Here are a couple of 2012 seedlings developed from a line that I am developing (Baronne Ed Rothschild X Mme C Testou), so far the results have been promising, as with these no health problems. All I have to do now is see what the bloom colour and structure will be like.
[attachment 874 15IX13J.jpg] (Baronne Ed Rothschild X Mme C Testou) X Ophelia
[attachment 875 15IX34J.jpg] ( Baronne Ed Rothschild X Mme C Testou) X [(Wendy X (Europeana X Othello)) X Dr AJ Verhage]
[attachment 876 13IX71J.jpg] This is a (Wendy X Altissimo) X Veilchenblau, at the moment everything seems to be going ok.
This next seedling is a cross between SAFMUT (a Tea China hybrid of Safrano X Mutabilis) , which was crossed with Ithaca ( Charles Austin X Mme C Testou).
I don’t think the babies were happy being put outside this morning in -2 C with a heavy frost. They get bought in late afternoon and put out at 6am in the morning whether its frosty or not (it puts hair on their chests LOL)
Jackie I find growing my seedlings in the dead of our winter, bought in at night and taken outside to the elements of the weather , produces very strong and vigorous seedlings. When they are planted out in August, produce incredible growth and are stabilized before the wrath of our summer heat of 100 F +. I think some times people fuss to much and do more harm than good. No matter what or how important the cross is, they all get the same treatment.
Hi Neil, All seedlings and seed germinating are kept outside during the day and bought in undercover inside a large shed during the night. Its only untill the frosts are finished.
They look like very healthy seedlings Warren. You are encouraging me to pot mine up straight away. I started the other day and transplanted 60 into pots. They look very healthy. Are your fertilising with more than just foliar feed? I think I have to take them out of my shade house soon too and give them some full sun. Have a few busy weeks at work, then I will get organised again.
Howdy Paul, All mine get potted up into 2"tube with a dash of Osmocote 1/3 from the bottom, and then weekly feeds of 1/2 strength Thrive/Aquasol. The reason for the weekly feeds is because of the constant watering of the 2" tubes, nutrients are flushed out quite quickly and its a top up. Paul you only get growth like that if you put them in full sun, otherwise they stretch to much and become tender. The advantage of this also is , when I plant out in the trial plots out of town in a paddock situation in August, I don’t have to harden them off. Its a little time consuming but the quality of the seedling growth says it all.
The dash of Osmocote is a great idea. I use a coir/vermiculite mix so it is completely neutral ph wise and has no inherent nutrient. I am using Flourish at the moment at the seedling dose. I went out this morning and transplanted another 100 into tubes with a dash of Osmocote 1/3 up. I use 3" ones as I tend to wait for a couple of flowers before deciding if it is worth going further with. My past approach was putting them in larger pots but now you have me thinking. Maybe I will create a seedling test bed down the back. Do you have yours mounded in rows or just a big bed of seedlings? I might have to think about it and whether I aerial water rather than the drippers I have in my beds of parent plants (also my wife’s cut flower plants until I build her a rose garden up by the house).
Paul this is one of my grow out plots , I find once planted in mother earth they power away, making it easier to decide, what to keep.
[attachment 903 2009SEEDLINGS154.jpg] But keep this in mind, there have been two culls before this stage.
This is the same plot but looking back from the other end 3mths later
[attachment 904 01011.jpg] if you have the space to do it, planting out gives you the possibilty of assessing offspring more rapidly than leaving them in pots.
Cheers Warren. I showed your pics to my wife and got permission to use another space at the bottom of the block for seedling beds. When the rain stops for long enough I will get the Bobcat down there. Paul