My 2010 Daylily Seeds are Planted!

Good Afternoon Daylily Friends,

Today is an important day. I have finally finished planting all of my 2010 daylily seeds. First I had to take all of my seeds from the refrigerator, and it took me almost three days to then collate, alphabetize, and numerically identify all of my crosses. When I finally finished this work I was amazed at how many seeds I had. There must be at least 5,000 to 7,000 seeds. Of course, I cannot plant this many seeds, so I have to select what I think are the best seeds and then I plant only a certain number of the best seeds. In my humble opinion, the quality of work of a hybridizer is not how many seeds are produced. Instead, quality is determined (1) by the crosses made, and (2) by ultimate seeds selected for planting. I cannot maintain and keep a watchful eye on more than 2,500 to 3,000 seeds. If I have more seeds I just cannot make the best selections for ultimate introductions. I'm showing a picture of my seedlings all scattered across my basement floor.

I actually started planting the seeds on Monday, August 3, 2009. I had a busy week with a number of duties away from my garden, but this morning my "seed-planting" work was finished. The first picture that I am showing displays the 3,022 seeds that I planted. Believe me, this is plenty of seeds. I know of some hybridizers who have reported planting 40,000 seeds, I know of others who have reported planting 10,000 seeds, and then many who have reported planting 5,000 seeds. I'm reasonably confident that these are probably successful efforts, "but-for-me," the number of seeds to plant is around 3,000. If I can't create first-class, beautiful, different and stunning daylilies with 3,000 seeds, well, then, that would not be good. In the second picture shown in this paragraph I am showing a front row that is for my beautiful wife, Diana Rae. In this row she will be able to plant 144 seeds.

I have planted my seeds in "Peat Pots." These peat pots are about three inches square, and they are in thin plastic trays. When a daylily sprouts it usually throws a long vertical roots that goes deep into the soil. However, in the peat pots the root will circle the inside of the peat pot and will then penetrate the pot and will circle the outside of the pot, but inside the plastic trays. When the peat pots are then taken for planting in the ground in the outside garden, there is no disturbance of the roots. The plants are just not that affected. They go right back to growing as if they had always been outside. The plants that are placed in one gallon containers that stay in the Greenhouse likewise are not affected by the movement. The use of three inch peat pots is a wonderful way to get daylilies growing from seed.

Believe it or not, my Seedling 7-233 is still blooming. It just grows and grows, and it is a tough daylily. It has never been adversely affected by the outside weather. No matter how cold the winter might be, 7-233 just blooms so beautifully with those green edges. I suppose its height of 30 inches is a big, big plus. I have also found that its bud count is around 20 buds. Although 7-233 grows so well for me here in north Georgia, I would think it would do even better in warmer climates. One thing is for sure, it passes its green edges to its seedlings and I would like to again point out two of these seedlings. One of the seedlings showing the green edges, "WITH-RAZOR-SHARP-TEETH," is Seedling 9-38. What a stunning daylily! Another new daylily from 7-233 is Seedling 9-109. It has plenty of attributes including branching and bud count. The green edge is obvous! I am now certain that 7-233 and Kaskel's Seedling Best Edge, together produce first class, new, "cutting-edge-daylilies." It is just so exciting to see 7-233 bloom with its green edge, and know that it was created here in my back yard. Indeed, it is a legitimate, cutting edge daylily that cannot be ignored.

Here's to hoping that you have had a great daylily day!

Bill