I threw some Ortega OP seeds into a bag a couple days ago and I had germination in 36 hours. I hadn't ever had anything quite that quick. Thought I'd ask what the longest and shortest germination rates you've come across, and who they were, if you remember.

I also found that I had some oriental seeds that actually put up a leaf, after making the little bulb, without a refrigeration cycle. It's a few in a batch of a cross. But indeed it is great when you don't have to do that extra waiting! Especially for the impatient, like me

I have had fresh oriental seeds behave like that, just a few from a batch. Typically 2 weeks on others, some sooner and some later.

Right now I have 33 baggies going of Asiatic, trumpet and 4n trumpet, and OT started. I'm keeping start date and germination date records and will be happy to share when everything is up. There may be a few duds from wide crosses, we'll see... (fingers crossed!).

Those Ortega OP seeds must have been squirming to make their break!

Wow, Nice Connie! What kind of Lilies are those in your avatar, can they be grown from seed? Do any of the Lilies come true from seed?

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Tracy, what kind of Lily do you have in your avatar? These are so beautiful. I just ordered a bunch of Lilies from Mamajacks co-op and I am planting for the first time.

susan

An interesting exercise, so I went back and looked at my records...

When I candle my seeds, often when they are put on my warm light board (a toy tracer) static electricity builds. I use to ever so lightly mist with water to calm them down. I did this with a Mrs. R. O. Backhouse martagon cross, and I apparently got a seed too wet and didn't let it dry sufficiently before I put them back into the little 2x3" ziplock plastic bag. When I removed them 2-3 days later to plant, that one had already started germinating. (But probably not as far along as you observed, Tracey.)



My longest would be those lilies that normally are quick germinators (epigeal) but waited until the second season (after a winter) to germinate. The first in this list is the longest overall, too:

Lilium philadelphicum - from four seeds: one germinated in 137 days
- two germinated on one year and 37 days (402 days)
Lilium mackliniae - From seven seeds: one germinated in 43 days
---four germinated in one year and 28 days (393 days)
Lilium maculatum cross - 298 days
Lilium leichtlinii collect in Japan - from 10 seeds: one germinated in 43 days
--seven germinated in one year 29 days (394 days)

Makes me out to be a very patient man, doesn't it...

As I was reading you germination times Lefty, I though, wow...does this guy have patience or what? Wow! I can't imagine that I would last as long as you did there. I usually give up somewhere around the 4-5 month mark.

The lily in my avatar is 'Pink Jazz', my favorite!

The 'Ortega' bunch was one that had a bit of mold on them for some reason and I just about threw them away. Had made up an extra baggie and in they went. I added a bit of ground cinnamon, a tip I think Polly gave a while back, that I found most certainly helps with those gnats and mold. I figured I gave them their best chance and who knew? Apparently they were just dying to get in some seed starting medium so they could "go to town". And they sure did.

Got a lily fridge for my b-day last fall from my sweet hubby. It is a dorm fridge now completely packed with oriental crosses from last year's pollinations. Oh dear. I went crazy!

Susan, the lilies in my avatar are L. pardalinum, of course. They can be grown from seeds but can take four years for the first bloom. Species lilies will grow true from seeds, though there can be minor variations.

All of those hybrid lilies from the co-ops will not grow true from seeds but can have a lot of variation from the parent plants. That is what makes it fun to do cross pollinations and grow new lilies from seeds.

I have a pots of Iris flavissima and I. bucharica going into their third year. I just stick them out into the winter weather in the fall and give protection from hot sun in the summer. I hope they do something this year, otherwise I just might give them the boot!

Thanks Ladies, they are beautiful.

Actually, it's not that I am soooo patient: it's just that I have so many pots of things, what's a few more to "take care of". It's not like they get any special care. If and when they come up, it's a bonus!

I neglected to mention that those that took more than a year went through the winter outside.

As a crazed collecter/seed grower, can i say that RG and Buggy are on equal 'par'[under natural growing conditions]not necissarily the best ones...Trumpets , poking up a whisp[or 1/2 a Mcdonalds- M] in 17 days..Patience is a virtue...They still make 'pets' chairs' n 'beer'- all great ponderin' items

Lefty, in your picture above, are those hypertufa-looking containers actual hypertufa, or are they made out of painted styrofoam? They're very nice!

goldfinch4 said:Lefty, in your picture above, are those hypertufa-looking containers actual hypertufa, or are they made out of painted styrofoam? They're very nice!

It's a mix. The 3 in the foreground are styrofoam. The others in view are hypertufa.

Very nice. That's a huge collection of plants!

And can only be appeased by getting 'HUGER'-..am i correct ,Rick?

gwhizz said:And can only be appeased by getting 'HUGER'-..am i correct ,Rick?

When you talk about appeasement regarding yourself, it is very subjective. (A redundant statement, I know.)

With respect to plants overall (not just lilies), if I had the time, I would realistically grow about twice as many species, and 5 times the number of plants, in a lot double the size. Alas, who has the time? Perhaps when I retire... I am a mad propagator. I attempt grow 100-150 new types of plants from seed every year. I'd say about half of those actually sprout. Thank goodness I have a ready donation outlet for my excess seedlings, etc. - our local chapter of the American Rock Garden Society.. Very few lilies, though. Most are very specialized.

While I don't necessarily claim to be a balanced person, one must balance their time, although I'm not sure I do well at that, either. Everyone wants to do more than they can do. Still, I am sufficiently appeased as it is.

What other types of plants do you propagate Rick, any and all, or do you stick to certain ones? I love to do shrubs. Not from seed, though, usually.

A few years ago I toyed with the idea of purchasing part of the farmer's field behind our lot and expanding my gardens. I'm glad I didn't - I have more than enough work in my gardens to keep me busy now.

Rick, you're 100% correct when you say everyone wants to do more than they can do. At 69 I have moderated realistically and learned to 'never bite off more than I can chew'. But the temptation and desire is still there--I get it every fall with seed collecting and every spring with seeding. I don't do any less than I ever did; just a better job. And for me planting 250/300 seeds, transplanting 125/150 new seedlings and culling 125/150 four year olds strikes a good balance. Then I still have a little time to do a little scale propagation just for fun and maybe a little grafting too. Then, I'm appeased!

PollyK said:What other types of plants do you propagate Rick, any and all, or do you stick to certain ones? I love to do shrubs. Not from seed, though, usually.

Favorite genera are Lilium and Iris, and in general alpine species and unusual woodlanders, and a smattering of everything else, including cactus (but not prickly pear types). Almost always species rather than hybrids, although I do dabble with my own crossings and the occasional meaningful hybrid from friends (like the Lilium pardalinum x L. maritumum). I would grow more trees and shrubs if I had the room, but I do those too. Thanks for reminding me before it is too late, Polly: I still need to stick cuttings of Korean and Hiba arborvitaes.