I process about 10,000 seeds a year, trying to get plants that do well in hot, dry desert climates, and letting them cull naturally thru survival of the fittest. Our temperatures are over 100 degrees for 4 months and often are 110+. Seedlings that live thru that deserve a life, lol!
I can’t say I’ve completely succeeded in this quest, but I have produced a few nice seedlings that do very well, blooming thru the intense heat, and others whose foliage remains so beautiful all summer that they’re worth growing just for their greenery. One of these days, if I live long enough, I’d like to see at least one of my babies exhibit ALL of the traits I’m aiming for - great foliage, good health, continuous bloom over 110 degrees, fragrance, and a knockout bloom that doesn’t fry in the heat.
.I live in rose country but not the best place to grow seedlings. Why fight it, after going thru a lot of cultivars a few will produce seedlings with continuous growth with little upkeep. That’s the path along with those that have 50% or better seedlings of growth and clean or close. This year over 200 seedlings were put in the ground and another 50 that should have-(burn out), of course some just to see if there is any potential. Gave away three dozen good seedlings, some just too good to trash and some will be as good as the parent but not used in my program.
Yes, actively hybridising, but only began a few years ago, and have limited space available for my plants. At the moment, there are exciting possibilities stratifying in the fridge. I love the anticipation of watching the plants grow and develop, and I love to learn, so I’m enjoying the experience immensely. As Michael says, it makes me happy. This wonderful forum and Paul’s writings are tremendously helpful, and I want to thank all of you for contributing your expertise and good humor. I hope, at some point, to have enough experience to be able to contribute to the forum also.
I only have a few crosses and seedlings, but I hope this is just the begining. My passion for rose breeding is so powerfull, that I wish to learn something new every day. This forum is really helpfull. My goals are fragrant full petaled roses, which would also be special for their colours.
Currently I am establishing my harem but I process 500-1000 seeds per year, this is my third season. Most of these are OP hips I have collected to evaluate germination potential, a few are deliberate crosses, others are from the very generous folks on this site (thank you). Will I every quit my day job to hybridize unlikely; do I have fun, learn new things, and meet wonderful people absolutely.
No, I don’t breed roses. I don’t have the facilities to over-winter young plants, nor the funds to build them. That’s why I don’t post often on this forum.
I am a lineage nut and love to read about the breeding of roses, but my primary purpose for participating here is to answer any questions about HMF.
I have to admit, I have learned a lot by being a dedicated lurker.
Years ago before I became an active breeder I would “lurke” as Lyn put it on the forum, it was one of my favorite sites to visit as I learned a lot from just reading the posts. This was before I became a member and I really didn’t post anything until I became one. I guess I’ve resorted to being a lurker again as I don’t post nearly as much as I used to.
I usually have between 4000 and 4500 seeds each year with between 350 and 850 seedlings depending on how well the seeds germinate. The last few years I’ve had to collect a lot of OP seeds to get that many.
Actively involved on a tiny scale compared to most of you. But I love doing it! It’s always exciting to see that first bloom on a new seedling. Even if it is a five petaled pink with no fragrance, lol! Doesn’t matter, it’s mine and I love them all. This season I have most hips from my own crosses in the fridge that I’ve ever had so I’m getting really anxious to start them.
Lyn, I start my seed inside in my basement, on an old shelving unit, under some lights (not even grow lights, just fluorescents) in January so that by the time they’re big enough to go out it’s spring already! In the winter I put the smallest seedlings in two small free standing greenhouses I got at Big Lots for about $30. Some live and some don’t but then I don’t really want the weak ones anyway, lol. Usually by the second winter they’re big enough to stay out in the winter pot ghetto on their own. Try it!
It is good to see Paul posting on here. My seeds have been in the fridge and just started putting them in seed trays this week. I had sprouted seeds of Sugarbooger X Dragon’s Blood and also Abe Darby X Dragon’s Blood. I also have crosses of Alexander X Dragon’s Blood and Miss Blooms Alot X Dragon’s Blood. Even though Paul may be on hiatus his creations are still hard at work.
I have seed ready to plant from crosses using Jim Sproul’s Eyeconic Lemonade as I’m sure others do also.
Next year I plan to use some of Kim Rupert’s creations to hybridized with.
Thanks guys for letting us stand on your shoulders with our own programs.
As for myself I harbor no expectations of achieving commercial success; this is a hobby for me. Each year my goal is to make 100 crosses. This year I made 132 and 60 set seeds. Also, collected some OP hips from some of my own roses. And, thanks to Natalie I have some OP seeds from A&M.
I’m actively making crosses. Right now I am more interested in making “parents”, sorting through various genetic backgrounds, and figuring things out. I’m hoping to develop parents that can throw out highly diverse progeny. When I retire things will probably get scaled up a bit.
You can count me as one who breeding new roses as well. Hybridizing new varieties fascinates me more than any other aspect in the world of growing roses. There is very little that can compare to having one of your “babies” bloom for the very first time.
I have this vision of someone making a documentary of different rose breeders. Big, medium, and small timers. Male and female, young and old, drunk and sober, working with roses of all types. Ruthless cullers and sweet old souls that have a hard time parting with any seedling.
Just like most of our creations, the movie would never be a big hit, but it would sure be fun.
I’m not volunteering to produce it just yet, although I would love it if I had the time and money to travel around filming rose breeders.
Joe, what a great idea. Could it be done individually by each, as long as it was in the same format and put together. Don’t ask me ask it could be done, but the head honcho Admin might know, that person which lives near the White House in his location.
At one time (probably in the late 70s-80s?) we had a video tape that we sent from hybridizer to hybridizer. It was started by Virgil Mitchell who was very active until his wife died. One could just copy it and/or add to it and then send it to the next person on the list. I think that I still have my copy somewhere.
Henry, I hope you keep that video…we could probably pull some footage from that for the documentary!
David, you gave me an idea; to make sure it was all in the same format, we could have a video camera that we mailed from person to person, letting them take their own footage. People could then mail the memory cards back to someone who was compiling the footage. Fun! It would allow us all to tell our own story. I know you all are the same as me as there is a non-stop dialog in your head often addressed to an imaginary audience.
If I get serious about this I’ll start a new thread. Sorry, Paul, to sort of hijack this thread.