Mary: I don't remember how or when you planted them. Did you do the refrigeration, soaking and then planted or did you just plant directly in the soil after you got them?

Julia

Mary,

I am new to germinating my own seeds too. This summer I had lots of crosses and tons of seeds. I tried 4 different growing systems. The first one was 120 seeds and only 8 or 9 germinated and half of those were albino. I've yet to get a transplant from that system to take. The 2nd system was even less successful. Nothing out of 60! I tried the cups but I had a hard time keeping the water right. Finally, I found the Park Seed growing system. I've got more than 200 seedlings and I've transplanted them into cups and put the in a growing house. I haven't lost one of the transplants and I had a better than 90% germination rate. I love this system and love that it is so compact! I've got it in my spare room sitting in a window.

Anyone else try this system?

Take care!
Jennie E

Mary, that's disappointing to not have one seed take.

I have to go look up Jennie E's system she mentions above, Park Seed growing system.

Jennie E - can you post a pic or link for the system you use? *Mary, hope you don't mind that I ask here.

Hi Juliany,
I planted my seeds mid September, I think around
the 15th. Kept them watered. The seeds were suppose to
be already refridgerated the proper amount of time.

Since I had read others success with seeds, I was
really bummed that mine did not even germinate.
So either it was me, or??? Maybe I should have started
them in a plastic baggie first.

Jennie E. I would love to hear more about your system
also. What did you do that I needed to?
200 seedlings and I only wanted 12! lol

Thanks for everyone's input.

Mary
z 5b KS

Dont feel bad I bought 2 packs on ebay I paid 10,oo per pack and only got 3 babies to germinate out of 100 seeds. Thats sad.

Wow! Did you all soak your seeds in distilled water and hydrogen peroxide -- in a dark closet? I've had really good luck doing that -- just finished transplanting 1000 seedlings into the ground a couple of weeks ago. I've also learned just this summer not to cover my sprouted seeds. I just make a depression in cups filled with seed starter mix, and lay the seeds on their sides with the emerging white root pointed down. I keep the cups in water until I trasnplant them. Since a few bunnies removed some of my seedlings, I'm having to do some more soaking to replace the bare spots.

I'd go broke buying enough seed starter kits! It sounds great if you don't have many of them.

Nancy

Here's the link to Park Seeds website's seed starting supplies & instructions for y'all:

Here is a link that might be useful: Parks seed starting stuff

I have tried a few ways & found "on the rocks" the only method I will use now. You can see exactly what is going on & cull the runts from the stronge ones. Its good to see whats happening

Just a quick note about "runts." Not all of them are poor specimens. They could well have genetically small foliage. The same goes for dogs. Recessive genes can reach way back there. You can have robust parents, yet it is entirely possible that some of the progeny have a "double dose" of small! Some of my daylilies have small plants, yet they bloom well.

Nancy

Hi najoba,
No I didn't do any of those things, just stuck them in
the ground an watered everyday hoping for the best.

I will do that for my last seeds I have saved in my
fridge.

Mareas,
Thanks for the link!

Bruz in NZ,
What is "on the rocks" method you are referring to?
I think I flunked seed germination class!

Thanks,
Mary
z 5b KS

Hi Mary--Have a look at this site
http://www.penguingems.com/Daylily/OTRseeds.htm

Bruz,
Thanks so much for the link. Very interesting and
helpful!

Mary
z 5b KS

I know my zone five is WAY different than your zone five, but I wouldnt just plant them directly in the ground this time of year and expect anything to survive.

I would recomend if you have room to start these indoors, under lights, with seed mixture.

I Refrigerate for months at a time, not just week. I do not start my seeds untill february or march usually. However I know others who start much earlier.

I usually check my seeds 1 or 2x a month for mold, giving them a quick soak in a very diluated mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide. Take a soda gallon and add a couple tlbs spoons of the HP. Keep ths soda gallon or gallons . I reuse them when I do my final soaking.

I then take the 20 oz cups and write the cross names on the side of the cup, Add the seeds to the proper cup names and soak several nights in the mixture.

Then plant the seeds, ALSO others boil water to sterilize their seed mixtures. Ive always found a good freeze has worked for me, I just take my bales of promix and freeze them, under a tarp, they stay pretty dry, If I do that I do not get the flies.

Then its under the lights with heating mats for a while.

This is a very basic method, but I usually retain a 85-90 percent germination rate and a 75% or so survival rate.

Lastly, If your seeds are not germinating after this, well maybe you need to look at the source as well. But I wouldnt blame anyone that the seeds didnt germinate if you just stuck them in the ground, also you said you watered every day. That might be a little overkill. I dont water my seedlings until the top of the earth starts feeling dry to the touch . Too much is as bad as too little.

However, Ive done the same thing the past. It wasnt until I started reading online about how to do things that my methods improved.

I know there are others here who have more eloborate methods, this works for me, so this is what I do =)

Silverkelt

We changed over to the rock method also last year and that's our preferred method now. FWIW

Here is a link that might be useful: Our website

I read something interesting on another forum -- that weak chamomile tea will prevent damp off. I haven't had any problems since we stopped covering the seeds, but I may give it a try as soon as I can get into the "big city" to get some.

Nancy

Hi Silverkelt,
Sorry for my late reply. Computer was in shop.

I was wondering why one could not water everyday?
If the seeds are to be kept moist, as they would in a
plastic baggie , why not directly into the soil?

Also, I wish I could start my seeds, any seeds, as you
suggested above. I don't have that kind of set up in
my house. I also hate to admit, that I have 6 indoor
cats who seek out the smell of dirt and live foiliage and
destroy anything of that nature.

Maybe someday, I will build a cat proof indoor greenhouse
to keep seeds without fear of the cats ripping things up.

There are somethings I would be willing to do to start
seeds, but if they are just too elaborate, I won't even
bother.

I just think if nature intended the seeds to survive, they
could drop off the mom plant, and germinate, voila, new
baby plants!

To simplistic? Probably.

I will keep reading and learning. I have one package of
seeds in my veggie drawer for spring. I will pull the
links back up when the time is right, and hope for the
best. I hate to throw away money, as I am sure anyone
is these days. So any kind of germination would be
a thrill to me.

Mary
z 5b KS

Sorry I haven't replied sooner. AT&T had some problems with the DSL in my area and I've been without service since last Thursday.

Anyway, looks like someone else already posted a link to Park seed. Here is a link to the same bio dome system that I'm using.

If you want pics of my seedlings I'll be glad to take some and send to you.

I'm so excited because I just moved 50 seedlings from the growing rack and the cups to a seedling bed. All 50 seem to be doing great so far. When the seedlings are moved from the bio dome to the cups and put outside they have about an inch and a half long root that come out of the bottom of the plug. Like I said earlier I've yet to lose a transplant. They take right off!

I was curious about the root growth once they were put into the cups and put onto the grow rack outside. When I moved them this weekend to the bed I was amazed at the root development in only a month! They ALL had roots that had grown to the bottom of the cup and I could see a complex root system developing. I'm very pleased with this process. Maybe a little more time consuming then just starting right out in the cups but I've got a great germination and transplant rate and I don't have to water all the time. The sponges keep the seeds perfectly moist. No dampening off so far!

Thanks,
Jennie

Here is a link that might be useful: bio dome