Jiffy Pellets and Mix (the Jiffy Mix Did Not Work Out)
The first seed tray worked out fine. It took a while for the pellets to expand, I guess because they were a year old. My other seed tray was not designed for the Jiffy pellets, but for another brand which is a little smaller. So Mr. Wonderful picked me up some of the smaller ones while he was out buying a new furnace filter. Maybe because they were fresh, or because they were a different brand, those ones soaked the water right up and expanded quickly.
Pink Texas Yucca Seeds from New Mexico
So now I have planted 10 Pink Texas Yucca, 9 heirloom tomato, and about 130 daylilies. (I forgot to do the preparation on the daylily seeds, so I am likely to get about a 10-15 percent success rate again. If I am more successful, then I will be planting a lot of seedlings in my mother’s back yard. If I am successful beyond my wildest dreams, then I will have to give some away.)
The Pink Texas Yucca seeds were sent to me by a blog friend in New Mexico. This plant is grown there where xeriscaping is a popular form of gardening. Although they might be a touch delicate for our winter, I plan to grow them as patio plants so I can move them to a sheltered location to overwinter.
My Greenhouse...er, I Mean Living Room
I suspect I will try planting some more Yucca seeds when I see the relative success rates for the daylilies sprouting.
Now, for the long months until spring I have been consoling myself with potted plants, mostly tulips, but here is a closeup of the gerbera daisy plant that currently keeps me grounded.
Gerbera Daisy Close Up
Photos belong to kbgardenblog.blogspot.com and may not be used without attribution.
8 comments:
Karen...I'm planting too! I'm in zone 2a...so it'll be a long time before they can go outside! I've never seen daylily seeds before...do you gtow them as an annual? Love your close up of the Gerbera Daisy...just goregeous!
Hi Alberta. I tried to visit your blog, but couldn't get access. Anyway, daylilies are perennials. I don't know if you can buy the seeds commercially. The ones I am using I harvested last year from my own daylily plants (of which I have 60+ varieties).
Here is a link to my post on collecting the seeds:
http://kbgardenblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/harvesting-daylily-seeds.html
I did not end up doing the cold stratification after all. I suppose I could still try, but I think I will just continue with what I've got.
What crosses did you make? This is my second year with daylily seeds...it is so much fun! I'm hoping to see first blooms this summer from at least some of last year's seedlings! Why do you think your germination will be poor? I generally get 80-100% to germinate...except those with Tet. Lavender Blue Baby, those I seem to only get 50%.
Anyway, good luck with yours!
Hi GG, I didn't use the proper numbers when I implied a 10-15% germination rate. The germination rate should be higher; 10-15% is the seedling survival rate another person got when using my seeds. My own seedling survival rate (after one winter in the garden) is around 20%, from a small sample.
I am just doing this for fun. I played bumblebee all summer, so I don't know which varieties are crossed with each other. (I know which varieties I have in my garden, and which ones are fertile. After that, anything goes.)
I suspect that part of my germination issues could be a result of not using cold stratification. (Perhaps the dormant varieties are not germinating?)
I'm no master gardener, so I'm just flying by the seat of my pants. However, I did get two of my seedlings to flower in 2006 (from seeds collected in fall 2004 and planted in spring 2005). A third plant survived the winter but did not flower. All of these were "Moonglow" since I was not doing any cross-fertilization in 2004.
Ah, I have some bee pods, too! It's still part of the fun...what will I get?? How wonderful to see your Moonglow offspring bloom and to know that no one else has ever seen such! That is the thrill I am waiting for!
I did once have some seedlings from some unnamed daylilies...I did nothing, it was all done by the bees and nature. They were interesting but not exciting, I'm afraid...and I needed the space. Now, I have a few regrets that I didn't keep them to play with; however, it did show me how tough they are.
I'm a bit lazy with my seeds. I just plant them! I know that many people recommend all kinds of methods (with great success), but I haven't the patience for it. I hope this year you will see better germination rates! (fingers crossed)
My last seeds from the LA came from Canada, by the way! Daylilies know no bounds...lol!
Peeked at your other blogs...wonderful! You are very talented!
sooooooooo, anything sprouting yet?
Hi, I see you are back? Nice to see your seedpots. I sow nothing indoor, my cats kill all plants. Outside I do it after the holidays, in the Middle of April.
Sigrun
Oh Karen! I didn't know that you back on your blog! You should have told me! Welcome back! :D
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