Seed Starting in Fall. 10.20.15

Seedlings.  10.20.15

 Sometimes after a rough day, I putter around the seedlings and it gives me some peace.  So many people are such anal orifices.   Plants are just plants.

Days are getting shorter.  Nothing I can do outside after or before work.   I can putter with seedlings.

I've never done this before, with daylilies.   I did grow some native plum seedlings over the winter, a few years ago.

When the daylily seeds have stratified for one month in the refrigerator, I place them at room temp in their paper towel / zipper bags.   Check the seeds every couple of days.  Many sprout within one to two weeks.  When I see sprouts, I transfer the sprouted seed to a 6-pack containing seed starting medium.  Some of those have sprouted and grown large enough that I move them up to a starting pot with potting soil.  When in seed starting medium, I water with 1/4 teaspoon of tomato miracle grow per gallon of water.

Seedlings.  10.20.15

Some were too close to the lights, resulting in a few light-burned leaves.  Not enough to set them back significantly.

So far, 3 apricot seeds have germinated.  Of Daylilies, I now have 1 dozen seeedlings from pod parent "Happy Returns", and 6 seedlings from pod parent "Chicago Apache".  There are germinated seeds from "Ice Carnival" and one from "Vigaro-labeled" NOID.  Each pod parent was hybridized with a contrasting variety, diploid to diploid and tetraploid to tetraploid.

There is also a cactus that was rootstock for a pink grafted cactus.  The scion eventually died, and the rootstock grew new branches.  I cut off a branch, to start a new plant.  Tentative ID Hylocereus undatus but I could be wrong.  If correct, that is "Dragon fruit" cactus.