Hello Daylily Friends,
We have had so much rain, which is always a good thing in our daylily garden. I've enjoyed the new blooms, and I've been making some seeds,
but I've had trouble with
"Thrips." In the past I've tolerated this pest, and then two years ago I started adding BAYER'S "TREE AND SHRUB" to all of the daylily pots in the Greenhouse. The BAYER product is absorbed by the plant's roots, and if Thrips attempt to chew on the buds, the Thrips die. So, I've had no problems with Thrips in the Greenhouse. Two years ago I used BAYER's product on a few select rows in my outside garden, and after this application I likewise had no problems with
Thrips. Fast forward to this year: I didn't spray; I just let the garden grow naturally. Bad mistake! So I went to Griffin Greenhouse and Nursery Supply and purchased a small container of KONTOS, which cost a mere $170.00. I know that spraying now is certainly not optimal, but it has helped. Be assured that I will get this problem under control for next year's crop.
If anyone has any additional suggestions about Thrip control, I am a listening audience.
Little Lily Rae arrived this morning, and her Grandmother had previously purchased her a new "Umbrella." Lily Rae really likes the hearts on it, and she also likes the three, large Princess pictures on the Umbrella. This afternoon Lily Rae took a nap with her Grandmother, Diana Rae, and after she drank her milk she asked her Grandmother to sing "Amazing Grace." For quite a while I have sang this song to Lily Rae in our dining room where I have a stitching of the song on the wall. Lily Rae has seemed to always
like the song, but when Diana told me that she asked her to sing it, I was thrilled. Lily Rae even repeated some of he words and phrases from the song. Little Lily Rae is the best!
Two nights ago it really rained heavy here, and we received over 2 inches, as measured by our rain guage. On the TV news we heard reports of trees that had fallen, reports of homes that were damaged or destroyed, and of a number of streets that had to be closed. Well, notwithstanding all of this, our Seedling 1-408 just stood up straight and tall, and was just beautiful. Last night we had another inch of rain, and again, 1-408 is just perfect. No damage! Lily Rae and I
went out to see 1-408, and it stands above everything else in the Garden. It is 42" tall, and looks like it could be a spider except that it has round flowers that are 7 1/2" in diameter. It has 4-way branching and 27 buds. Indeed, 1-408 was chosen as the best large daylily at the Region 5 Conference held in 2012 in Savannah. You could look back at the blog on June 10, 2012, to read about the Regional Conference. Well, several days ago I took another picture of 1-408. It is just such a gorgeous daylily!
Many followers will also remember that I converted TET. HANDSOME ROSS CARTER. Well, the first year that I had the pollen from this conversion I made a cross with Seedling 1-408. Over the past two weeks a number of crosses that I made have been blooming, but the one that I like the most is Seedling 3-439. It is 25" tall, 3-way branching, 17 buds, and a 7" flower. In fact I'm so pleased that I'm now crossing 1-408 and 3-439 back and forth with each other. I'm enjoying working with these colors, and again, here is more evidence of what can be accomplished with conversions.
I see that we now have 96 followers. I'm so pleased that we have 96 friends who follow this blog, and I'm looking forward to when we reach the number 100, which I hope will be very soon.
Bill
Love the blog.Look forward to many more greenhouse adventures from you. Finished up my Daylily crossing this week. Way to hot here in Texas. In the next few years I plan to set seed in winter in the hot house. More time to kill weeds in spring .And easier to keep the climate right to get the desired crosses.
ReplyDeleteBill - I have been reading your blog pretty regularly for over 2 years now (just never registered an account) and thought I'd help you formally hit that 100 mark :-)
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are beautiful and 1-408 is a stunner!! Will this one make it to being registered and introduced? Would love to see how it grows in my yard in St. Louis.
Keep up the great work!!
My friends I am working as hard as I can to get my Greenhouse cleared of flowers from this past year. I've been planting numbered seedlings outside, I'm throwing away what I do not want, and sometimes I'm just throwing stuff away. I'm still collecting seeds, however, and this slows my work somewhat.
ReplyDeleteAs for 1-408, after today I'm thinking of registering this as an introduction for this coming year. I will have about 30 plants to sell, and will grow some more in the Greenhouse. Or I could wait another year and I would have about a hundred plants to sell. It is just such a spectacular flower. And, it isn't just my opinion since it was chosen by Region 5 as the best seedling for 2012. I may have to charge a larger price, but it would be worth the investment. It is pod and pollen fertile, and it is just beautiful all the time.
I also have to agree with our friend from Texas. It is so much easier to make seeds in the Greenhouse. In fact, if I can't make a seed in the Greenhouse, then the seeds simply can't be made. I also find it hard to make seeds with many garden visitors. Of course there are some seeds that have to be made now or else time and opportunity are lost.
I am looking forward to reaching 100 followers on the blog. When this happens we will have to have a party!
Bill
Hi Bill,
ReplyDeleteLily Rae's photos are always so much FUN to view....Lily Rae I LOVE your umbrella!!
& what a selling view of 1-408 in the garden with LR & yourself...
Looks like a wonderful Plant!
My plants from you this spring are starting to scape & bloom. They still are in pots & growing nicely...IRISH HALO had its first bloom yesterday...beautiful...had to save the pollen;)
Hi Lori,
ReplyDeleteGlad that you like Lily Rae's photos! Also delighted that your plants are doing well! I think that I will wait until 2014 to introduce 1-408.
I'm making a lot of seeds using Seedling 3-374, which is a seedling from TET. SUNGLASSES NEEDED. (See Blog Entry on 4-23-2013). I'm crossing 3-374 with Jim Netherton's JACKSON CARTER.
Thanks for your Note. Still looking for follower number 100.
Bill
Bill,
ReplyDeleteThere is some really great natural ways of getting rid of thrips and spider mites. There is a predatory bug called Phytoselulus Persimilis which you can buy from a company called Green Methods (www.greenmethods.com). It is a natural way to get rid of these pests. I remember you had a row of arborvitae and I'm sure that evergreen attracts spider mites. Anyway hope this helps. Also absolutely LOVE seedling I-408!
Anything that is that tall must get introduced! Hope all is well with you and Diana.
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the help with Phytoselulus Persimilis. I will introduce 1-408 in 2014 so that I can meet the potential demand.
Bill
Hi Marty,
ReplyDeleteThanks for being person number "One-Hundred (100)" who has joined BILL'S DAYLILY CORNER! It is great to have you on our team. Send me your full name, your picture, and your address, and if you agree, I will show you on the blog. Also, I will give you one of my introductions this coming fall.
Again, glad to have you on board.
Bill