bobjax said:

Just look at the amazing Daylilies on the home pages of these top breeders. They do 1000's and 1000's of crosses. One said he picks a few introductions from his 42,000 crosses. Basically he is buying 42,000 lotto tickets to win the prize. Seriously who is buying their expensive daylilies? So many $100 and $200 daylilies out there. I bought Noticing You Noticing Me. The breeder, Gossard, said it was a real breakthrough, an amazing accomplishment. I can't find anyone who has it. I know a few sold on the lily auction. There are others just as groundbreaking. They are getting cheap and no one is buying them on lily auction.

I can't compete with that.

So my strategy is to have a blast. Cross weird stuff that no one would dare do. Do long crosses. Do self crosses. This year I did a long cross on Happy Returns with "Bogie and Becall". Planted Sept 1. Have about 150 beautiful seedlings from that cross. Two of the bunch has rust, but that's it. Lost almost another 140 on the B&B pod side. That side of the cross could not take the disease here. The Happy Returns pod side has the resistance.
Whoever crossed these before? Probably no one.

I have several really cool, new to me, daylilies I am looking to cross next year. But not with different daylilies; I will self cross. I want surprises. I don't want to sell them.

Next year, I will start with one basic rule, again for me only. Evergreen, rust-resistant. I am tempted to try one year with all self crosses. Just for the fun of it. Did I read on this post that a breeder said we could go a lifetime just self breeding and we would keep coming up with great stuff? Fun, it's all about having fun. Creating a life that would not exist without you.
Do knows, if I could get a few special ones I could honor parents by registering them in their name.

I like your way of thinking and going about hybridizing, Bobjax! I would definitely try some self cross on a few of my seedlings and registered daylilies next year just to see whether the pollination takes and whether the seeds are viable. If I do get any seeds from these self crosses, I would love to see how the seedlings turn out.

kousa said:@Clmasse Why is dormancy so important? Can you explain what you mean by "cross Florida on Florida"?

Purchasing Florida new intro plants (2017, 18, 19, 20) potted or bare-rooted crossing them together at bloom.
But backtracking for dormancy which has become more rare from Florida plants. I lost all of my Tet Rose F Kennedy purchases but that could be on me though. Older plants from Florida would still work, I used Stenciled Impressions with Big Boy Butterfly.

Dormancy is highly important. The freeze thaw cycle is severe enough now that dormants are more likely going to survive. Winters in Upper-east Tennessee can be warm one week and cold the next. no set temperature no snow cover. This past summer I had my worst bloom season. I lost all my Tet Rose F Kennedy purchases overwinter. only half of my daylilies bloomed. Winter weather was 1 inch plus of rain a week then a cold spell a just a few days, back to rain again. Dormants do way better for me than evergreens. Staying underground until the ground has warmed. my evergreens were trying to grow during the raining days then got knocked back with the cold.

I lived in Marietta, GA, for 9 years. I had a ball with the 1/2 acre even though I had a job that kept me on the road about 50% of the time. I had between 100-150 daylilies, and all of them were dormant. When we moved to Central FL 20 yr ago I was heart sick that I wouldn't be able to grow dormants. I loved their vibrant colors!

I immediately joined a club that had David Kirchhoff, Pat Stamile, Dan Trimmer, Dan Hansen and others. Big names! I was intimidated for about 2 weeks. They were more than willing to accept me because I had already grown daylilies for 30 years.

Now, there isn't a club. David and Pat are gone. Florida is no longer the epicenter of the daylily world! And Dan Trimmer and I have really become friends. I give him vegetable plants and he either sells or gifts many daylilies to me. Jane Trimmer has become a friend too and we enjoy time with each other. Daylilies are more than plants. They often simply bring people together who enjoy growing plants.

kousa said:

I like your way of thinking and going about hybridizing, Bobjax! I would definitely try some self cross on a few of my seedlings and registered daylilies next year just to see whether the pollination takes and whether the seeds are viable. If I do get any seeds from these self crosses, I would love to see how the seedlings turn out.

I will look forward to the results. I will post mine also. Thanks!

Thanks Chris and Arlene for sharing your experience. I guess I am lucky to be in a zone that most daylilies do well except for the very tender ones. I have dormants, evergreens, semievergreens and they all seem to grow well in spite of their foliage type. The best thing about daylilies is there are 85000 cultivars out there to choose from. You will certainly find some that will grow and thrive in your location and zone.

I'm glad for you, Karen! At least where I am now, I have a limited number of plants to choose from. Limited only means 25,000 plants instead of 85,000. I am very happy with the vibrant evergreens that are in the market now!