Hallson Gardens

Here is a seedling for today, 2-26-15. Anyone else growing seedlings? Can you show us your seedlings?

I did start seeds this year, and they're almost ready for their first cull. Nothing too promising to show yet, but there are a few streakers. I got streaker seeds from last fall's HSG auction: two sets from Trudy van Wyk and one from Don Dean. (my "selfie" Christmas present) I also started seeds from Madelon Gilligan (New Zealand) from her monstrous 'Master Class', which I got in 2013. I still got a good germination rate from those, although they were slow to emerge.

David

That's great, David, and I would love to see photos.

Here's one for today. An unknown orphan x Miss Linda Smith.

Tomorrow shall be culling day, i think. I didn't get as many streakers as I had hoped, but got at least one from each of three batches (maybe 25 seeds each) from purchased streaked seeds. Plus I'll keep a set of seedlings from Master Class seeds for a potential mass planting.

Another seedling showing streaker's promise.
Please post any seedlings you have, David.

Here are the whole set and the best 6 streakers, post-cull. (In truth, the seedlings from the streaked moms didn't get tossed; I'll hold on to them a bit more in case I really like any of the solid-color babies or if some show streaking on new leaves.)

(iPad pic upload. Sigh, it makes them upside-down, but I guess you get the idea.)

David

Nice, thanks for posting.

A few weeks later. We like a couple of these. Clockwise from upper left, #s 2, 4, and 7 seem most interesting. #2 shows red petioles, too. The last two are seedlings of 'Master Class', so no streaks.
David

Nice, Tigger. Are they outside already?

Yeah, I'm leaving them outside during the day and when nights are above 50°F. It hasn't been too windy. I'm never sure about the balance between good light and warmth in growing on seedlings, but our electric bill took a hit from the heater running in my basement growing room for 2 months.

Updated pic today, focusing on best 6 streakers. Some of the others are settling to all green. If I get 4 good ones out of this effort, that's probably as many as my hybridizing bed can handle.

Here is a Red Dog OP seedling from a couple of years ago. Hopefully it's big enough to flower this year.

Nice seedling, Ed, what will you try to cross it with?

I have horrible luck making crosses but I keep trying. The bumble bees seem to do a good job.

I have a couple of seedlings from Art Wrede (dark #102 and Miss Angie seedling Q2B) that I will try. The flower time on one may be a little too early but that plant seems to be late coming up this season. We will see in early September.

Well, good luck, Ed. Or should I say, may the crosses take.

OP seedling from First Impression.

I was really late getting seeds planted. These were planted April 2.

Looks like some streaks there. I have ones started before Christmas that don't look much bigger.

I have a pot of Granny's Rouge OP 12 (planted 2013) with a couple of green and yellow seedlings in it. I went to separate them (the greens are huge comparatively) and I found a tiny yellow not much bigger than these.

I started a few in early March, also late, but the rest didn't get started. Has anyone had success with starting them now? Or should I keep the seeds for next year?

Last summer, I tried to start some in the summer (June), but they didn't germinate.