Becky - I know, right? Wouldn't it be great if every time you had too many plants or seedlings, you just plow a new row?! That's what I'm aiming for!

I never actually count my seeds individually. Sow far I've sown 26 different crosses. Most had only 10 seeds or less, and some even just 2 or 3 seeds.

It sounds like a good plan to just plow another row but then you have to take care of more and more gardens. My daylilies are now about a half acre and the next half acre is ready to finish grass and weed killing.
We are setup to start 1200-1500 seedlings indoors over the winter. Yesterday we started about 800 seeds (about 80 different crosses) in water and H2O2 and will go to trays when they start sprouting. We will start other seeds in 1 gallon pots outside in the spring to be planted in the fall. Total seedlings for 2016 should be about 4000.

:::faint::: Oh my! I don't know how you care for THAT MANY seedlings, Ashton and Terry! But it sure sounds like a party come bloom season!

kidfishing said: We are setup to start 1200-1500 seedlings indoors over the winter. Yesterday we started about 800 seeds (about 80 different crosses) in water and H2O2 and will go to trays when they start sprouting.

WOW. I'd love to see pictures of your indoor set up!!!

Way....Too...Many!

My record-keeping shows I made less than 60 crosses this year when normally I'm in the hundreds. Guess I got overly excited and started some seeds from 2014 too, plus the few older ones I mentioned I'd try to see if they germinate. I'm already out of room in my permanent garden spot I rented this year, have NO clue where these are all going to go. Time to cull some older seedlings as Becky has mentioned.....

At one time I also would just make another seedling bed if I ran out of room, it doesn't take long before your over your head and working your b>>t off seven days a week. Here, normally we have no winter to speak of and I am doing the same things in the winter I do in the summer except selecting seedlings. I now only plant 1600 seedlings per year and destroy that many except for the few keepers every year. The seedlings I planted in 2015 will be destroyed in 2017, less the keepers.

On another note I bought five seed from Eurodaylily in Belgium, it took them two weeks to get here. He sent me seven seed and six germinated and will be put in the ground in about two weeks. I do not expect these to bloom until 2017.

Since I am starting growing daylilies from seeds, i have gained a new and deep respect for hybridizers. Boy, does it take intense organization and discipline.

Fred, I don't know how you go about culling 1600 seedlings a year, but that must be a difficult process. What criteria do you use for culling a seedling? Did you ever have to discard a beautiful daylily because it does not have all the criteria that you seek?

Also, thank you for letting us know that it took that long for Eurodaylily seeds to get to the US. I better send him a note to have him send my seeds soon.

I'm going to do about 500 this year. After they germinate I put up to 4 in a 4" pot and will have those under lights until time to take outside. I don't have bedspace so I'm going to put them in 1 gal pots.

everyone for sharing your seedling projects. I thought I was crazy doing 200+ seeds. But after reading your seeds projects, I don't feel so bad about the number of seeds I am starting this year. It seems manageable. I would need 3-4 trays with each tray having 64 cells. At two trays per shelf, I would just need two lighting units. If I am lucky to get 200 seedlings, I would need a bed that measures 27ft by 3.5ft.

Fred, you are right about the work. We have been hybridizing and collecting modern DL's since 2009 and still have most all seedlings around. We do live on 160 acres and Ashton, the youth hybridizer around here has the idea to just move the culls from the garden to the pasture. We know the livestock will eat them, just accidentally leave a gate open and the DL's get munched in the garden.

When I cull seedlings, I have looked at them for two years and have selected what I want. I do destroy a lot of pretty daylilies every year, but every serious hybridizer is looking for specific things and specific goals. We are all different in what we will keep or cull, we are not looking for just a pretty face, we are looking for that special daylily with great (not just good) plant habit, with an outstanding scape, long bloom season, and here it must rebloom. It doesn't hurt if the bloom is cutting edge, but not necessary if the plant has all the other great qualities we are looking for. When I register a daylily it will be at least four years old and has been divided and lined out twice for increase and to be sure it doesn't sull or die when being moved.

So that means I may be in my 70's or 80's before I get one that is worthy of registration!! Just kidding, I'm doing this just for fun and experimentation.

Bless you Fred and others who are so dedicated and truly care about what you put on the market.

Tell me about it, Sue. I should have taken up lawn bowls.