I have to go to ace hardware to get mine, Ive never used it for seeds, just potting grown daylilies, I really like it.

As for the planting, Becky i so right, dont overwater or let the seeds sit in water. When there roots come out the bottom, the roots like to sit in water tho. Im going to try the cup method again with some gneric seeds, will keep using the sponges till I have some luck. I have some ideas Im going to try to keep the cups from holding to much water after a rain.

How many adult plants is one likely to expect from seeds?

Seems like I'm loosing half, or thereabout.

Pat - I don't lose any that germinate except the ones that I find out were true dormants. They usually don't last more than 2 years here for me. Being in FL, I now try to make sure I get ev or sev crosses. If there is a strong dormant gene in either of the parents of a cross, I pass on them.

I did loose enough seedlings to fungus gnats, a couple got stepped on, dogs damaged a few others, a couple just faded away, something ate tops of a couple....
Guess my place is just a mine field for seedlings.
But this is my 1st year for trying this.

(Definitely not ready to buy 4 seeds for $80.00 like sold recently on LA.)

I do have some dormants purchased as adult plants and they have been here for at least 12 years.
Don't know how hard dormant they are, but they disappear each Fall and come back in Spring.
Also have some Semis that stay green all year round.

Fungus gnats can certainly be a problem. I've dealt with them before, too.

I am always amazed at what some of the seeds sell for. There have been many LA seed auctions that got over $100. I can't even fathom that price for seeds. But if they all sprout and you get some really nice seedlings that you could register and plan to sell, that would be worth it. It's a gamble though. I have a small budget of what I can spend on seeds. Many of the sellers are very generous and send bonus seeds. I've got so many seedlings growing from seeds that were shared with me and purchased from last year, that I honestly don't have any room left for any more at this point until I create some more garden bed areas. I think most of those will be blooming for the first time next Spring/Summer. It is very exciting to see what a new daylily plant will create with it's blooms!

Once I plant out my seedlings, I will say, I loose 'alot'. It doesnt mean they disappear, it just means that two or three, say from about 10 seeds really take off, and the others kinda of sit there. Ive never understood it, but just accept it as the norm now. I usually keep the small ones and hope they bloom next year, some do..some dont. I have plants that I have had five years and they never change in size it seems and never bloom. I do have one cross ( my avatar picture), that every last one bloomed, and frankly, Im getting tired of them. If I get 2-5 good plants from those 10-12 seeds, Im happy. Heck..if I get one bloom Im happy.

gardenglory said:Once I plant out my seedlings, I will say, I loose 'alot'. It doesnt mean they disappear, it just means that two or three, say from about 10 seeds really take off, and the others kinda of sit there. Ive never understood it, but just accept it as the norm now. I usually keep the small ones and hope they bloom next year, some do..some dont. I have plants that I have had five years and they never change in size it seems and never bloom. I do have one cross ( my avatar picture), that every last one bloomed, and frankly, Im getting tired of them. If I get 2-5 good plants from those 10-12 seeds, Im happy. Heck..if I get one bloom Im happy.

Pam, that's rather the conclusion I'm coming to -- "2-5 good plants from those 10-12 seeds."
In spite of all my failures, I do have a fair amount of seedlings here that I expect to bloom next year.
As horsemen might say, "they'll long yearlings by then."

Some siblings have big size variety. Others are more uniform.
I'm tagging characteristics and health as we go along.
I know the flowers are important, but I really like robust plants.
Some seedlings are astonishing in vigor. Others, not so much.

Well, considering each plant is unique and has genetics that are one of a kind, it's not surprising that some have the good growth habits and some don't. Same goes with the blooms .... it really is almost like a crap shoot or the luck of the draw .... you never know what you will get from each individual seed.

I have some vigorous daylilies and others that just seem to whimp along. Some produce lots of blooms and others just 1 bloom per scape. I find it fascinating ... the good and the bad. It sure makes gardening interesting from one year to the next.