I'm getting a super late start this year, and I'm finally getting around to planting seeds that I harvested last year. I'm planting them in 4 inch pots outside, after the seeds germinate. The plants I started the year before last were done in the basement under grow lights, so planting them outside is a first for me.

My question is, do I leave the pots in full sun? They are only 4 inch pots, and will dry out super fast. Right now, they are in early morning sun, and then they get a little late afternoon sun. During the rest of the day, the area is almost shade, though a little sun filters in when it's windy. The pots are on the tall side, so I can soak them good, but I can see having to water several times a day in this heat. I just don't know if they will grow in that much shade. They do get a lot of light, just not a lot of sun where they are.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I would keep them in the shade. They don't need sunshine at this stage at all(not darkness but shade). They should grow in full shade without any problems until they get up to 8-12". I have had some growing in full shade all summer and they are fine. They germinated in the winter with very little full sun and were set outside in May under my big old oak. They get about 30 minutes of good sun in the early morning and that's it. Once I pot them up into gallon size pots, I will move them to an area where they will get about a half day of sunshine. I grow about 75% of my 1500 pots in half day sun and get great results. I had much better seed pod development in the shade than I did in the ones that get mostly sun. I'm going to move the group that had poor seed development into more shade next year to see how they do. That way I will know which is best.

Good luck on your seeds. Now, just remember, the above info is my opinion and I'm sure you will get many more. Have a great and blessed day, Mona

Thanks so much for the information Mona. I kind of suspected this would work, but wasn't sure.

We were talking on another thread about the lack of seed pods this year. I moved my favorite daylilies into a bed that is more shade than sun, and that is the only place I've had any seed pods this year. I think I've only got 4 of them growing, but have none in the bed that is in full sun all day. I know daylilies are supposed to be in full sun, but I just don't have a lot of luck getting seeds on the ones that are in full sun. I do get lucky occasionally, but most all of my seeds came from the shaded bed.

We just started with Daylilies and hybridized 2 beautiful flowers in hopes to create to beautiful flowers. We got the seed pods and placed them in the fridge. We had read somewhere that you need to keep them in refrigerator for 6 weeks. Then you can just plant in the ground rather than seed pots. Is this true?

I keep my seeds in the fridge for at least 30 days.

Natalie, I have my pots in a place where they get morning sun and afternoon shade and they are doing just fine.

Tammy and Kevin, did you take the seeds out of the pods? You should do that, if you haven't. And yes, you can plant them in the ground, but my ground isn't ready yet, so they have to go into pots. My seeds have been in the fridge (dry) for a year now, and lots of them are now germinating after adding the water and peroxide mix. That is working so much better than just water alone!

Thanks Cindy, I appreciate knowing that you are having good luck without full sun. I can just see the little pots baking, and me having to water several times a day. That wouldn't be any fun at all. Once it gets closer to fall, and the seedlings have a little size to them, I'll plant them in full sun in the ground. That way, watering will be easier, and it won't have to be done several times a day! If they are still small, I'll probably put them in gallons and put them in the green house for the winter. It's not heated, but they'll probably do fine in there as long as I don't let them dry out.

Same question Tammy and Kevin, did you take the seed out of the pod? I do not keep the seeds in the fridge more than a few weeks, if that. If I'm ready I just plant them straight from the pods into seed trays. Then after seedlings are around 6 weeks they will go into the ground.

I think there is a lot of confusion on seeds IMHO. I think originally the whole 3-6 weeks in the fridge idea was to break dormancy. But to do this they need to be in a moist environment (in a water/peroxide solution, damp paper towel, moist vermiculite, etc) then bringing them to room temp and they supposedly germinate faster. Just storing them in the fridge is cold, dry storage. Some people don't even store them in the fridge, they just put in envelopes and store in closet, desk, or other place.

I'm happy to report that after a year in the fridge, and a few days of using the water/peroxide solution, I got germination. I then potted up the seeds, and after 5 days in the potting soil, one seedling is already 3 inches tall! This is so much better than starting them in the basement under grow lights!

I dont want to have to put them in the fridge. That three weeks can be the difference between bloom in the spring or a whole year later. Problem is, I dont get germination NEARLY as fast with only two weeks in the fridge and the sprouting is sparatic.. I finally have just given in and leave them three weeks. I did cheat just yesterday and planted some seeds I want to see bloom really bad, we shall see.

I store my seeds in a back corner of the fridge in little ziplock bags. I have some seedlings growing this year from 2 years ago. And yes, I do start the germination by putting some 10% peroxide in a separate ziplock with a half a cotton face wipe and stick back in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. I check them periodically - anything I had with Dance Bojangles Dance seemed to germinate almost immediately. If they germinated I planted. If they didn't, I brought them out of the fridge to room temp, allowed them to get some sun & warmth, (I either leave them in the bag, or do it by the "on the rocks" method) and checked daily until germination.

I learned not to wrap them in paper towels - then you have to unwrap them to see them. The half of a cotton face wipe works really well for me. I just glance at the bag to see what is happening. I kept them damp but not wet.

I find that at least where I live, that I should start them under lights in early spring, then stick them outside in a shady area of my patio in May, and plant them whenever I get a place to stick them. The patio shade seems to work well. I keep them in a flat bottom pan and water from below, or they get rain.

Last year, I did it this way & also planted some seeds directly outside. At least here where I live in south central Wisconsin I did much better with the ones I started inside first. The seeds germinated, but even this year, some are no larger than this years seedlings I started indoors.

About 2/3 rds of last years seedlings bloomed this year. I did make a new raised bed for them, + the milder winter and early spring may have contributed to the good bloom rate I had. Haven't lost any yet, although there are a couple that aren't doing well. And yes, some are duds, but I am leaving everything alone for another year, when I will make a better effort to weed out the Ugs, and encourage the pretty ones.

I have been experimenting with things, and this is what works for me where I live. ~Jan

I've never had seed pods that are ready to pick before October where I live, so there is no way I can plant them right away. We always get snow and freezing temps in October. I'm sure that some of the seeds would survive, but I really doubt that they would germinate, or grow, that late in the year. It's not even worth trying.

Jan, it's great that you had so many seedlings bloom this year! I only had about 6 or 7, from crosses I made 2 years ago! All the plants are doing really well, but they have been busy increasing, instead of blooming. I think I'll enjoy the increase, in case some of them are good next year when they decide to bloom!

True Natalie- many of my seedlings aren't increasing, although I did have one with a prolif, that I have removed and stuck in the ground next to it's "mother" ~Jan

It's great getting a prolif! I have had none this year. One of my seedlings appears to be a bud builder though, and it's pretty, so I'm happy about that! Not happy enough to register it, but it's welcome to live a long happy life in my garden!

Hopefully someone can help me with my latest issue!

I've been germinating seeds, and some have really taken their time. I had about 20 seeds from one pod that I crossed last year, and that I started germinating a couple of months ago. Some of the seeds sprouted in less than a week, and several more just sprouted in the last few days. I was really surprised that it took so long for some of them!

I plated the first seeds in pots, and have since transplanted them into the garden, where they are growing really well. The seeds that just sprouted got put into pots, but winter will be here before I know it, and I'm sure that they won't be big enough to transplant before it freezes.

It's a cross that I'm excited about, and I'm wondering if it would be okay to bring them inside and continue growing them under lights? Or, maybe I should just put them in the cold frame, which I hope to heat a little with barrels of water. I'm not sure that I'll be able to keep the cold frame above freezing, and I have no idea if they will survive if they are small, and it freezes. I've got at least 20 more seeds that haven't germinated yet, from other crosses, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to grown them inside for the winter.

Any suggestions on what I can or should do? I really don't want to lose them!

I have no idea what to do in your climate. I always start my seed by direct sowing in the ground in fall. I am not sure they will do very well under lights.

Natalie, I don't use lights for the seedings. I just place them in front of a south facing
window. They do just fine this way until they are planted in the ground in spring.

Glad we have none of these problems on the gulf coast. I plant in trays and when they are five weeks old they go in the ground before Sept 15 and most will bloom the following year.
These photos were taken this year

Juli, you and I are almost in the same zone, and I can't imagine putting seeds in the ground in the fall! Do you ever get any growth over winter? I'd love to hear more, since maybe I'm being too nervous and thinking the seedlings aren't big enough to plant. Our ground stays frozen for much of the winter, during a normal year. Since this summer wasn't at all normal, I'm not sure what to expect for winter.

Shirlee, that's a great idea, but won't work for me. The only south facing window I have is a small one in the garage, and I have the glass that doesn't let the UV rays in. So, they would die. I can't grow any houseplants because of the glass. I've tried several times, but it won't work.

Fred, I'm jealous! Your seedlings are HUGE at 6 months! Mine are no where near that large!

The idea is that if they germinate in fall, before a cold period, they would have been evergreens. I take seeds from the pod and put in open paper envelopes. I do not refrigerate them before planting. I just let them dry to little shriveled things. They germinate in early spring, usually up an inch or so by mid April.

I know of several hybridizers who use this method here in Ohio. Curt Hanson sews from 10,000 to 30,000 each year this way. Dottie Warrell, Charles Applegate both plant this way. I am not sure, but I think Richard Norris does too, or did.

Natalie, good to know about the UV blocker in the glass.
Had not thought of that. Good thing there isn't any here
on the south side.