Thanks Rick and Oeystein (would this be the spelling?)

The simplest way to copy a word or name with foreign letters is to highlight the word by left click-hold, pass the cursor across the word to highlight it, release. Right click and choose "copy" in the drop down menu. Then right click and paste where you want to put the word.

Well yes, I know how to copy a word, but the thing is, most of "special" letters have a way of translating into "normal" letters.
Like I deal with a lot of German companies and on the logo it may say for example "Konig" (two dots above "o") and the site is koenig.de
In Romanian we also have quite a few diacritics, and since the age of computers we have learned to ignore them - we still understand what we mean.
Even my name, CALIN, has one. "A" got a hat, and the pronunciation is like the final sound in "the".

That's interesting, Câlin. ?

I've always assumed that misspelling a word, and especially a name, in this manner would be considered rude. It's really good to know that I'm wrong.

LOL... something like that, but the hat is reversed.

We actually have this letter. Would be very hard to explain how to read it.
It's in "Romania" the first "a".
Romanian diacritics :)
http://kitblog.com/2008/10/rom...

And no, it's not rude. It's a way of coping with computers, writing, etc.

Calin, armed with that good information from Rick and Oystein, you might find going back and re-reading Rick's post of Jan. 2nd of this thread even more interesting than before. Also, in the case of IE seeds and germination, if you find that a batch that doesn't come up in a reasonable amount of time--say, 35-40 days, then put pot and all in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 weeks for an additional chill, then return back to room temperature to sprout. If they don't respond after this additional chill, you most likely have bad seed. Keep in mind to put them in plastic bags to prevent contamination from fruits and vegitables while in the fridge.

You mention you have a north facing, enclosed patio with windows. Oh, my goodness. I think you're going to find many, many uses for that, the more and more you progress with your seeding. For one thing, it's a good transitional staging point to harden off your seedlings before you introduce them to the outside and a lot of direct sun. But this is just one of many uses, as you'll will discover as you move ahead with seeding.

Thanks Lorn,
Yup, I think I can manage now.
Well, actually sowed my first 4 packets of seeds.
Now, patience!
Both for the first seedlings, and for the right time to sow the other 5 packets. (the DH ones).

A few days ago I started to write a blog, only about lilies. Here you can see how I grow lilies from seeds. The adress are: http://tangolilies.blogspot.no...

You have been very busy Oystein,[I looked at your blog].,.Hope your package arrives safely.. and, I will send some 'EXTREME', crosses soon..when they ripen!!!

Thanks, Anthony. Looking foreward to do new, exiting crosses this year. This year I have sown many crosses that are germinating well. It's a exiting time.

Wow, Oeystein, great blog and pics.
I wish I had read this a couple days ago, before sowing some seeds.
I skipped the "soaking" stage.
:)
CALIN

Calin, not everyone soaks their seeds. I've split batches of fresh IE seeds (from the previous Fall), one portion soaked and the other portion not soaked and I didn't find a difference. However, if I'm dealing with seed that's been frozen a long time--say 10 years or so, then I would be apt to soak overnight. If I get seeds from someone else and I suspect that person didn't care for his seeds properly, then I would also soak. But for seeds I've grown and controlled myself, I don't soak.

I only soak seeds from 4n trumpets and OT seeds, trumpets and asiatics are sown the usual way.

Aha, good to know.
Also, the max. temp.... I had them in the living where it's kinda warm-ish.
I moved the pots to kitchen, around 17-19 C.
I have a thermometer magnet on the fridge, but I am not sure how reliable it is...

Calin, there are good reasons for soaking tho. When working with crosses, especially wide crosses, sometimes the seed produced can have a hard shell and soaking is required to soften it. Another is that some crosses will produce seed which contain chemical inhibitors/toxins that attack the embryo during germination and kill it. Soaking will quite often leach these toxins away allowing successfull germination to occur. So, when making a cross, if one suspects that this might be the result, then to save time and rather than find out the hard way, it's better to 'play it safe' and soak. Otherwise, you might be looking at a batch of seeds that never came up and you lost a whole years time finding it out.

Roosterlorn said: Another is that some crosses will produce seed which contain chemical inhibitors/toxins that attack the embryo during germination and kill it.

A little nitpicky, but I don't want anyone to think that germination inhibitors kill germinating seed. When present, they prevent germination, but do not kill the seed. Their evolutionary purpose is to prevent germination at the wrong time of the season, and allow germination at the proper time in its natural climate. This is a good thing in the wild, but can cause some consternation as we try to sprout seed artificially.

Toxins (and other incompatibilities) can kill germinating seeds.

So now that my fastidious mind is put to rest, this distinction does not change Lorn's or Øystein's advice:
the possible removal of toxins and inhibitors through soaking is still a good thing. (Myself, I've never heard of a lily seed with a hard shell that needed to be soaked because of it.) I might add that it is best to avoid soaking in tap water (that would include the inevitable residual softener salt and other contaminants added by your municipality). Try to use distilled water, rain water (or snowmelt), or well water.

Remember that seeds need oxygen to germinate and grow. If you can't plant after a 3 day soak, it is best to transfer them to a wet paper towel in a baggie or sealed container where they can breath but remain fully moist. I can't say how important this is with lily seed in particular, but with many germinating seeds the absence of oxygen causes different (and bad) reactions to occur.

Well said!

Nobody is sowing any seeds now?
First results, Lilium regale. And I may have one tiny start with L. mackliniae.

I have a question. L. speciosum gloriosoides... would this work from seeds?
There's some seeds on ebay, from China.
Seller a bit rude... but I'll ignore this little detail.

Also read they are not really easy to grow these lilies.

I'm asking, cause I'd have to spend about 10 GBP for 2 packs of seeds (registered mail, cause I've had some lost envelopes in the near...past).

I do. Here are some pictures of my seedlings:

Just 3 letters....OMG
And I thought I possessed passion...but this is ...
Wondering how big of a garden you've got.