The day inevitably comes

The first daylily “done for the year” inevitably comes about this time in July. This year it was a bit early because the Purple D’Oro really need new digs. There is one bud left but it doesn’t look viable, and then that is it. A total of potentially 3 self seed pods. I should pull them, but I know I won’t. If they produce seed I might even start them indoors in a pot next spring, but they would go up north as soon as the thaw went out.

It will probably be a few years now until the Purple D’Oro bloom here again. Transplantation shock is real. I will so miss them. But they live on in a plethora of pics, and they will make their comeback. Just look at these beauties. 3 years ago they had stopped blooming. They got a new, sunnier location and look at them now!!!

Today I broke the rules AGAIN and added another diploid cross – Naomi Ruth x Pink Tirza. It is not a combo I can say I would have chosen as a primary or even a secondary option, but what the hey! It might turn out fun. And it will be easy to keep track of – the Pink Tirza bloom was the last one on the scape, and all the other spent blooms had come off, so …

But that has to be it now. I can only fit five pots in the squirrel and bunny proof box, so if the five different types of crosses I have made “take”, the seed “inn” is full for 2025.

Success, Squirrels, and Pencils

Last year was my second year of trying intentional crosses to create new daylilies. This is something just for fun for me, and an opportunity to learn more and try out new challenges. I am not doing it to create anything certified. Nothing fancy. I put all the “same cross” into one pot. This is, as the old saying goes, “for kicks and giggles”.

The crosses between Marque Moon and China Doll were definitely the most successful last year. Of 38 seeds, we have eleven seedlings. We also have other seedlings – of the pencil mishap variety. I labeled some batches in pencil and it got washed away. On those I can guesstimate, but I cannot say for absolute certain what they are. Although a bummer, I’m still happy those worked, and if/when they bloom I will have fun guesstimating what they were.

And then there are the squirrel mishaps – where they seedlings were outside the box and the squirrels dug in the dirt. Those were a loss. Those very naughty squirrels!

Learning as we go here. This year I will do only two or three types of intentional crosses so that everything fits in the planter, protected by the screen.

What?

What? Daylily seeds planted and protected from our grey tailed diggers? Yep.

Dozens of pollinator created potential, and one intentional cross (Tirzah x Marque Moon).

I got them planted half an hour before a beautiful gentle rain began.

Grow little seeds. A variety of gardens await your potential.

This got outta control!

I recently tried some deliberate daylily crosses.

Here are my observations:

It was fun on day one, day two I thought I definitely needed to document and have a better tagging system, day three I started thinking, “what else should I cross”, day four I did one cross and started realizing that I was looking at the day’s blooms for crossing options, and not enjoying the blooms. I stopped.

If I do more crosses I will need a much better system – tags, methodology to keep crosses documented, and limits so I don’t stop enjoying the blooms first, and then the crosses, because already one cross failed. 6 more tbd.

My original plan was Pink China Doll to Marque Moon. Maybe that is the key. Keep it simple.

Next year, better plan.