Yes, the genetics are the normal reason (I would think) of buying seedlings of the expensive plants.

Larry, you doll! That's just the answer I was hoping for!

A couple of these seedlings are next door to ugly, but the beautiful moms and dads are in there, right?

I will give them a home forever.

My eyes are smiling! Gorgerous, gorgeous seedlings folks!

Fred - Love your intro!

Karen - You certainly hit the jackpot with all the seeds you grew! Some really lovely seedling blooms!

Betty - THAT IS interesting how your bloom changed. I would imagine if you have pollen on the pod parent it should be good, but that is indeed an interesting question. If the pollen is fluffy I would think it was fertile, right?

Mary - I keep meh seedlings for that very reason. And sometimes a bloom will go from so-so to rather nice over a 3 year period. (Some do change for the better.) When I look at many of my seedlings, I could not tell who the parents are by just looking at them because many pick up genetics from two generations back. So that tells me it may take 2 generations for some genetics to show up. So you are right in assuming that the genetics are in those seedlings.

Mary this is an example of a meh seedling that I've kept for 3 years because of traits I like. It's (Jaws of life x Wolverine) and is a basic yellow 5 inch flower but it's 40 inches tall with 7 way branching and a 30-35 budcount. I wouldn't use a meh seedling in hybridizing if the flowers hang up or if they bloom in the foliage but everyone is different and there is no rules in hybridizing so use your seedlings how you see fit.

I so appreciate all your advice. I'll keep them and use them, and see what comes of it. I'm new at this, and the thought of composting all that tireless effort and dreams scares me.

Stunning all. Loving these.

I'm not a hybridizer, bought seeds one year and basically open pollinated the next. I keep track of parents I know.
Here's a few I like

josieskid said:

Sibling pics of Rose F Kennedy x Emerald Starburst

Mary, I think you and I may have close relation in seedlings! Your green looks alot like my green! Maybe they are cousins!

I've had such a busy season I haven't been on here but surely am enjoying all the beauties now that things are slowing down. Do your two greens above have some of the same genetics?

Here are some of my seedlings that bloomed this year:

Karen, wow! I think you're right! It looks like yours has the same diamond dusting, too.

Just a couple from me, the purple small flowered one from a couple of days ago. Please ignore the dead flowers, I put pollen on them yesterday. Colour is lovely on this one.


The Tuscawilla Tigress seedling (second year in garden) prefer this one in wet cooler weather but still nice.


Noid seedling (probably Stargate Portal as pod parent as I remember buying Stargate Portal seeds some years ago)


Can't decide whether to keep the last one, second year in garden and flowering low this year , but then again a lot of them are this year and it was well above the foliage last year.

I really like the colour but I don't really go for this shape and size.

Nikki,
Do you cut off the spent flower material (above the ovary) the day after you fertilize the bloom? Sometimes the old bloom will pull a new pod off with it's weight.

I usually do it on the second day, Leslie.

A few seedlings from Sunday:

Love the polys!! A beautiful pink one too from Cherry Stone. Just lovely!

Betja said:When my favorite seedling finally started blooming (late bloomer) and I brought it into the kitchen for pollinating, a couple of nights ago a bloom opened that seemed really dark in comparison with previous blooms I've seen on it -- plus I've never noticed a bloom on this seedling opening in the evening before. So I had this other bloom on one of Subhana Ansari's seedlings that I really love that opened at the same time -- and I crossed them with each other right then in my kitchen. And I repeated the crosses on the same pistils the next morning, just to make sure I was getting everything covered at hopefully the right time. Here is that darker bloom on my seedling:
TOOPHER x CASPER'S REVENGE


And here is Subhana's seedling bloom that I crossed it with -- both ways.


And here is what that same bloom on my seedling looked like the next morning:


Very interesting! I have no idea if making a cross in the evening will take. Does anyone else?

Betty - That's a really nice seedling! And the eye on Subhana's is gorgeous! Should (we hope don't we!) make some nice kids.

I've made crosses as late as 10pm and had them take. I've also heard but not verified that Rich Howard does his crossing in the late afternoon/early evening. I try to get done in the morning since I am outside and fighting the elements and pollen thieves.

White Tooth x Brer Rabbit and the Briar Patch. This one clearly went pack to the Fourth of July In Georgia side of BRBP.


Cosmic Aftershock x Shasta Blue Butterfly. Not at all what I was expecting...but teeth showing up on a dip. This might stick around a bit.


Shabby Chic x Van Helsing. I was hoping this would improve this year but nope.

bluegrassmom said:Love the polys!! A beautiful pink one too from Cherry Stone. Just lovely!

I'm pretty sure I got the seeds from Hemlady for Cherry Stone X Harmony Ruffles. Very pleased with that one!!