I have some seeds from a trade, but an procrastinating planting them because I don't know how. Help!

Andi,
I have only been starting DL seeds for a couple of years now but I have learned from the best on what to do. I place my seeds in a ziplock bag and put in a few drops of water to keep seeds from drying out. Leave the seeds in fridge for a few weeks, they recommend at least three weeks. Then you have a couple of options, I place mine in another ziplock bag and add a mixture of 1 to 3 parts Hydrogen Peroxide and water til seeds are floating or covered with solution. I then place baggies in a warm place and check them every day. If the seeds are good they will produce a small white "thingy"(not a technical term, sorry). This is when I put the seeds in soil. I usually pick just the ones that have sprouted, some times I put all of the seeds from the baggie in soil. sprouting can take anywhwere from 1 day to as much as a couple of months or more. I also try to change the H2O2 and H2O solution every other day or so.Some people suggest to place seeds on a damp paper towel and fold towel over seeds and place in a baggie and store in a warm place and seeds will sprout for them. I think either way is fine and whatever works. Sometimes people just plant them in soil like any other seed. I do not know what germination rate they have but like I said whatever works.

hope this helps.
taj

To late to plant them with the method I used when I was still able to grow my own. I follow what Curt Hanson, Dottie Warrell and others do.

When I harvest seed, I let it sit out for a few days, then put in small paper envelopes that I leave the end open, so it is not sealed. I store the envelopes in a box, on a bookshelf until end of October. I plant them outdoors, in prepared beds. I put them about half inch apart, about a half inch deep. Then forget them until spring, when you will see them coming up. When they are several inches tall, they get transplanted to be a few inches apart. There they grow until they bloom.

It is true that some will sprout in the fall, as soon as they are planted, but it was explained to me that those are seeds that would grow up to be evergreens, so you don't want them anyway. I still had very good germination.

It is the no muss, no fuss way to start seeds. I have had them dry on a shelf for 2 years and still had 75% germinate.

I found the coolest website with step by step photos from pollinating to seedling,

I started my first daylily seeds with this method.
If you click the pictures, there are written instructions.

http://www.pbase.com/ewelch/hy...

Joy

That is a great photo story of how to hybridizing. I wonder who Eldon Welch is... I don't remember hearing that name. I didn't see a way to contact him. I'd love to add this link to a sticky here in the seeds forum.

Thanks for posting the link. Nice explanations with pictures.

You could try entering something in his guest book. http://www.pbase.com/ewelch/gu...

Thank you for the advice. I wintersowed a batch of them from a swap. I also started some inside on a heat mat. I'll check in with the results. I usually deadhead flowering bulbs as soon as the flower is spent, but if I let any go to seed, I think I will try the "October Method."