Paul, thanks for the invite! I’d love to stop for a visit. Likewise you’re welcome up here (on your way to Fargo? Winnipeg?)
No, I haven’t tried (or heard about) the new U of M grapes. Skeptical of hardiness…what they call hardy can be like Swensons Red, eh? A great tasting grape that has to be grown on the ground.
I participate in rose breeding but I’m no genus.
Lukasz from Poland
I’m an active hybridizer. Not overly active. I simply do not have the space. I do have the space in Pennsylvania. (My twin sister has 10 acres of land.) Trying out seedlings or plants in N.E. Pennsylvania, is my best bet. I just can not make it up more than two or three times a year. Even then, it is not usually in the growing season.
I have a slightly larger than normal sized plot in St. Petersburg, Florida. I tend to focus on minis. I’ll average between 500 and 700 seedlings a year. Out of that, I may keep a few. Miniature roses seem to have fallen out of fashion. In my case, it comes down to keeping what I have. Breeding has taken a back seat to propagation.
Regards,
Andrew
Lukasz, don’t diminish yourself! You may be the one to observe something no one else has and become the next “genuis”! Often genius is being there at the right moment, observing something often missed, not giving up or making the opportunistic cross.
It’s great to hear so many are actively breeding!
However, don’t ‘belittle’ yourself just because you think you’re not doing as many crosses as the others out there!! I won’t even try to point out how many great advances have occurred in human history due simply to ‘serendipity’!!
Let’s be honest here…I’ve been actively breeding roses for 15 years now. However, we haven’t produced any rose introductions to date… Not that it shocks me too much, it can just get frustrating sometimes. I just remind myself that we started with species/species mixes and it takes a while to improve upon all of the wonderful varieties out there. And…I believe one of the goals of our program is to train ‘breeders to be’. That’s been one of the most interesting aspects of the job. The interactions with the students…showing them the beauty of creation.
When they get it…it creates a bond that spans the years. So many students have come and gone, and so many of those still make a point to come by and say ‘hi’ when they are in the area. They may never breed another plant in their life, but at least they have a new appreciation for nature in general.
In the same way, your interaction here will affect others in ways you will never know about! 
The “backbone” of my limited breeding program is made up of Ralph Moore roses. In my case, I picked up a large selection of his roses, and I found that I needed to take this year off from breeding to keep my garden happy. Four or five years ago I was a lot more active in pollen dabbeling. I still have room, especially if I choose to make the front of my yard a seedling area, or new plant area. (At this point, I only keep “side” beds in the front of the house.)
I just need to cull a few ramblers that are not up to par. The whole “Perennial” Blue / Blush / Pink / White family have to go. I grow a fair amount of ramblers in Florida. Some do amazingly well, year after year, others are fast to decline. I’m an admitted zone pusher and I need to look at things more realistically. I want a nice repeat blooming rambler that is reliable. Malvern Hills has done alright for blooming, has not accepted any pollen on my side.
Actively hybridizing - 11 years now. Working on disease resistance in mauves and reds, averaging about 3,000 seeds a year. Many thanks to everyone who has passed down information!
Gail
(a lurker)
San Francisco Bay Area
I would call myself a active rose hybridizer …wasn’t to active this past year , my mother was ill and passed away in june…have … had a few pretty good ones in the pass.No matter how far away i am from my hybridizing …Its always there…a passion for me .Oh it would be nice to have a few making those royalties check. i’m like Jim i love to see those first new blooms.Havent been on here in a while ,will kick off again…and a big hello to Mr. Moe. I use to talk to Mr Joe Wenchel a good bit …And told me once “Larry never give up” that and the passiom has keep me going.
It’s nice to have you back on the Forum, Larry. I am so sorry about your mother. I hope you can get more “babies” opening up to give you that rush again.
I realized many hybridizations some years ago, and obtained many plump and nice seeds.
The for me most interesting crosses dit not germinated and the most common ones germinated better than radishes, sothat I bravely sacrified most of our vegetable-garden during three years.
With some indulgence i still keep some seedlings out of this batch. I plan to continue and to improve the stratification and germination part.
Arnold, East of France, Zone 7
I just joined the forum this week, and I am an active hybridizer/breeder of modern roses, Asiatic lilies and daylilies.
Welcome, Cathy!
Jeez… when I visited my grandmother in France back in the 90’s, I routinely brought back cuttings of the roses in the garden of the nursing home she was in… LOL. And I was bringing these back through U.S. customs!!!
You can bring a “cut flower bouquet” in through U.S. customs legally.
You have access to modern cultivars if you really want them!
I spend all of June hybridising roses and all winter coaxing babies to grow in the greenhouse. One of these days I’ll get some of these things into commerce…
Things have changed dramatically, Cathy. I wouldn’t try the cuttings smuggling now. The current USDA restrictions mandate nothing greater than 10 mm thick can legally enter, including the bud union and inspection and customs charges are exorbitant.
I am hybridizing maybe a handful of hips a year, because I do not own property but i have a number of plants in Whiskey barrels and larger pots… One day hopefully
Thanks Kim, once again for the pollen I am really hoping some of the hips take. Ill be thrilled if they do!
You’re welcome, so will I! It will be fun seeing what you created with it.