Favorite place to buy Daylily seeds?

[OmahaJB]

After watching a segment on Gardening by the Yard this morning I've suddenly become interested in growing Daylilies (sic?). Would like to grow at least 2 nice varieties and try making a cross which looked easy to do on the show.

I googled for sellers but didn't find anything I liked that wasn't sold out, although I plan on looking at more websites. Just wondering where Daylily lovers here like to buy Daylily seeds from. I prefer starting from seed.

Thanks, Jeff

[DuckCreekFarms]

Jeff, Try this, but don't blame me it you get addicted!

the Lily Auction

gary

[DuckCreekFarms]

Let me also comment that I have hybridized daylilies for years and seeds might not be the best way to go. Good seed with good genetics are very expensive and the chances of getting something good is not all the great. I would suggest buying a few good plants and doing your own crossing......It can take from two to three years to get flowers from a seed........

[OmahaJB]

Thanks Gary! I'll be checking out that site, no doubt. As far as getting addicted, I'm counting on it. After watching that segment on 'Gardening by the Yard' I knew it was for me.

Jeff

[DuckCreekFarms]

Jeff

Ohio has a great many "Big Name" daylily hybridizers. I used to spend days going to all the daylily farms when I visited Ohio each July

Daylily Trader Region 2 Hybridizers

Have fun
gary

[carolyn137]

I'm a long time daylily lover and I agree that buying seeds is not the way to go.

The only time I grew from seeds was after I did crosses and harvested the seed. Even then it can take 1-2 years before they come up and a bit longer until you see any blossoms at all.

I have several places where I buy plants from and one of them is very cheap, but of course you get very small plants, 1-2 divisions at most, but it's a good way to get some decent varieties to fool around with.

I recently bought lots of plants since I had the large raised bed converted to roses, perennials and the like, and when I looked at some of the prices I couldn't believe it.

What I mean by that is many years ago I HAD to have all the new Moldovan varieties and the new ones of several other breeders, and what I paid for them back then and what they're going for now is an eye opener, as in MUCH cheaper.

I should live so long that I can wait 10-15 years after a variety is introduced that I like so I can buy it at a much lower price.

[OmahaJB]

I appreciate the info both of you have provided Gary & Carolyn. I'm definitely getting a clear picture that buying the plant is much better than buying the seed.

Some of varieties they had on the show were 'doubles', which I thought were pretty neat. And while googling today, I saw some nice looking varieties. For some reason the yellows have looked the nicest. Will be doing more 'viewing' in the coming days.

I haven't paid much attention to the flower bulbs at Menards but remember walking by their bins that are full of them for other types of flowers. I don't imagine they'd carry seed for daylilies but will have to look next spring for the plants. They are conveniently located as is Home Depot.

Great advice...Jeff

[OmahaJB]

Well, hah, I can still buy a plant or two at spring time, but I also couldn't resist buying seeds despite the advice against it. I'll just have to earn the hard way. But it's Gary's fault because now I'm addicted to that auction site. j/k... I found the seeds to be less expensive than the plants naturally, and there were 8 crosses being offered in each lot for some of the auctions. I bid on one and will receive the following crosses:

Heaven's Glory x John Peat
Agamenthicus x Classic Edge
Dancing with Julie x John Peat
Romanian Rondevous x Night's in Velvet
Lords of Riches x Unknown
Catcher in the Eye x Unknown
Sea of Cortez x Lords of Riches
Mount Herman Wizard x You and Eye

And if I pay within a week I get a special bonus. Will do.

Now of course I have no idea what any of the parents look like but will check it out on google. I do know they are considered "Tet" daylilies. I'll be googling that too.

Heck, even if I don't see flowers for 2-3 years I'll still enjoy the process. And when I finally get some it will be rewarding. Even if they turn out to be real dogs.

I saw a really neat cross in one of the seed auctions. The two flowers they crossed were both outstanding specimens. Evidenced by the fact the price had been bid up to over $45 already with a day or two left in the auction. I believe it was on page 4 at the time, may be on page 3 by now. Many of those auctions are for a mere 5 seeds, so $45 is alot to pay, imo.

Now I need to read up on starting Daylily seeds. Something new to learn.

[DuckCreekFarms]

That was a good deal

Seed prices have really tanked since I was buying them a few years back. Tet seeds brought 2.50 to 4.00 per seed just a few years back, but now there are so many hybridizer and so many seeds that i guess the prices are more realistic. I don't know R117, but he has good feed back so you will probably get nice healthy seeds.

[DuckCreekFarms]

Tinker's Gardens Daylily Database:

This is a nice website that you can type in the name and there might be a picture on file.

ie. type in Heaven's Glory and search to see a picture and all the information you want to know about that cultivar.

have fun
gary

[OmahaJB]

It seemed like a good deal Gary, because I was watching the other auctions close out with folks bidding the prices up a bit for a mere 5 seeds. I ended up with 71 seeds for $16 plus $1 for postage. If I had been paying closer attention I would have bid on one of the other 'package' deals R117 was offering instead, as there were over 90 seeds in most of his deals. But I'm not complaining. I'll be checking out the varieties at that link you provided. Thanks!

In case you were looking for the cross I mentioned that was over $45, I couldn't locate it after checking again. It's possible it was one of the auctions that closed already. Real nice flowers however.

[simmran1]

I was searching for something completely different when I saw this link and remembered this post. Thought I would add to your inquiry.

[DuckCreekFarms]

Jeff
the price is reflective to how new the parents are. the ones you got are from older cultivars. Dos'nt mean they are obsolete, just means that they are not the newest. check out auction #1231031991... Wow, pretty awsome parents, but very pricy.

also #1231123981 another very awesome cross that could give some great potentional but very pricey for 5 seeds.

in five years from now these same crosses will not bring that kind of money....

Study it for a while, don't worry about missing a bargain as there are bargains everyday on the auction. When i first found the auction site years ago.... it only had about one or two pages of auction items listed..... now there are hundreds of pages and it just keeps getting bigger.......

have fun

gary

[OmahaJB]

Auction sites can be addictive, can't they? I won another auction after a bidding war, and have another one that I'm the only bidder on so far and it ends in a couple of hours. They are for small amounts so I'm not spending a whole lot. Plus, they are the last auctions I plan on bidding on for awhile. I'll have plenty of seed to work with. But then again, if I see a cross from two great looking daylilies.....they say you should never say never so I can't promise myself I wont bid on something else.

The cross I won had two good looking cultivars: Pumpkin Prince (Trimmer 2002) x Frank Smith (Kirchoff 1997). Pumpkin Prince looked especially nice.

The auction I'm waiting on is Venetian Baroque x Roses & Gold. Roses & Gold caught my eye between the two of them. Actually wont mind if I get outbid since I have plenty of seed on the way. Including extras according to the sellers.

Having fun with it. Decided not to bid for plants. I don't like the idea of paying $9 or more for shipping after spending $10 or more for 1 plant. With buying seeds I only have to pay $1 or $2 for shipping, and additional auctions won from the same seller have no shipping charge if combined with the 1st auction won.

Definitely need to read up on growing these from seed. I did read comments about 'rust' so that can be a problem with daylilies.

[Karla]

I enjoy! buying from the lily auction and cross my daylilies and save my own seed.
A few photos of some of my crossed daylilies grown from seed.
Takes a couple growing seasons for blooms.