Thursday, May 2, 2013

I Suppose that I'm Now Committed to "Doubles."

Hello Daylily Friends,

I thought that all five of the seedlings that I made from using TET. SUNGLASSE NEEDED would be big, yellow doubles, but I was mistaken.  I've just had Seedling 3-397 to bloom, and it certainly isn't a yellow double.  Instead, it looks somewhat like BUZZ SAW BOOGIE, the pod parent, but
 on steroids, with a more emphatic size and color.  It is 32" tall with 4-way branching, and 25 buds.  The flower is 8 1/2" in diameter.  It is difficult to know how 3-397 will perform in a cold climate since both the pod and pollen parents were produced in south Georgia.  However, I would expect that it would do well, and would not have a problem.  We'll find out this coming winter.

Another double that has just bloomed is Seedling 3-394, and it is 35" tall with 6-way branching, and 24 buds.  It is like Seedlings 3-374 and 3-392, in that it is 9" in diameter.  Just a monster big flower.  The 6-way branching is most impressive.  The only doubles that I've had in the Greenhouse to use with my seedlings from TET. SUNGLASSES NEEDED are William Marchant's VIVA GLAM GIRL, and of course my own Seedling 3-353.  Unfortunately, I can't set but just a few pods on 3-353, and so I will have to wait for this seasons initial bloom on TET. SUNGLASSES NEEDED.   I will just use the pollen again to make more seedlings.  I have set numerous pods on VIVA GLAM GIRL.

This past Friday my lovely wife, Diana Rae, had some painting done in the house.  In the family room she had the ceiling and walls painted, and this required the movement of my "Grandfather's Clock."  When the painter's finished their work they put the Clock back in place, but it did not "tik-tok."  When Little Lily Rae came over on Monday she was most distressed that the clock did not work, and she opened the door to perhaps identify the problem.  Fortunately the painter's came back and fixed the Clock before Lily Rae returned on Wednesday.  Lily Rae really likes the Grandfather's clock, and she always listens to hear it go "tik-tok."

Oh, let me tell you something else that happened.  Later on Monday afternoon I went to the U. S. Post Office to mail several daylilies to friends, and I noticed that the person standing in front of me was wearing a gun on his belt.  It seemed to be to be a "Beretta," although I am certainly not an expert on the different styles of firearms.  There has been much public discussion about weapons, but I nevertheless thought that it was unusual to see someone wearing a gun in the Post Office.  In a odd way it was perhaps like the old west with "Billy-the-Kid" and "Clint Eastwood."

Anyway,  I had a red seedling with teeth to bloom.  The parents are IWANNA PIRANHA, and my own Seedling 11-266.  This plant is now Seedling 3-402.  It is 28" tall with 6-way branching, and 38 buds.  The flower is 5 3/4" in diameter.  There are nice teeth on the sepals, but not as much on the petals.  I crossed  3-402 using pollen from my earlier Seedling 3-309.  I will hopefully get to a very tall red with teeth everywhere, but so much work is still ahead.

More news soon!

Bill

6 comments:

  1. Bill, I love it that you are getting hooked on doubles. My seedlings should begin blooming in about 2 weeks. I have a great many double seedlings that will bloom for the first time very soon. I can't wait. I am hoping for some very large UF doubles in the beds.

    BLAZING CANNONS has been gorgeous. It is also an easy pod parent. I have used frozen pollen and have a couple of pods set. It has two huge rebloom scapes starting up.

    Keep on posting those gorgeous photos of those doubles.

    William

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  2. Ok William, more doubles coming. I'm so pleased to hear the good news about BLAZING CANNONS. I did not anticipate the demand for this large red beauty, but next year I should be able to meet the demand. It grows really well after a cold winter. And, even if there isn't a cold winter, it still does really well.

    I'm so pleased that you sent VIVA GLAM GIRL over for me to grow. It has saved me. I should soon be blooming both TET. VANILLA FLUFF and TET. MADGE CAYSE. I realize that these plants do not have branching, but they are beautiful doubles.

    Speaking o TET. MADGE CAYSE, I saw it bloom in South Dakota and it had branching. Maybe it will do this for me as well in its tet. form.

    Bill

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  3. Hi Bill...
    Great doubles....you are having so many directions of interest in your DLs...must be very exciting to walk into your GH every morning...
    Loved Lily Rae's photo of her Gfather clock...
    isn't it illegal to "pack" in Ga
    postoffices...was it a real gun?
    Interesting ...;)

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  4. Hi Lori,

    That gun looked "real" to me, and there has been a genuine effort by the NRA and its supporters to allow guns to be carried in bars and in Church. In fact, someone else may know, but I think that guns can even now be carried in a bar here in Georgia.

    Little Lily Rae was so happy when the Gfather Clock began to chime and tic-tok again. She is the most fun.

    I'll say this about growing more types of daylilies: it takes a lot more work!

    Bill

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  5. Bill,


    Looks like you are opening new doors for doubles breeding. I'm sure you and David K. will have to sit down and have a chat about the best doubles to breed with. I only grown one and it's one of David's. It's called Debutante Double and it is phenomenal here in the north. I've never tried to cross with it as doubles just aren't my thing, but I appreciate their beauty.

    As to the gentleman in the post office with a gun...he probably has a conceal/carry license or permit which allows him to carry that firearm. The only reason I know that is because my stepfather has the same permit. I agree with you, it doesn't make one feel calm seeing someone carrying a firearm out in the open. How do we know he isn't some lunatic ready to snap? I think the only people to be allowed to carry firearms in public are policemen and anyone in the armed forces. Just recently here in Middlefield, Ohio (which is this quaint Amish town) a man got out of his car and started firing an AK47 at two police officers. (you may have seen this on the news.)The police officers fired back and the man is now deceased. They showed on our local news the amount of firearms the man had at his disposal in the car that day. Some changes need to be made. It's a sad time we live in. Sorry to voice my opinions on this on your blog. Love your new daylilies!

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  6. Hi Paul,

    Well I reluctantly posted the picture of the man with the gun on his belt that I saw in the Post Office. I realize that people should have access to weapons, but publicly carrying a weapon in a public building raises issues that are unsettling.

    I really like doubles. I am so intrigued by the possibilities. Being able to convert diploids to tetraploids, as I was able to do with TET. SUNGALSSES NEEDED, gives me a helpful boost.

    Oh, I should also let you know that I have set a pod on TET. PINK STRIPES, and I have also set pods using its pollen. The key is whether I ultimately produce seeds. I'll keep you posted.

    Bill

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