Hello all. Looks like a great friendly group here. Some on the group may know me from the Yahoo lilium forum or the NALS seed exchange.

Intro: Name is Hank Z, live in western NY state near the Falls. The growing zone here is 6a. Normally the winters don't get too cold, and there is a fair amount of snow cover, so most lilies do fine here. This year there is not much snow however, and we're seeing the coldest temps in the last 20+ years.

I have been growing and hybridizing lilies since 1993. I live on a small city sized lot and grow more lilies than most would think is possible. I usually do between 400 and 600 crosses per year. I have planted as many as 300 seed lots during a year. First year seedlings are in 3.25" pots under lights indoors. Second year asiatics go into 1 gallon pots outside, trumpets and OTs go into the ground. Most of the asiatic seedlings flower in the second year, some of the OTs take an extra year.

I have LOTS and LOTS of hybrid lily photos to post in a separate thread, that is if people don't mind seeing the pix posted off-season (it is the only time of year I have free time to post them).

Photo attached is a new OT seedling of mine. (Most of my seedlings are now sdlg x sdlg crosses)

Hi Hank, glad to have you join us!

PLEASE post pics ~ especially off-season. You're off to a good start with that pic above.

Absolutely gorgeous baby you've posted Hank, beautiful work. Please post more!

What lines are you breeding with? Do you have a favourite group to play with?

And welcome

Hi and welcome Hank! Yes, I recognize you from the NALS lists. Chances are I have some of your seeds! I can assure you that there is no such thing as too many photos here .

Welcome Great to have you here! I look forward to sharing our thoughts along the way. I do about 30 lots per year, mostly Div. VI material.

Cold? I'll say! Last fall I mulched heavily with pine boughs and oak leaves. I put on more than usual; about 10 to 12 inches, and after I had done it, I started to worry that maybe I put on too much. But the way this winter is turning out, now I'm glad I did!

Picture Time!

Welcome Hank! I've only been here for a month but already feel like I'm "home." The guys and gals are very knowledgable and very generous with their responses and kindness. I've already been sent seeds from Australia.(thanks Anthony) While I rate myself as a voracious beginner, I hope you feel comfortable to contribute wherever you feel neccesary. And of course there's always room for another New Yorker!

Moby, thx. Lots more pix to follow.

Della, Fav group is the asiatics, mostly brushmarks and tangos. Lines? I guess the not so straight ones ! Mostly doing color work trying to come up with new and different things. I am not about reinventing the wheel.



Connie, Two pix showing this years seeds sent in to the NALS seed exchange follow. 2 to 4 pkts of seeds sent in for each cross.


Lorn, Got a few Div VI hybrids of my own + quite a few sdlgs now growing from the seed exchange. Below is a pic one of my own sdlgs I've had for a few years.


Joe, I will post what I can as I have the time. Lots of pix and lots of info from a bunch of years being over my head in lilies.

Welcome, Hank!

I am looking forward to your participation however you choose, and your sage advice.

Stunning!

My favourite group to play with is the downfacing asiatics. Maybe because they flower first and I'm impatient? I'd be ecstatic to have any of those flowers turn up in my seedlings.

But I think your aurelian there is absolutely amazing. I adore that colour pattern with papillae - will you name and register it?

Just incredible work. Thanks for sharing.

I like the rich color--and how smoothly the color flows into the white. Have you made more crosses (in any direction) with this one?

Rick, Thanks, but I'm definitely no expert, just learning new things everyday that I hope I can pass on.

Della, A couple pix of my 1c asiatic seedling that you should like. There are actually two sdlgs in the pic, the yellow one (dark stem) and one that is pink/orange pastels (green stem). Note that not all the downfacing lilies are early flowering. This one flowers mid to late season.



A pic of another of my sdlg aurelians similar to the pic posted earlier. The color of this is actually a very pale apricot with a gold rather than the yellow center of the earlier pic.

Lorn, I'm sure that I have seeds with this aurelian. Most likely I have this crossed with a couple of Anton Mego seedlings. One of the A. Mego seedlings is a pure white with orange centers and heavy red papillae that recurves almost into a ball shape. The other is a very pale ivory with a light greenish yellow center and more of a flat shape.

I'm quite fond of the pink/white/ gold brushmark lily.

They are all super nice seedlings but I agree with Moby on the pink/white/ gold brushmark lily. How lovely!

Welcome Hank.

Loved to look at your pics. Especially now that it's all white outside (over here, we had a mild winter but for the past few days it seems to be catching up... heavy snows, winds, roads blocked and so on)

I am a novice, I usually just buy&plant bulbs, sow a few seeds, and so on.
And just enjoy the flowers

You take good pictures as well. I agree with Moby also--that second one in the first row; it was the first one to catch my eye!

Late to join the party, but welcome Hank. You have some pretty special seedlings there. Thanks for donating to NALS too and helping to spread the love of starting lilies from seeds! Beautiful pix!

This year I have sown one of your crosses, Hank. You do exiting crosses.

Forgot to say that the seeds was bought from the seedlist of NALS.

Welcome Hank.Your lilies are fantastic. We are just waiting for spring,Its nice to see youe summer pix in this awful weather.