Someone please answer this question:

I received some DL seeds in the piggy seed swap and I'd like to know if I should place them in teh freezer for a spell. A couple of years ago I received some seeds at my DL club and refrigerated them before planting, but not a single one germinated. I know they need stratification, but how much and how long?

Thanks!

Vicki, I know you can help me here.

Just put them in the fridge for a few weeks. There are a lot of different methods to start them inside, everyone seems to have their own way to do it. Myself i straight sow mine directly into the seedling bed in mid April. I'm in zone 6 Central Md to give you an idea on my climate.

Here is a link to an old thread: The thread "Any tips for starting daylily seeds?" in Daylilies forum

Good luck

Good luck and please visit more often. We are a friendly lot of daylily addicted folks.

Blessings, Mona

I store mine in the fridge. Next week I will start a bunch of them by first soaking them overnight in hand hot water. Then the next day I put the seeds into a ziplock bag along with a facial cotton 'sponge' then add enough 10% hydrogen peroxide water - enough to dampen everything then pop it all back into the fridge for 3 weeks.

I check them periodically, last year everything I had with Dance Bojangles Dance started sprouting right away in the fridge.

If I noticed any sprouting I put them at room temperature then when they were about 1/3 inch long carefully planted them in potting soil.

Anything that didn't sprout at 3 weeks, was pulled out of the fridge, then I used a variety of methods to germinate them - from just sticking the ziplock bag at room temp (keep them moist), to the "on the rocks" method using aquarium gravel, more hydrogen peroxide water and either individual cups with lids - or in my case, I used a craft bead holder. With some I planted the seeds directly outside in a bed in June (started a batch later just to try that way). ~Jan

Hi Jan, Did your seed all finally germinate??

Yes, every way I tried, they germinated. I now have 50 seedlings growing in a bed outside, covered with leaves and snow.

For me, I liked the "rocks" method the best. But all worked. I had the least success with direct sowing outside. But that could have been because shortly after planting, we had some sever storms, which may have washed away some seeds, or covered them up with too much soil.

In the end, no matter which way I planted them, by the end of the summer, there was no way to tell which seeds were germinated by which method. I think being outside is a great equalizer.

My goal this year is for 45 seedlings (the beds I made fit 45 comfortably) and to have everything planted outside by the beginning of June (weather permitting) and then to leave them alone except for occasional watering.

I am crossing my fingers that at least a few of last years seedlings bloom this year. Last year was my first year messing with seeds, and I enjoyed it. In a few years we will see how much I enjoy it - depending on what types of results I get! ~Jan

Can't wait to see pictures of your seedlings, Jan!

Wow! Thanks, everyone. Into the fridge they're going tonight in a plastic bag with a cotton ball and some peroxide. I didn't keep the other ones moist, so that's probably the reason they didn't germinate.

I'll be starting some seeds outside for winter sowing this weekend, but so far we haven't had that much cold weather. I only hope and pray that we don't get a late freeze or a cold, wet spring!

I'll let y'all know about my seedlings (if, what and when).

Angie, make sure that the peroxide is 1 part peroxide to 10 parts water. And yes, that would be why they did not germinate; it's just cold storage if you put them in the fridge dry. That's what I do, store in fridge, until I get ready to plant in seed trays outside. I do not germinate them first before planting.

Also, keep in mind that not all seeds will germinate at the same rate. I have read that some people have had some of there seeds take up to 3 months to germinate. My seeds were in the seed trays about 6 weeks or so and any holes that didn't have seedlings growing got dumped. A few weeks later maybe four I noticed that those seeds had turned into seedlings where the trays got dumped. So just be patient if they take a little longer.

Thank you, Michele. I have been reading some of your posts and pics on another thread and am WAY impressed! I have DLs scattered all over the yard and a natural area in front where many of them are, but all these areas need redoing in a major way, so when I retire this year, guess what's near the top of my list? You betchum, Red Ryder! At least so far as reduced income and an older body will allow

When you say peroxide, do you mean bleach or hydrogen peroxide?

I mean Hydrogen peroxide. I suppose you could use a bleach solution. One hybridizers presentation I've seem, she germinates hers in damp paper towels (in baggies) with a 10% bleach solution. She leaves them out on the counter and not in the fridge. IMHO, the bleach or hydrogen peroxide just helps keeps mold or fungus at bay. I don't know that it really helps with germination. There are varying opinions on the subject about which way works best and if certain things actually help.