Viewing post #2094351 by kousa

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.