I mix it with a little water and a drop of dish detergent. Make it strong, though. And the expensive vinegar with the 'mother' in it, really works the best. Good for you to drink too. The lemon works pretty well also, and nice smell. I read one time to put a rotten potato nearby and they will flock to that. Uh huh. I really want to smell a rotten potato.

PollyK said:Yes, it's my understanding the cinnamon kills the fungus, which is what the gnats are eating.

Sensible reasoning.

Polly, do you find the lemon juice or vinegar works better than sticky yellow paper or balls?

It sure seems easier.

Rick, I have not used the sticky paper. Actually my husband gets the fungus gnats in the garage quite often with his trash. I think they are drawn to coffee grounds, and he constantly has a pot of coffee going in the garage. When I read that vinegar draws them, we tried it, and have never used anything else out there, it's so effective.

Last year I crossed several OT Tetra x OT Tetra without any luck. But my few crosses with Flugelhorn Tetra Collection I purchased from The Lily Garden seems like I am getting high germination. I tested a cross planting 10 seeds, placed in the west window, no special heat. Out of the 10 seeds 9 has so far germinated. Planted in 2-1-2011
Crosses Flugelhorn #2 & #3 Trumpets-Tetra

Tracy, I have never tried collecting seeds from my lilies. When did you start your seeds & when will you plant them outside?
Thank you, Becky

I did the pollen crosses last summer and collected the seeds in October of 2010. Most of the seeds were started in November. They vary in how long they take to germinate; I germinate all of them in plastic baggies and then transplant them into pots, watering them every 7-10 days, or as they dry out. I give them 12-14 hours of light per day.

I usually transplant things in the fall, but had considered hardening them off and planting out in May. My deck will be pretty full if I take all of these out and leave them all summer there. There won't be any room for us! We'll see. It will be a year or two before I see any flowers on those shown up top ;)

Tracey:

I have tried starting seeds in plastic baggies. So far without any luck. Still have them checking regularly. I know that Martagon & others need the heat 3 mo. then 3 months in refrig..(Rick listed his instructions on Martagon) I have even tried some Trumpets/Aurelian seeds in baggies. Those I have my best luck in a 1 gallon container, plastic bag over it and placed in the window. (I thought I might get a better germinatiion in baggies) My questions are: (1). When you start yours do you put them on a heating pad? (2). Leave them in a dark place? or in the light?
Thanks

I have had the best luck with baggies. I poke holes in the baggies with a corn holder for drainage/aeration after lightly moistening the soil. Connie first gave me this method and having tried direct sowing in pots, this is usually a better guarantee for me. I know some schools may say that yanking them out of the baggies after germination will delay them because of the transplanting factor (moving them into pots). I also re-use my baggies. Feel too guilty throwing them out after one seed start. I just change the soil-less mix in between and the label, of course.

I haven't used a heating pad and pretty much use the same dim(not completely dark)spot for all the seeds, whether it asiatic or oriental and everything in between. I know there are temperature preferences of the different types, at least I have read that in literature. That said, most of the time I have pretty great luck. And with limited space inside here, I have been pretty happy with results. I'd say my temps are right around 65, and in the dead of winter maybe less. I do use a heater in my plant room if the temps outside are well below zero and will be for an extended period of time, but only on low, a space heater I mean. Asiatics are my most difficult creatures. The OTs and trumpets do especially well. The orientals and martagons do just fine. Though I haven't done marts in a couple years. Mostly because of time taken to get to bloom. Maybe if my first seeds come to bloom I will be re-inspired; one can only hope, right?

I lost all of my seedlings that I started in pots last year. I had good germination on all but in the course of the summer I lost all of them. I think this is due to two problems: fungus gnats early on and the inability to wet the soil after it dried out a bit. I would water and think they were watered but apparently it was mostly running down the sides.

I have better luck with baggies. I'm not talking about little sandwich bags but a minimum size of 1 quart. I make sure the mix is totally moistened (not soggy!) before planting the seeds. It is easier to control the humidity and prevent the mix from getting too dry (especially when I'm not paying a lot of attention!) I also notch a couple of triangles out of the sides above the soil line to ensure air circulation.

When the seedlings are pretty well established in the bag (lots of roots showing) I use scissors to cut the bag away and plant the gob of seedlings undisturbed in a larger pot to grow them out to a size that is easier to handle. If I am really feeling lazy they sit around in the baggie until the next spring.

Thank you for the info!

Again, thanks for the great info

I am working on the fungus gnat problem (and thrip problem with Japanese irises), doing some research... I am thinking about getting some stuff called Spinosad. I might also try BTi ("Knock-out-Gnats; "Gnatrol"). Has anyone used these products, hopefully with some success?

Gosh any gnat I had went out with a sprinkle of cinnamon. It really did the trick AND it smells yummy, especially after I water ;) Polly, that was a great suggestion. Thank you. Did you try that Connie?

Uh, well... I have a little bowl of vinegar with the mommy in it sitting out there under the lights. It does NOT smell yummy lol! Can't say I see any action but then again I don't have any newly started seeds out there yet. Will try the cinnamon too. A bigger issue is thrips on the JIs.

Thrips on the JIs in the house?

Are you willing to use the Bayer drench? It just goes on the soil and gets rid of the thrips. It's now been approved for houseplants, according to the label. I use Bayer Advanced Garden, Tree and Shrub. Imidacloprid is the active ingredient. Or insecticidal soap?

Glad the cinnamon worked, Tracey.

The JIs are out in the garden. I tried a light soap solution last year and it killed my JI, almost overnight! More like a week but the effect was practically instantaneous. I'm thinking pH on that one!

I have some Bayer Rose spray (0.012% Imidacloprid). I'm hoping to solve the problem more organically if possible, but will probably try several product for a comparative test.

When should the Imidacloprid be applied? My JIs are all up now...

Now. I usually do it at about 2".

Wow, that's scary! I always use the Imidacloprid, and it's never harmed the irises. And I have tons of bees and birds, but have seen no harm to them either, and I've paid close attention to the bees. .

pardalinum said:The JIs are out in the garden. I tried a light soap solution last year and it killed my JI, almost overnight! More like a week but the effect was practically instantaneous. I'm thinking pH on that one!

Wow, were you using a heavy duty detergent like Dawn or a laundry soap?

I slightly overdid my municipal water acidification once. The only plants that were visibly harmed were Iris graminea and Iris setosa. I don't have any JI; and Ii. sintenesii, aphylla, reichenbachii, ruthenica, pumila, cristata, milesii, minutaourea, sibirica, typhifolia and few hybrid bearded types that I grow were all fine.

I used a generic store brand that I purchased for this purpose. No additives like anti-biotics. I used about 1//4 teaspoon in my 26 oz. spray bottle. Good thing I "experimented" on just one of my JIs. Since then I have been able to get that one going again from a couple of small pieces of rhizome I cut away.

Lefty, what do you use to adjust the pH of your municipal water? It seems like it would be difficult without buffering. A local nursery uses sulfuric but I bet they have it down to a "t" just how much to add. Our city water is alkaline (pH 8.4) but this is due to their adding sodium hydroxide to get that pH. When they first did that it cost me a vet bill for my cat because it made her sick!

I have collected rainwater all through winter and spring and have a large tub of it. I'll use that on my JIs until I run out. I may want to acidify my water after that as JIs are not very tolerable of alkaline soil or water. In lthe meantime, I am shopping for a good pH meter...

That is about the amount recommended by reputable sources. Know-it-all blogs and such recommendations are all over the board.

I acidify with white vinegar. Our city's water pH, as I would think most are, is variable: something like from 7.8-8.6. I err below the low side. That way it can only do good, although maybe not as good as it might. One tablespoon per five gallons.

And just so everyone knows, white vinegar sounds like it would be very benign, but don't let the household naming trip you up. It still needs to be treated with care!

I am keeping an eye out for a good, durable pH meter too. Let me know if you get one, and how you like it, and I'll do the same.