Sunday, October 31, 2010

Congratulations to my friend "Larry"!

Hello Daylily Friends,

This afternoon I turned on my computer and immediately saw that my good friend Larry Grace had won the AHS Stout Medal. What an accomplishment! This is truly a lifetime achievement. Larry's J. T. DAVIS is an outstanding daylily that will be treasured by all of us for a long, long time. I am fortunate to know that Larry works very hard to produce only the very, very best. Indeed, J. T. DAVIS is the very, very best. Congratulations to Larry.

I am also pleased to see that three (3) of my own daylilies won AHS Honorable Mention awards. The three that won these awards are KENNESAW MOUNTAIN HAYRIDE, PASTOR LAURIE ANN MOELLER, and DIANA'S PINK GOWN. I am so thrilled!

I am particularly delighted that KENNESAW MOUNTAIN HAYRIDE won the Honorable Mention award in position number 11. It received 69 votes from 12 of our 15 regions. I knew that the HAYRIDE was a very good daylily, and this past week-end my good friend Ted Preuss from Mississippi said that he grew it and that it was indeed beautiful. Ted was very pleased with the Hayride. I would have been encouraging others to vote for the HAYRIDE at the Clubs we have visited, but I haven't had the plant to auction. I only initially sold about 15 of the HAYRIDE, and so for having sold so few, it certainly has been spread across our many regions. I would note that Larry's J. T. DAVIS is one of the parents of the HAYRIDE. The other parent is (ED BROWN x TET. DENA MARIE). I had thought that perhaps the HAYRIDE did better in southern climates, but apparently it does well in many climates.

This past spring when Diana and I attended the AHS National Convention in Valdosta, Georgia, I was particularly pleased to see our PASTOR LAURIE ANN MOELLER growing in a number of gardens. PASTOR MOELLER is beautiful, and is a 7" flower when it first blooms. I registered it as a semi-evergreen, but from a number of years of training, I now see that it is a "dormant." It is also a lovely daylily, and always looks beautiful in the garden. It was in position 77 on the Honorable Mention chart, and was selected by four separate regions. I was also pleased to see that one of my first introductions, DIANA'S PINK GOWN, was in position 90, and was also selected by four separate regions.

Thanks to everyone who voted for KENNESAW MOUNTAIN HAYRIDE, PASTOR LAURIE ANN MOELLER, and DIANA'S PINK GOWN.

Change of subject to my current work on a few conversions. I am showing three pictures, and these are of MIXED BERRY JAM, MIMOSA UMBRELLA, and ROSABELLE VAN VALKENBURGH. I am not sure whether I should cut these conversions. As you can see from looking at each of the three plants, they all show the effects of being treated with Coltricine. The biggest of the three is MIXED BERRY JAM. It is growing so well with no sign of disease. I am inclined to cut into it to keep the growing tip emerging. I have never been able to convert MIMOSA UMBRELLA, but this time I think I have made progress. I am not inclined to cut this daylily because it seems that the area is open for the growing tip to emerge. Finally, I am inclined to cut ROSABELLE. She is so "cupped" that she just seems to plead for an opening cut for her growing tip to grow. Looking foward to any replies that anyone might have. I would like to have replies within 24 to 48 hours.

Bill

10 comments:

  1. CONGRATULATIONS!!!
    I noticed your three on the HM list and was very proud of you. WAY TO GO.
    I added the PASTOR to my garden here in Michigan this year, so I am anxious to see it in bloom next year.

    Congratulations, again!!! Hooray!

    Nikki Schmith
    blogging daylilies at: http://zoominblooms.blogspot.com

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  2. Hi Nikki,
    You are the first person on the blog to send a note about the three (3) Honorable Mentions. I am so pleased. It is like winning a big jury verdict, only better! You will truly like PASTOR MOELLER; it will grow very, very well for you where you live. It likes cold weather, and its blooms are just glorious. We are looking forward to coming to visit your club, and thank you so much for encouraging your club's ivitation. As for the KENNESAW MOUNTAIN HAYRIDE, I have about six plants and now I must grow them in the Greenhouse to encourage multiplication. The most encouraging part of the HM award is that the HAYRIDE was chosen by members in 12 of the 15 regions. Quite frankly, I am astounded, pleased, surprised and glad. Thanks so much for your Monday morning note.
    Bill

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  3. Hello Daylily Friends,
    Well I see that no one from across the world had a comment as to whether I should cut into my conversions. Well, I decided to cut them all except for MIMOSA UMBRELLA. I know that once a treated daylily "cups" that the growing tip has to grow through the center of the cup. If there is no cut to allow the growing tip to emerge, then, in all likelihood, rot begins inside from inside the cup. I didn't cut MIMOSA UMBRELLA because the area where its growing tip is expected to emerge is already open.
    Bill

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  4. Bill,


    I like it when a daylily that is deserving wins the stout. J.T. Davis is one of those daylilies! I've seen other daylilies win the stout in years past that I felt were less deserving. No names. Sometimes politics plays a hand in who wins the stout. Some better daylilies get overlooked. Congratulations on all your honorable mentions. I am particularly fond of Kennesaw Mountain Hayride of course. I bloomed a few seedlings from it, and hope to see more next year. I'll keep ya posted. I am interested in growing Pastor Laurie Ann Moeller, but not sure if you have any to sell. If you do, perhaps I will include it with a spring order. I would love to give you feedback about your diploid conversions, but I'm afraid I am not even remotely an expert in that arena.....yet. I hope to learn from your blog and some other hybridizers teachings. All the best!

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  5. Paul I'm so glad to have your thoughts. I also agree that J. T. DAVIS is a great daylily and is deserving of our highest honor. I'm so pleased for Larry. For him to achieve this honor is certainly a wonderful, incredible accomplishment. I will soon tell the story of how PASTOR MOELLER and KENNESAW MOUNTAIN HAYRIDE were created, and Larry's role in the process. I also will tell a new story about the current crop of conversion efforts. All will be good news. Stay tuned.
    Your friend, Bill

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  6. Hello Bill,
    congratulations on your achievement awards (HM) - it must be very exciting! I was wondering what granular fungicide product it appears you have used to maintain your treated plants "post-op." I have had some issues with rot (maybe due to too much moisture) and would be interested in testing some preventative treatments.
    Many thanks,
    Dan Robarts

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  7. That's great for Larry! I enjoyed this post, Dad. :)

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  8. Hi Dan,
    I don't even remember what it is that I am using because I bought it many years back; I just know that it is supposed to help prevent rot. I can't even really say that I have been successful in preventing rot. Post-op on my conversions is mainly removing old dead material around the treated area. I try to remove it all, and I try to get this done a number of days before I apply water. I would also say that in the treatment process water is an enemy. You want to avoid water for at least 20 days prior to treatment, and then avoid water for 10 to 20 days after treatment. Conversion is a difficult task, and success with the process usually involves some element of "luck." Thanks for your note.
    Bill

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  9. Hi Kelley,
    Larry has many friends who are all so happy about his tremendous accomplishment! He has done an amazing task. He has achieved the highest hybridizing honor that the AHS can bestow.
    Dad

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  10. I have been successful in killing most of my conversions and am thinking I need to ask you a few questions. How much Coltricine (drops) are you applying? How often and how long do you apply treatment? Do you apply more drops if the crown is larger?

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