Interesting to learn about the flourine. I've only just started to use perlite after learning that it is mildly alkaline and being in need of more alkaline conditions for some species I was planting from seed. I think I even added it to the mix for some asiatic seed as I figured they weren't too fussed about pH. and I had run out vermiculite. It hasn't been long enough to tell if they are suffering....

When perlite is a major component in a mix, I put it in a screen colander first, and heavily rinse it. That is suppose to remove most of the fluorine , although I haven't seen any scientific evidence for it. It makes me feel better, at least. I've never used perlite when germinating seed in baggies. It would be hard to find the tiny bulbs! .

Guess it can't hurt to rinse it - if the municipal water isn't also fluorinated, I guess!

Yes, fluorinated here too. But it's still supposed to remove the bulk of it, and the last water you do your final rinsce wth could be rain or distilled water.

A few picture updates. Still good so far. It's cool to see the different species and crosses throw up their true leaves in waves.

Late last year I went and collected several native lilies in my area. I planted them on 11-7-2014 in baggies, peat moss. L. kelloggii from Kneeland, Calif. Today, I opened the baggies and transplanted them in larger containers. I get plastic shoe boxes or now I get tubs that are made of plastic that I can reuse, drill holes and plant about 1/4 with soil (mostly seed starter). Cut the bottom of the bag and carefully move some of them around. I then add more seed starter on top and lightly water. Even tho you read that some of the natives don't like watering, I found if you don't they just die. I water lightly once or twice a month on the dry species natives.






I should mention that after I bag the seeds, I place them outside in an area that gets about 4-1/2 hours of sunlight.

Here is a photo of the tubs I get at the Dollar Store - Soft plastic that holds up outside in the sun.

My seedlings are sleeping now but some are sprouting new leaves! Will take some pics tomorrow.

Joe, if you mean that your seedlings have already gone dormant (with withered leaves), it would seem early for this to happen, but I would <not> be concerned. Seedlings of many bulbous types, including Gladiolus spp. often do this their first season.

Perhaps the ones sprouting "new" leaves are ones that actually haven't emerged at all until now?

Rick, I meant the light were off for the night. No it definitely seems to be a second leaf that is beefier than the first. Hopefully I will get pick tomorrow AM.

Here are the updated pictures with the second leaves sprouting.

Leftwood said:Joe, if you mean that your seedlings have already gone dormant (with withered leaves), it would seem early for this to happen, but I would <not> be concerned. Seedlings of many bulbous types, including Gladiolus spp. often do this their first season.

I meant to put a <not> in there. I edited the original post.
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Drawing from my one previous experience many years ago with several WNA species, this time tried to time seed planting so they would come up when I could leave them outside. So I planted January 13th. L. kelloggii began emerging several days ago outside. They seem pretty tiny in comparison to both yours, Joe and Mike. I'm very envious.

Well I was gonna carefully transplant my WNA seedlings to some deeper pots and I put the tray on top of the washing machine for a minute.........as the machine kicked into full spin, I heard a splat. Well the tray fell off the machine face down! Big mess but surprisingly not too much damage a few leaves cracked. It was harder to sort but I was pleasantly surprised with how good the bulbs looked and how much bigger the bulbs got in 1.5 months since I potted them up. I took a picture of a few of them.
I believe the first two pics are of pardalinum x parryi and the last one is pardalinum giganteum. Anchor roots were looking good and some were sprouting second leaves.