I'm also loving this thread. Great info for newbies...........

Arlene - What is the name of the fertilizer that Dan sent you? My daylilies are actually looking good right now .... probably because of all the rain we've had this Summer and Fall.

This doc contains old advice from several famous hybridizers. http://oldsite.daylilies.org/2...
Bob

bobjax said:This doc contains old advice from several famous hybridizers. http://oldsite.daylilies.org/2...
Bob

Bob, thank you very much for sharing this wonderful compilation of tips on hybridizing.

Becky, the fertilizer is Nutricote Total (18-6-8).

Thanks Arlene! I too was interested in the name of this fertilizer.

Check your backgrounds for dormancy.
Breed for dormancy.
Do not cross Florida on Florida.
hybridize for the whole plant not the face.

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

Sorry Chris. If you lived in FL you would be breeding FL on FL. Dormancy characteristics in Florida daylilies means that the plant won't last more than 3 yr due to it's dormancy. Here in Central FL, we will go for years with no freeze.

For sure the good advice we get is often limited to the areas in which we live.

Arlene - Thank you for the name of the fertilizer. I will have to look for it at my local nursery!

I would be surprised if you found that fertilizer at a nursery. I even have to go to a specialty shop to find 9-month fertilizer. Please let us know if you do find it.

florange said:I would be surprised if you found that fertilizer at a nursery. I even have to go to a specialty shop to find 9-month fertilizer. Please let us know if you do find it.

Amazon has only the 180 days formula for sale at 3lbs for $21. This will be such a convenient fertilizer for indoors seedlings or potted daylilies! for sharing this info, Arlene!

Thank you all for the thumbs and acorn. I think this forum is here to help people grow their daylilies well, and we sure do try to help each other!

About the question of dormancy. To breeders, this means their plants will grow in more places. They will sell more and make more money. Conversely, in my experience, many dormant daylilies have better colors than evergreens, although that issue is becoming less significant.

I joined the AHS this year, and the summer 2019 issue of the DJ had Margo Reed on hybridizing advice. She said "Hybridizing is unlikely to make you rich, so you better be having fun". That's my plan.

Advice from Dan Hansen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Well now...isn't that a great video! So many good points! Every seed enthusiast should watch this!

Everybody has their own style and process. Mine differs only in a few minor ways:

I do use wires because they are quick and I still have a full time job. With wires I can do about 300 crosses in the morning, usually from 5:30 to 7:30. I usually use refrigerated pollen that I will use for two to three days. I know I would have better luck going out a little later, but I need to get to my real job, and believe me, I get enough pods. This season over 1000.

I use about 80 different pollens in a season, which means I have to get creative at times, such as dbl colors, or double mixed colors. I plan about 80% of the pollen I use before the season begins, and then add the rest as surprises bloom, or new additions may not bloom.

I agree completely on number of seeds per pod. With conversions, you are lucky to get one seed, and luckier still to have it germinate.

I don't let high temperatures change my routine, in that I love making crosses and continue on even very hot days. On extreme heat days I stick with proven potent pollen, such as LAVENDER BLUE PLANET and a seedling JAMES EDWARD FARRAR X CLOWN PANTS. Everyone must find their own "magic" pollen, and then freeze some so you have it handy on extra hot days.

I have heard many different theories concerning trying to make seeds when it rains. Because I am not a scientist, I don't know how long fertilization takes. if it rains in the morning, I will go out later in the day and still try and set pods, even gently dabbing the pistil with a tissue if wet. I doubt that I have been very successful in this process.

Because I am a mathematician, I keep records of all crosses made in a day. I like to see which ones I am using the most, and which ones need to be used again. I think this year I had about a 20/25 percent success rate in pollen used to pods made overall.

Harvesting is always done using paper bowls. As I harvest, I write the pod parent in the bowl, and drop the pod and wire into the bowl. After collecting about 15 to 20, I go back and open the pod, and leave the seeds and wire in the bowl for drying. Bowls can be reused by crossing out the pod parent from the day before.

A big thank you to Dan for educating all of us on his process and to bobjax for posting. Everyone needs to find a system that works best with their own climate and lifestyle. Making seeds is one of life's great joys. Having quiet time in the garden in the morning is the perfect way to start one's day!

Steve

Lalambchop1 said:One of the biggest lessons I've personally learned is not to be afraid to make a way out cross. Dan said I was, ahem, "crazy" to cross a double with a poly when I wanted a double poly but I got some great stuff from that cross.

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 individuals who have it in their garden. I know a few sold on the lily auction for $20 - $30. That $30 was my Lily Auction Rookie mistake. Should have checked the sales history.

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. Attempt self crosses if I have no cross candidates. This year I did a long cross on Happy Returns with "Bogie and Becall". Planted Sept 1. From this cross, I have about 150 big beautiful seedlings (looks like they are on steroids) on the Happy Returns pod side from that cross. Two of the bunch have rust, but that's it. BUT I 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 did lose the first 5 pods on each side as I first attempted this cross. I thought I had a "take" but they shriveled up. I kept trying until suddenly they took.

I have several really cool, new to me, daylilies I am looking to cross next year. If I don't have a cross candidate I will try a "self cross". Especially those with heavy conversion parents, like Wave Effect or anything with a Rose F Kennedy conversion in its background. (Conversion means someone chemically converted a dip to a tet)

And, yes, I read all about inbreeding depression.

But that's the challenge.

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 the hardest challenge of all, all self crosses. Just for the fun of it.

Create a life that would not exist without your hand touching pollen that one day to a stamen.
Who knows, if I could get a few special ones I could honor relatives who passed over the rainbow bridge by registering them in their name.

Doesn't Dan Hansen remind you of Tom Skerritt?

Mary, I thought he looked like Harrison Ford!