Carelessness in watering plants is not the only problem. I went to a garden center one fall and saw iris bareroot in a bin. I mentioned that those plants should be potted up to remain in good condition. I was told "that's how they came to us". Double Grrrrr! I notice that the Winterberry catalog gives instructions to wholesalers on how to pot plants.A great deal of garden center work is done in ignorance. If the plants die do they think customers will return? Thank you for the information on zinnia seed production. Hybridizing is a hobby with many of us. I would hate to not be able to go out into the iris patch & not see new arrivals. Lucy
Wow we got it
Glad to join you all, I'm very new to crossing anything so I have a lot to learn. Especially the terms and how to's.. I've dabbled in hand pollination for a couple of years but only with passies, last year I tried several crosses with Morning Glories and hopefully something good will come of it..
I've got to go back read all the thread to catch up to you all.
Antoinette
Amazing how many plants we all try. Johnny JUmp Ups are related to Pansies & a friend like them with blue centers instead of yellow, so she pulled up the yellow and kept the blues & let them increase. To her friends it is known as her strain, even though she is no longer with us. Not exactly hybridizing, but fun.
Wow, the blue must be the dominant color there.. It would be neat to see.. That is fun.
I am doing the hybridizers run-a-round. I have all these little seedling daylilies I grew over the winter in the house and they are aching to get their feet in the mud. I am even planting them in pots. LOL!!
Here's a simple little planter box that I built to keep the critters, mostly squirrels out of my iris seed/seedlings. Thought it might be helpful for those with similar problems. As the plants grow, the pots can be buried in the sand bottom to provide more room for growth.
Dan
oh that is a idea... especially for seedlings, it won't work for the mgs, because they vine and tangle a lot, but certainly will work for other seedlings..
How long does it take for Iris seeds to germinate? I got a couple, but they haven't germinated, and now I can't find them at all. Maybe something ate them, now that I come to think of it.
I don't know if you can see it in this photo, but way at the end of this bed, there is a box made out of block and faced with flagstone about 10 7 ft long and 3 1/2 wide, it is supposed to be for shovels, tools, etc. but we have not put lids on it, so I am using it to house my tomato and mum seedlings for now to protect them against the wind and to acclimate them.
It looks like I posted the wrong photo, but it is at the end of that flower bed.. here is one from a few moments ago. I use the tarp when the winds are really strong, I think that the block and flagstone retain the heat during the day, and keep the plants warm at night.
With luck iris seeds will germinate the first yr. after planting. Some do so the 2nd yr. especially those with some species background. This protects them in the wild. Here in MA none of last yrs have germinated, but yours would be earlier. To keep track of them we plant them in the plastic boxes (flats) from garden centers. That way they don't get mixed with other crosses or other yrs planting. Lucy
I have been harvesting the seeds of my 2008 Hippeastrum/Amaryllis crosses and still more to come. I love spring...
Oh my gosh, I have to find the seeds I sowed in pots.. I should have put them into 6 packs too.
Very interesting regarding teh Amaryllis, I bet that takes a long time to get a flowering bulb.
7-8 months old seedlings grown by the window during winter time will all soon go outside and make the most of the limited 8 months outdoors growing season. Some of them are grown under lights but fresh air and natural sunlight is always best for them
You have the patience of a Saint.!!!
Not really Gourd...
Miniature varieties can bloom in 2-3 years if continously grown. The large flowered ones can be blooming in 3-4 years. It all depends on how you take care of them really. It is recommended that the seedlings be continously grown for at least 2 years. The winter dormancy does give a setback on the growth of the seedlings.
Well, you sound like you really enjoy this (and I do too) or we wouldn't be doing it.. Do you have any photos yet of any blooms? I'd love to see some.
They have become a part of my life and I'm lovin' it! :-)
Some newer hippeastrum/amaryllis varieties that I am currently working on...
Nope none yet of my own hybrid. I just started my collection in 2006. Hopefully this year or maybe next year. My older seedlings, put to rest this winter for lack of indoor growing space, are just waking up.
Wow, It will be something when you get your first bloom.. man, I know exactly what you mean waiting for that first bloom.. I'm just now seeing some of the crosses I did last year, and it is not that long, that is what is nice about the mgs, you can plant more seeds as soon as they form and still get in another crop.
I'm not too excited about my oldest seedlings though. I was a newbie then and just self pollinated my Red Lion (common red). Actually I have been giving them away and just left 10 seedlings of that cross. As my collection grow and my knowledge/documentation of every variety in the collection, I have been improving my crosses. Being very particular with every single detail.
Here is a pic of my hippeastrum collection of named varieties (80 plus), Oct. 2007. I went overboard this fall/winter...lol! The collection is now more than 160 varieties.
I'm not too excited about my oldest seedlings though. I was a newbie then and just self pollinated my Red Lion (common red). Actually I have been giving them away and just left 10 seedlings of that cross. As my collection grow and my knowledge/documentation of every variety in the collection, I have been improving my crosses. Being very particular with every single detail. Hybridizing is a combination of science and art...Right?
Here is a pic of my hippeastrum collection of named varieties (80 plus), Oct. 2007. I went overboard this fall/winter...lol! The collection is now more than 160 varieties.
Hi,
Wondering if anyone can help me? My mom has a beautiful hosta growing in her garden that is sprouting a big flower. Can I do something cool with it? Cross it with another? Collect seed? Its really pretty.
~Kristen
Check the flower for pollen; if not there cross pollen from another hosta on to it.
thanks iris MA. How long for the seeds to come?
I'm sorry, you need to go to the hosta forum for that one. I just don't know.
Hi all. This is my first look at this forum. I have done a little hybridizing with daylilies,azaleas, impatiens and echeveria.
What I would love to know is what is the name of that Elephant Ear in the first post in this thread. Anyone know?
It is Alocasia Brian Williams named after me and one of my first hybrids.
Wow. It is awesome. Is it for sale anywhere? I would also love to know the parentage if possible.
So would I!!! Its great!
I bought mine from Brian on ebay just a little while ago. :-)