Arif,you have shown some of the most beautiful blooms I have ever seen.It is beginning to look like everyone will have to
deal with the mosaic virus,which most of the sellers have distributed.
So within a few short years,most of us will have it and only the resistant varieties will not have it.
Del

Arif, Do you cover your seeds with soil or let the seedlings seek the soil?

This year I am using 70% Peat + 30% perlite and have covered the seeds with the same.

My climate conditions are similar to Arif's and I start mine in identical fashion. Like Arif, I cover them with a minimal amount of mix.

Arif, thank you for taking the time to post your photos! I always love to see processes behind the scenes.

Do you leave the cell-packs in shade or move them to sun? I have to start mine inside a screened-in porch due to birds and squirrels. If they had access, they would eat the seeds right out of the starter packs. My seeds are in morning shade and get full afternoon sun, as the porch faces due west. Seedlings are all coming up.

Carol

Hi, Carol
They are outside under a shade screen.
Arif

how are the seedlings comeing along

Thanks for the great pictures on your process! Really neat to see all the different stages!

Seediling as today,colckwise, Gerbera, Rain lily and Amaryllis.
{{gwi:413646}}From Misc 2012

Beds protected fron burning sun. {{gwi:413647}}From Misc 2012

Arif

Thanks for posting the photo-essay. You have a very fine resource there and can look forward to seeing those exciting new individuals emerging from the various cross pollinations

That shade screen is amazing! A lot of work you go to to protect your plants in summer. Can water go through that cloth? Just curious if rainstorms cause it to sag. Tropical storms tend to dump a lot of water on my garden in summer, I'd be worried such a screen would get knocked down in a deluge.

These are just make shift arrangement better arrangements are being made.

Would love to see pics of your new shelter when you have it in place.

Shades for Amaryllis and Daylilies are up but some damage has already occurred. In future these will be erected on 1st of May and removed 30th Sept.
{{gwi:413648}}From Misc 2012
{{gwi:413649}}From Misc 2012
{{gwi:413650}}From Misc 2012

Arif

These pictures are so wonderful to see. Thank you for taking the time and effort to share them with us. They're really fun to see. Your dedication to these plants is admirable, and the results you get are great. Definitely keep the photos of seeds, seedlings, plants and blooms coming! You have an eager audience on this forum.

Take care and thanks again!
Grant

Very Beautiful :)

Those are great Arif - very professional looking! Thanks for sharing pictures of the updated shelters.

I have intermixed some of my hippeastrums in full sun with Curcuma alismatifolia. The goal was that I could have some blooms for more of the year. That is working great, but it also has the nice side effect that the curcuma foliage is just slightly taller than the hippeastrum foliage, and is giving them a bit of shade. The hippeastrums mixed in with the curcumas look healthier than the patches planted by themselves, which are showing leaf damage from too much sun exposure. Too soon to say if it is a good long term technique, but seems to be showing some promise.

Thanks for your photos and the information on your sowing and growing process. It is all very interesting.

Good idea of combination planting, do they have the same water requirement?