We have been growing from seed since 2009 - so about 8 years. We have always grown large numbers, starting with about 400 seeds and now it is thousands. We have tried everything we can think of. Nothing works all the time so we are continually using different methods.
I have found near 40 seeds in some diploid pods. This year we are finding some tet crosses with 15+ seeds which is high seed counts for tets.
Another thing different for this seed harvest year is so many seeds that are sprouted in the pods. We have had a few in past years, but this year we are going directly to pots right out of the pod and currently have lots of plants growing with in a few days of harvesting the pods. You cannot dry sprouted seeds so it would be either fridge in moist mix or plant them.
No greenhouse here and not really sure it is necessary to grow seedlings. It would be a nice addition to hybridize in a more temperature controlled environment. We are not in a climate that is always temperature friendly for seed setting. We get lots of early season tets but it quickly gets hot when we are at peak bloom. I can get diploid seeds almost anytime and even find they are more difficult when it is too cool than when it is hot. Tets however, are difficult in the heat.
(Teresa - Funny - I am working with a guy from your area of the country (south of Louisville) and he said he thinks he is going to die here before he gets back to Kentucky because of the heat. He said he had no idea that this place could be so unbearable, and that is after he gets off work and it is starting to cool a little.)
(this summer is really not bad in comparison.)
We have found that if we can get the seedlings in the ground, we have a high survival rate. Last year our seedlings planted in the gardens are still surviving at 90+%. The seedlings left growing in pots and cups survived at about 70%. (all growing outside.)
