Excellent informative thread on Bud Builders. Along with RE + IRE + EE + E + high-bud-count cultivars, BB also assist in extending our daylily bloom season into & over the shoulder periods. ...... PUMPKIN TIME consideration breaks out to two points: Bud Building + Late Blooming. PT's breeder is little known (Outside of region #4) Bob Sobek of Massachusetts. Bob also has at least one other strong bud builder bred & introduced with his SEVENTH INNING STRETCH which is open in my garden again this morning & will probably be opening blooms here through most of September based upon previous seasons.
7IS is a bold, rich, outstanding, reliable red (Not exaggerated) .... Bob Sobek breeds for & has introduced several EE & L + VL over the years, cultivars that perform here quite well in south-central Ontario (Z4 USA/Z5 Canada). Even at this late date - meaning pods will not ripen until well into October - I will use 7IS pollen on 5-6 seedlings & registered cultivars that are in bloom this morning. Although I would not classify 7IS as an EMO or CMO, it does open well & wide within a few hours of breaking-dawn hereabouts. (I will cross it this AM with a few EMO's & known CMO's - We experienced a very warm overnight temp)
A consideration for those 'perfectionists' that desire neat proper foliage & balanced scapes with visually satisfying branching ... Bud builders will be a compromise for you, a test for your aesthetic acceptance filter. To get those late blooms, you must accept exposed 'worn' scapes & branches with bud scars very evident. The usually single blooms (per scape) are positioned well above the foliage on the previously described 'distorted' scapes.
One other factor to keep in mind with 'Lates' is CMO (Cool morning opening). Once the mid-August mark is passed on the calendar the evenings often cool down (Certainly so for September around these parts.) Many cultivars simply do require heat to properly ('mechanically') open to greet the day. Restricted by undesirable night-time & early morning temperatures, some never do open fully even as the morning progresses & thus air temps rise. Certainly a factor to consider for those selecting L & VL cultivars for their display collections (And seedlings to breed with). (Why bring in cultivars that bloom L & VL when their blooms will be mishaped or remain as buds throughout that cool autumn day ....)
Bob Sobek's introductions + availbility can best be found with his file on Charlottes Daylily website.
- MGP
