seeds

[dragonfly 64]

I am new to daylillies. Can you not just plant the seeds in the ground in SEpt. and have them bloom next year? Bev

[John]

You can plant the seeds in the ground, yes. They are unlikely to bloom in their first year however, usually it takes two years, and sometimes three. Germination may not be as good from direct-sown seeds, due to loss from various reasons. If you have plenty of inexpensive seeds, I'd say try it, if you like. If they are important crosses, or if they were expensive ($4-7 per seed, or much more) I'd winter-sow them into flats, and leave them somewhere in the cold, but somewhat sheltered from the elements and direct sun; they will germinate naturally at the correct time in the spring.

[dragonfly 64]

Thank you John. Should they be kept moist like in th garage over the winter? Bev

[John]

You mean the flats? Yes, moist. Be ready to move them into the light (but not full sun) when they germinate though. I'd not plant them too early, at least wait until mid-December, so they don't sprout until spring.

Seeds are best stored in the crisper part of the refrigerator.

[dragonfly 64]

I am new to all this. Thanks again. BEV

[MollyD]

Bev the best way to store daylily seeds is in a baggie in the veggie bin at 32 degrees. They're less likely to sprout then.

When you are ready to sprout them take them out of the fridge. Mix water with peroxide at 10% strength. That is one part peroxide to 9 parts of water. Soak them in this till they just begin to sprout. Then transplant them into trays, pots or anything else you want to use.

I start mine indoors in the fall. I hybridize daylilies so I'm trying to get the fastest bloom possible here in the north. Normally I use my greenhouse for this and get blooms anywhere from 8 months to 18 months from planting. If you are planting the seeds in the ground it will take up to 3 years to see blooms in the north, 8 months in Florida and some southern states.

MollyD

[eastwood2007]

Hi, Molly! What's the peroxide for?

[MollyD]

Charla the peroxide does two things. It helps the seeds break dormancy and it serves to disinfect.

MollyD

[eastwood2007]

Thanks, Molly. Is that something that is helpful to all seeds? Or just daylilies?

[MollyD]

Charla I'm not aware of it's being done to other seeds. Just daylilies though I do know that thicker seeds respond to having their surfaces scratched in some way before soaking. Emery boards can do this for those.
Daylilies also respond well to prechilling for 6 weeks in the veggie bin. 32 degrees is the optimum temperature.

If you have some that look firm and healthy but won't sprout try putting them in a baggie with damp (not wet!) vermiculite and popping them back into the veggie bin for 6 weeks. Then following the usual procedure with the water/10% peroxide. Quite often this helps them break dormancy and sprout. I got this information from the official scientist of the American Hemerocallis Society Sue Bergeron. Tried it and it worked.

MollyD

[DryGulch]

I was reading on another website of this guy experimenting with peroxide to break dormancy of some tropical seeds, too. I think this might be more common than you would think, although it surprised me at first.

As for the fridge as cold stratification, I thought I had placed my daylily seeds there barely 6 weeks ago in a moist flat, I had some that germinated the day I took them out or the day after. I seem to remember, them even sprouting in my fridge a few years ago.

[MollyD]

Dry Gulch I only moist stratify those that have resisted breaking dormancy. Normally I dry stratify my seeds in plastic baggies for 6 weeks. I sell daylily seeds and this is how they are all prepared for sale.
It's not normally advised that you put the seeds in their growing medium to do a moist stratification because of fungal diseases. Vermiculite is recommended since it is a sterile medium.
Can't say how you would do this with other types of seeds.

MollyD

[DryGulch]

Where I live we have peat, it is the natural boggy soil (not the moss stuff) and it has anti-fungal properties. I use it for all my seed starting and cutting propagation with wonderful sucess. I never have to bother with fungals or damping off...

[MollyD]

Well if it works for you that is fine but all I can say is that none of the major daylily hybridizers would do anything remotely similar for the reasons I have stated. Usually the seeds rot. Better germination rate the other way. When you've paid $5. or $6. per seed you really want a high germination rate. That way you can see what a higher percentage of the seedlings end up looking like since none will be an exact copy of either parent.

MollyD

[DryGulch]

...but I do have great success...usually better than 90%.

Sometimes getting out of the little mental box of "the only way 'professional hybridizers' would do it" and experimenting with different methods is useful...consider the whole wintersowing process of seed germination, for example.

[MollyD]

I wouldn't winter sow them either and I don't think I'm in any box. Most of us don't have access to the boggy soil you mentioned. That doesn't make us less of a gardener or too rigid. You mention a system that is not used by the majority of the community. You also mention a soil that isn't widely available. It isn't fair to then criticize me for pointing out that your method is not the norm.
I'm glad you have a high germination rate but that doesn't help the next person who follows your recommendation using the soil available to them and then looses all their seeds because they rot.

MollyD