I have 19 little Amies growing in one flat and about that many more of FAro+PinK Surprise. I feel so excited to see their little green blades growing so nicely! I have been growing all kinds of plants for years but this is the first time I tried cross breeding any of them! The suspense should keep me going for the next 3 years, LOL.

My business partner called tonight to tell me that one of our customers who provides flowers for her church said that everyone has been thrilled to see our different amaryllis arrangements each week. That made me very happy!

Beautiful seedlings, Beetle! I wish mine were as happy... but they seem not to be doing well, and I think it's due to the cheap grow lights I have them under... they're not very good at masquerading as the sun! If they can just hang on a couple of weeks more, I'll have windowsill space available... and I'm sure that will help them thrive!

Lizalily, I'm so happy that your customers liked the arrangements! I thought they were all beautiful! I've been swamped lately with incoming packages of plant material that wasn't supposed to be delivered until mid-April, but I haven't forgotten your package... I actually have a few packages to put together, and now that the sun is shining more days than not, I feel a lot better and can actually get a few things done!

Getting back to seedlings... I'm going to try planting a flat of Hippi seeds outdoors, just as I would plant my flats of perennial and annual seeds... the weather will be perfect in a few weeks. I'm hoping that doing it that way will make for stronger, healthier little plants. We'll see!

beetle, it's almost better than Christmas when your efforts poke up through the soil, don't you think? Once you have done it, you are HOOKED! It is so much fun!

I so know what you guys mean, Hooked, I am, and really looking forward to this batch blooming! I also have what I believe to be an Apple Blossum, from seed [two yrs old] and a Snow Queen yearling bulb from seed. we will see about the AB, as it seems it doesnt self at all. [my lil' UFO seedling LOL!!!]
I hope your little grass blades make it till you have more light Jodi, and I think that is a wonderful idea, putting some in the garden. They probably would take off running! Oh JOY....its Spring!!

here is UFO,two yr old bulb
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and something to really anticipate..'Danube' [maybe]
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LOL!!!!!!! So Sorry to say this but Danube looks like a little pee pee poking up. OK sombody boot me off the forum. It's late...goodnight, sorry if I offend anyone. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

If it does poke up like a pee-pee then it is, actually, a "Donau" (Danube) *g*

That's the first thing that came to mind when I saw it, Cindee! Are we a weird lot, or what?! From now on, whenever someone mentions Danube, I'll immediately think of a little pee-pee!

Beetle, I'm hoping these little guys can hang on just a few weeks longer! All they need is a little authentic sun, I'm thinking, and they should start to gain size and stand up straight. In another few weeks, it'll be time to move the adult bulbs out to the garden, and that will free up space on the east windowsill. I would move them around sooner, but the jungle is so packed that I hesitate to start tearing it all apart without somewhere to put everyone for the next three weeks, or so!

As far as starting seeds outdoors is concerned, I've had such success starting perennial and other seeds in flats right on the concrete slab in front of the garage, that I really want to give it a try with some of these Hippi seeds! I know that once it's warm enough out there for the concrete to take in the warmth of the sun by day and radiate it by night, allowing the seeds to germinate and grow in natural conditions will make them sturdier and stronger, not to mention grow faster. Growing them under feeble grow lights without the benefit of a breeze or fresh circulating air and sunshine makes for weaker leaves and slow growth.

Once they get large enough to come out of the cells of the flat, I'll plant them in larger pots... and hopefully, I should have better grow lights set up before next fall arrives.

This entire experience, from choosing the varieties to purchase, all the way to harvesting and sprouting the seeds I helped create, has been the most fun of any hobby I've ever had! And half the fun has been learning and discussing and sharing all of it with everyone here in the forum! It wouldn't be such fun if I were just doing all this alone with a book for reference... it's truly the joy of sharing that makes any type of gardening worth while!

LOL!!! No worrys cindea, ROFL...now I'll think of her that way too! The pic was taken a while ago, now she looks like a much bigger pee-pee! LOLOLOL!!
I'm also thrilled that this is actually Danube [thanks haweha!!]
Yes Jodi, we are a weird lot he he, arent they nicknamed horse star, or something like that?
Can't wait till she blooms, and guess what I'll do then?....Try pollinating, of course!!

Knight Star Lilies, to be exact... I'm on pins and needles awaiting bloom photos! I must see what a blooming pee-pee looks like! Hehe!

And, yes... my husband thinks I'm nuts, too... although he does enable me by letting me buy bulbs!

Wow, beetle, the babies look so good!
I started all the seeds I got from Cindee and Jodi about two weeks ago but nothing come up yet :-(. I guess I'm a bit impatient!

Xuan

I do hope they germinate for you! I didn't check all of them as I was packaging... just grabbed bunches for each envelope! I'm sure there will be some in there that won't grow... but I do hope you are able to grow nice babies from each group of seeds!

Good Morning Everyone,
well..won't be long now,and she will turn into a flower LOL!!
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Wow! That really grew! No resemblance to the aforementioned pee-pee, at all! A swan in the making! I'm excited to see it open, and judging from the buds, it's going to be a beauty!

LOL!! I have to admitt, I'm looking forward to this one too, she has been blooming every year at this time [for the 3 years I've had her.] Seems to me the scape is so much longer this year, or do bulbs just keep getting longer scapes as they age? I really hope to get viable seeds [she says, putting the little horse WAY before the cart lol!] I want to share,and keep a few.
haxuan, it took my floaters around two and a half weeks before any germinated. after that, it was one every couple of days. Keep the faith, Good luck with them all!

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And it's got babies, too!

You know... come to think of it... my Minerva seemed to get bigger and taller as the years went by... although, it could be my imagination, too! Maybe it just seems that way...

Either way, it's going to be a lovely bloom!

Is Danube same as Donau? Am I right at remembering Sir Hans mentioning this before?

I just recently planted my Donau and it has 3 scapes out. I hope it opens it's flowers right so we can compare pics Beetle.

Might be the same. The two words mean the same: Duna, the river that flows through Central Europe, and is the main river of Hungary for instance.

Thanks jodi,maria and soultan for the beautiful description!! I really hope they are the same maria, will you be posting a pic of yours? either way, i love this hippie,and I will be trying for seeds. here she is, sorry for the improper color, this is anouther difficult one to capture. [its pretty close to the deep pink]
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What a vibrant color! It's beautiful, Beetle! Well worth the wait to see!

Thanks Jodi! wish it wasn't so hard to capture the color on some of these darker colors. How come Nymph wasn't diffecult LOL!!!

It's very pretty Bettle! I wish my Donau will bloom like this. Unfortunately most of my newly planted bulbs that are blooming now are NOT performing their best. I surely will post a pic of Donau.

It is, indeed, difficult to capture the more vibrant colors accurately with the camera... I had the most trouble with the darker oranges and reds. They're such beauties that they deserve the effort, though!

Finally here is my Donau. I guess Danube and Donau are really the same. It produced 3 scapes but is not blooming on it's best. Still very pretty. It has this very lovely shade of pink.

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And talking about "overrun"...

My prettiest flower with some newly purchased bulbs this season in bloom. I still have bulbs in the fridge to be planted.

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Very Pretty little flower [in amongst the hippies!! Thank you for posting these Lovely blooms! Our Danuas are the same...Yippeee, I can finally tag mine! [was supposed to be orange sov. when I bought it a couple years ago.] Good luck with all the Beautys!!

My favorite flower is the one in the middle with the big smile! The hippis are all lovely, too!

A wonderful grouping, Maria! And Donau is such a bright pink!

Most now have their second leaves. Lost a couple, but over all,they are pretty strong. Does any one know when i should fertilize them?
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Now. Feed the babies please... :-)

Half dose of recomended dosage of fertilizer with every watering. Some fish emulsion at this stage would be appreciated by the little ones.

Wow, Beetle! Those look great! They've got second leaves growing and everything! Nice job!

I've got about another week to wait, and then I can start a flat of hippi seeds outdoors! Though I tried, my indoor set-up is just not right for growing seedlings... the lights I have for my seed shelves are not good ones. The germination stage goes fine... but getting seedlings to the second leaf stage is more difficult! Starting hippi seeds outdoors along with all my other seeds should net some good results.

Your babies have that slight reddish tinge that says they're getting plenty of light and are healthy!

Thanks Maria and Jodi,
I kind of thought they should have something, but its nice to know for sure,again thanks so much!
Is that what the reddish tinge means, duh,I feel pretty blonde lol!! I was worried, thinking they were maybe sick.[the parent bulbs had some red on them] Soon,Jodi...soon it will be time to start a whole bunch more? Are you direct seeding to your outdoor flats? I'll bet that would really give some hardy seedlings! Happy growing!!

The plan is to treat the Hippi seeds like any others I'd start outdoors... veggie, annual, perennial... direct-seed them into a 72 cell flat, and let them do their thing. I think that allowing them to sprout and grow out in the weather will keep them strong and healthy. I'll just have to watch the watering carefully so none of the cells dry out.

Yes, Beetle... that slight reddish tinge is an indication that plenty of light is being received... it's a different shade of red than the red caused by mite damage or red blotch. Those little leaves would not be as healthy looking if the red were a bad red!

Your seedlings appear extremely healthy... I'd have to see it, but if the red on the parents is the same as it appears on the seedlings, then they're getting plenty of light, too! If it's a different red, leaning toward orange or patchy instead of evenly spread out, then it's probably not a good red!

I'm not certain, but I don't think it could be passed from parent to seedling unless you're splashing water from one to the other or touching parent and then baby without washing your hands. Keeping good sanitary habits can help prevent future problems.

There are many plants that indicate their liking of light amounts by changing leaf color slightly... whether it's going from a light green to a darker green or showing that reddish hint of color, or even going from a green to a purple... it all means that light levels are fabulous!