I am excited to see about 40+ seedlings bloom next year! I only had one to bloom out of the group this year. It was from a nice cross out of yours Cindy. I didn't get a picture

touchofsky said:

You mention warning of what not to do when hybridizing such as put a pretty face with a pretty face. Are there any other warnings! A newbie to hybridizing wants to know

I'm a newbie also (started pollination in 2015 and planted the seedlings this year). Learned all I know here on garden.org/allthingsplants. But from what I've read from more experienced hybridizers, you should be looking also at the plants foliage, strength of scapes, rust is very important in the zones that have that issue to deal with (I fortunately do not.). Many will focus on one or two particular goals such as doubles, patterns, much more...help me out here all you experienced hybridizers I know there are lots of things to consider when picking a likely couple to blend.

Hi, Sue
Glad to see you posting on the seedling page! I have another late group of seedlings on my front porch in a large pot. I also am excited to be harvesting some nice crosses from early summer. I was gone over 2 weeks on vacation and a few pods had opened at the top but the seeds were still there, thankfully.

petruske said:

I'm a newbie also (started pollination in 2015 and planted the seedlings this year). Learned all I know here on garden.org/allthingsplants. But from what I've read from more experienced hybridizers, you should be looking also at the plants foliage, strength of scapes, rust is very important in the zones that have that issue to deal with (I fortunately do not.). Many will focus on one or two particular goals such as doubles, patterns, much more...help me out here all you experienced hybridizers I know there are lots of things to consider when picking a likely couple to blend.

The only thing you need to do: work within the limitations you have. Garden space and the cultivars you grow are the only limiting factors.
Choose flowers you like and learn what has good pollen and what will set seeds. Make crosses with anyting you like. If you are not supposed to mix a pretty face with a pretty face then I need to stop hybridizing. I only grow daylilies with pretty faces- are there any other kind? I can give you examples of plants that perform poorly for me but I still use in hybridizing. I have seedlings from some of them that are better than the parent plants. It can sometimes be your growing zone or conditions that make a daylily under perform in your garden. It may have genetics to perform well and crossing it could give a good hybrid.
Have fun and enjoy what you are doing and it is always special to see that seedling bloom for the first time.
I am not very focused to a particular goal except to make some very good seedlings. I have a large collection of miniature flowers and still collecting. Mini blooms and patterns have been my biggest focus in 2016, Ashton works on large flowers with edges, patterned eyes and watermarks. That means between two hybridizers we do lots of different things. Some new intros will be selected from our seedling this year.
Terry

What is the latest date that you have planted seeds? I noticed on the email robin that some folks had seeds sprouting in the pod! We have had record rainfall but I haven't noticed this in my garden. They thought it might be due to so much rain and high humidity.

@kidfishing
Great comments. I think I may give Creature of the Night a try next year. Wanted to use it but it has rather whimpy scapes so I didn't even try to use it even though I love the bloom. Maybe I'll look over what I have and pick a couple that have hefty scapes and try crosses with it. I wish I were about 20 years younger so I could really get into this. It's so much FUN and haven't even seen blooms from my seedlings yet. I can only imagine what that's going to be like.

Here is a pic of seeds harvested today. The pod was cracked open but green.


Some Daylilies pass on certain traits. For example, I bought Rose F Kennedy in 2012.
Very expensive back then, but I have over 100 seedlings from it. It passes on great scapes and great seed pod production to almost all of them.
If it is an RFK kid, I can set pods that will be loaded with good seeds and it will have a strong sturdy scape.

That is good to know. I added it just this summer. I do have several pods I am waiting on from Isabelle Rose

Hemlady said:I started getting damping off when I was growing seeds indoors. I now only grow them outdoors in pots and have had no trouble except for critters tipping my pots over.

How big are they when you plant them outdoors? Maybe the question should be how many leaves? I have a batch growing indoors right now, but the biggest has only 3 leaves and winter is a-comin' so I'm not sure what to do next or when!

I wonder if those traits continue to pass on to the grandchildren seedlings? I have some children seedlings with RFK genes that I was thinking of crossing if they bloom well next year.

I can recommend Rose F Kennedy genetics but I don't know about the performance in all growing zones.
I have lots of RFK grandchild seedlings to start blooming next year as well. The seedlings that are rising to the quality of registration worthy include some RFK kids in our gardens.
Here are 6 that could be named and registered as we get enough plant inventory of each.
12-230
38 inches, 6 inch bloom 5 branches 25-30 buds

12-724 30 inches, 8 inch bloom 15 buds and still reblooming on the third rebloom scape.

12-300 40 inches, 7 inch bloom 5 branches 30 buds

12-301 26 inches 6.5 inch bloom 3 branches 14 buds reblooms and was one of the longest blooming.

12-220 34 inches 6 inch bloom 4 branches 20 buds

12-205 26 inches, 6 inch bloom, 5 branches 20-25 buds


Rose F Kennedy grandkids (these are pretty good for scapes and they are easy pod parents. I will have to evaluate them over time.)
All first year blooms in 2016.
These are all from 12-205

what can I say ? Those seedlings are fabulous, Terry! Definitely registration worthy by bloom beauty alone!!!

Wow! Those are beautiful, congrats!! Hard to pic a favorite but I am a big purple fan, so I think the third one

Barbalee said:

How big are they when you plant them outdoors? Maybe the question should be how many leaves? I have a batch growing indoors right now, but the biggest has only 3 leaves and winter is a-comin' so I'm not sure what to do next or when!

I usually plant them with 3 or more leaves. I actually have some that are ready to plant but it has been too hot. I think in your climate you should be fine. They should have enough time to settle in.

Teresa, that sounds like a great cross to me.
You could get some really wow seedlings from Isabelle Rose x Rose F Kennedy.

Barbalee,
We are in the same growing zone of 7a. Last year we experienced a very warm and dry late summer and fall. I had about 2000 seedlings that I wanted to get in the ground but kept waiting on some rain and better conditions. I finally got lots of them planted at the end of October and the first week of November. I thought it was a risk getting them in the ground so late. The survival rate of my seedlings is well over 90%. These were established seedlings but very small. some were only 2 or 3 inches with 2 leaves. None of them bloomed this year but a good percentage have increased and are looking good.
It is too hot for planting here with temps in the upper 90's and 100. We won't get ours planted this year until late September.

Terry, They are all gorgeous, but I particularly like number two from 12-205!

Here are my Oct/Nov 2015 seed starts on July 29th.

@kidfishing and @hemlady: thanks for the seedling advice! I'm building a raised seedling bed, so I think the ones that continue surviving will go out the first of September. This will give them a good 2 months to establish before the cold begins.

Barbalee, you will most likely be just fine with that plan. Having made lots of crosses and knowing other who do also, the genetics in your seedlings makes a difference in survival and performance. The genetic make up of your plants and your growing zone make the difference.

Valerie,
the seedling you mention is seedling 12-205 x
Seedling 12-450 (This one I moved in 2015 and did not see it bloom this year. I will have to see if I can find it.)

Peter, good looking plants and setup. I am sure you have some nice crosses in there.