Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Success With Sprouting Daylily Seeds!

Well, only one seed so far, but that is progress!

Approximately two weeks ago, I purchased several Daylily cross seeds from the Daylily Exchange Site auction page, http://www.daylily.com/cgi-bin/auction.cgi. Then I began the germination process with just a few to start with. The last batch of seeds I bought elsewhere didn't do do well and I lost all of them.

I have been trying the "On The Rocks" method of germinating, with a slight change at the beginning. Instead of placing the seeds on the rocks from the get go, I placed the seeds in a 1 part bleach, 9 parts tap water solution for 15 minutes. Then swished in plain water for 10 minutes. 

After that, I had cooled, room temperature boiled water ready for the next solution. I mixed 1 part Hydrogen Peroxide with 9 parts of the boiled water (room temperature). I labeled glass jars (any clear container will likely work), added some of the solution an inch or so deep in each container, then placed the seeds in their related jars.

The jars were covered with zippy sandwich bags, placed in a warm area of the house and then covered with a towel to block out light.

The seeds were placed in the H2O2 solution on Friday, May 9, 2014. 

The seeds I have on hand:
Northern Rose x Forestlake Ragamuffin - 6 seeds (3 in H2O2 solution 5/13/14)
Caeser's Head x Forestlake Ragamuffin - 3 seeds (3 in H2O2 solution 5/9/14)
Northern Rose x Leroy - 8 seeds - (3 in H2O2 solution 5/9/14)
Stylus Lake Sunset x Momentum - 5 seeds (none set)
Momentum x Hidden Riches - 7 seeds (none set)

The first seed has sprouted, a (Northern Rose x Leroy) on May 13, 2014. This seed is now in a 1 oz container with a layer of aquarium gravel, weak fertilizer solution reaching just to the top of the rocks.

Now that I am confident this method CAN work, I will be setting up some of the other crosses.
This is my year for working on growing from seed!

2 comments:

  1. Good for you. I've never seen seeds. I've always had bulbs that I got from someone else. Can't wait to see your results.

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    1. Thank you, Bailey! The pollinated flowers develop pods containing seeds. The other two seeds in the germinating jar sprouted last night! I've got all the rest started soaking now!

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