices and as the orders come in they take them out of the pile. Well some get in a hurry then forget to remove to invoice from the "has not been delivered" pile. This way I can say it was delivered on this date at this time.