Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Conversions Hopes and Concerns

Hello Daylily Friends,

Yesterday morning my good friend David Arthur was in the greenhouse and we looked at the various conversions where my attention has been focused over the past several months. David really "patted me on the back," saying that everything looked very good and even more importantly, that I had not lost a single plant. I admit that David's comments made me feel encouraged. However, I have heard hybridizers report that they achieve success at over 90% in their conversion efforts. I think most of these comments were made when the hybridizer was at about the place that I am now. Things look good, but sometimes they will not stay good.

Then, only a few hours after David's compliments, yesterday afternoon revealed a potential calamity. I noticed that Seedling One was becoming discolored. I was stressed and concerned. I did not wait. I immediately took my pin knife and cut away the ugly, discolored foilage, and tried to eliminate the deteriorated part of the daylily. From the places where I cut away foilage I saw moisture oozing through the plant. It was obvious that too much moisture had been applied when I watered. Like I said earlier, "water is an enemy to the conversion process." After I completed cutting Seedling One I then took some power that I use to absorb moisture that also helps to stop the potential for continuing deterioration. I will now show Seedlings One and Two as they appeared this morning, February 24, 2009.


Seedling One is on the above left, and Seedling Two is on the above right. On Seedling One you can see where I cut away the deteriorating foilage and applied the power. On Seedling Two you can see that I have been cutting the foilage with my pin knife. I am still hopeful that both seedllings will be converted.

Another Seedling that merits attention is OUR FRIEND TOM WILSON. I am herewith showing the picture I took of it this morning. It looks to me like the center growth is successfully emerging and that the conversion work is proving to be successful.

A second Seedling that likewise merits attention is ESP. Last year I had ESP partly converted but with only about 5% tetraploid pollen. I am now trying to achieve a full conversion. I also had to cut ESP to eliminate deteriorating foilage that was rotting, and I also applied the powder to stop further deterioration. Here is a picture of ESP:

The last Seedlilng that I am showing is VIRGINIA FRANKLIN MILLER. I also thought last year that I had this plant converted, but it was only a moderately successful effort. So, I am again
treating VIRGINIA FRANKLIN MILLER. This daylily looks good.

I could write more but that is the conversion report for this morning.


Bill Waldrop

2 comments:

  1. conversion looks promising! great macro shots with clear focus.

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  2. To dwhr: Thanks. I've decided that I have ESP converted. I had it partly converted last year and now this year it is "hard as a rock." I am also very confident that I have OUR FRIEND TOM WILSON and WAXEN SPLENDOR converted. I'm about to go to speak to a daylily club in San Diego, California. When I return I will update the conversion efforts.

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