Trying to that they want to breed with other lilies, that are not the same as them, in hopes the plant strengthens.

Another question. You have seed that came from plant a and plant b. 2 different cultivars, and now have plant c in it's 3 blooming from them. You don't like something about it. Can you then breed it back to a parent to attempt to fix what you don't like.

Also good to from ya Lorn. Been quiet the last few days.

I'll pass this one to Rick except to say from my own experience is that it's hard to breed (and we're using the correct term here 'breed') something back out once it's in or shows up. That would make it a cull in my book. What undesirable feature are you thinking of: height, flower color/pattern, leaf design, stem floppiness, etc?

Australis said:

Not in this weather. I started these seeds at the wrong time, not realising they were immediate epigeal germination. We've just started winter here in the southern hemisphere, so in order to give these a chance to grow, I'm keeping them inside through winter and will put them outside in spring.

How cold is winter in Farenheight for you?

Lorn, it was just a random newbie question. I had bought some seeds from NALS. Going to give it a shot and see what happens. I have never tried lilies from seeds so it will be experimental, and an adventure for me. I will probably ask quite a few stupid questions until I get more experienced. Lol

keithp2012 said:How cold is winter in Farenheight for you?

Where I am, winter temperatures get down to around 4°C (~39F, according to Google) overnight. At the moment the daytime maximum is fluctuating around 14-17°C (57-62F). Other parts of the state get colder, though.

hampartsum said:You're welcome Dave, I'm new in starting lilies from seeds! I just got a few different lily seeds and will give it a try!. At least this far south and away, it is possibly my only way to get unusual lilies growing in my gardens.

Arturo: Seeding with lilies almost always leads to an intense hobby of hybridizing them. Lots of work and record keeping, but so much fun, 365 days a year. How is Argentina customs as far as seed and pollen in/out of the country?

Nhra_20 said:Lorn, it was just a random newbie question. Lol

Not that I or anyone knows all the answers, but it might (or might not) be pretty complicated and can rely heavily on random luck. There's a lot of "ifs", "ands" and "I don't knows" involved. In your A x B = C example, if all three Cs share the same unwanted trait (it's hard to discern with your typos), then backcrossing to a parent might be the best route to try. (And no one knows if it will work.) But, which parent to use? And which one contributed the "bad" gene? For most of us, it's a crap shoot, but that doesn't make it any less fun!

Sorry about the typos. I'm usually on here with my phone since my kids tend to use the computer more than i do. Sometimes I think my phone hates me, or my fingers are too big for the keyboard.

Dave, that's why I hate hypothetical questions like A + B = C, with an undesirable character to be eliminated.. There are just to many if's, ands and buts and tons of variables. I never learned anything by mulling over hypotheticals. I've found that addressing a particular cross combination with a problem much easier to 'walk back' by solving on a case by case basis and that usually involves back breeding to a desirable grand parent without the problem, for instance. And, that won't even correct the problem if the undesirable is poor botrytis resistance. And that only applies to my experience with Div. VI material. For me, it's just plain more practical to cull the undesirable from the project so I can get on to the next exploration outward. Never fall in love with a pretty plant with a problem.

Australis said:

Where I am, winter temperatures get down to around 4°C (~39F, according to Google) overnight. At the moment the daytime maximum is fluctuating around 14-17°C (57-62F). Other parts of the state get colder, though.

I never knew Australia got so cold. 39F is cold enough where I am to get snow.

keithp2012 said:I never knew Australia got so cold. 39F is cold enough where I am to get snow.

We certainly don't get any snow here in Melbourne. You'd have to go out of Melbourne (typically to mountains in the Great Dividing Range) to get snow.

Do you ever get frost on the ground there Joshua? Getting ever further off topic here.

I just put some epigeal lilium seeds in here, where the frosts have started. I wouldn't normally do that, but when I was cleaning up pots I found a pod I'd lost and had been looking for. It was engulfed in my companion weeds and thoroughly sogged. The seeds had all imbibed their quota of water and looked great. But no storing them for spring when they were that drunk! Only way forward was planting in hope of germination.

To be honest, Della, I'm not entirely sure! My previous place didn't really have anywhere for gardening and as a result, I didn't really pay much attention to what was happening for the four or so years I was there. It's only been in the last six months, having gotten settled with my new wife in our current home, that I've gotten into gardening again and revived my interest in liliums. I don't recall many frosts, but suspect they probably do happen from time to time. I know that my parents' place (in regional Victoria) often gets frosts in the depths of winter (even had snow one winter almost twenty years ago - the cattle didn't know what to think!).

I hope your seeds make it. Where are you planning to store the pot?

I've planted them in a styrofoam box which I'll keep covered with a couple of layers of opaque corflute, near the shelter of some eaves. We'll see how they do!

Once you're away from the coast I know how cold the nights can get but I imagined many parts of Melbourne would be warmer. Hope your new place turns out to be a great gardening spot for you.

Oops! I'm too late to influence you, Della, but useful information, anyway:

dellac said:The seeds had all imbibed their quota of water and looked great. But no storing them for spring when they were that drunk! Only way forward was planting in hope of germination.

If you're afraid the imbibed seed will internally "explode" from freezing water, there should be no worries there. Many seeds in the wild, including Lilium, must absorb water before cold and freezing in the winter. (Think DE germination and normal cold stratification in cold climates.) The problem I see is that it's way too cold to keep them in the freezer, and may be too warm to keep them in the fridge. It's very satisfying growing things in the winter, but if you want less hassle and space allows, I would opt for the fridge. You will need to periodically check for growth through the winter; depending on parentage, some may sprout in the fridge (but much later), at which time you will have to grow them inside with light until spring.

I am thinking more about how broadly I can apply this recommendation to the Lilium genus. I wondered how many examples I have of Lilium spp. seed normally from warmer (than me - zone 4) climates corroborate. To do this exemplifies how good record keeping is necessary, and comes in handily.

So not to mention the dozens of closely related Fritillaria, Cardiocrinum and Nomocharis spp., these are the imbibed Lilium spp. seed I personally have had go through at least one zone 4 winter and then sprout:
lancifolium (diploid)
leichtlinii
lijiangense
mackliniae
maculatum
oxypetalum
philadelphicum
pomponium
pyrenaicum
taliense
xanthellum

except for leichtlinii, pomponium and pyrenaicum, all of these emerged in both the first and second year.

Incidentally, from the beginning with my record keeping, when seed comes up the following year or later, the record is highlighted in red. That made the above list very simple to compile. Believe me, anything you can do now to make things more easily searchable later, will really pay off!

My hybrid lily seedlings are getting bulbils which im very happy about! Guess they take after the seed parent! One has whitish leaves on top, what causes this?

So i just got my packet from joining NALS. And they included a couple packets of seed. Am i correct in starting the seed in October for us in the northern hemisphere?

It's probably epigeal seed. I would put it in the freezer till next Jan- Feb and plant.

They are tetra asiatic, and tetra picotee trumpets

Yes then they are epigeal. Wait till next year.