The deer don't come into my garden cAROL so I can't answer your question. Sure hope someone else can give you the information you're looking for. I'm growing LOTS of blackberry lilies this year and from the looks of my sprouts, I got close to 100% germination. The few I grew last year via WS are planted out and nothing seems to be bothering them so far but (1) it's early in the season and (2) it has been a very cold spring so the critters & creepy-crawlies may not have come out in force yet. Since the foliage is much like iris foliage, can you plant them near where (if) you grow bearded or Dutch iris?

The ones I planted from last year's WS should bloom this year and I'll probably have seeds to spare if you need some when the time comes. This year's sprouts are almost 2 inches tall so I'll be potting them up in a few weeks to grow on a bit before planting out.

Eileen,I have a spot I can put them, We just fenced in the whole front side of the yard, took us two days, I am beat, I just came in to make a pot of coffee,and wewax.
I need to find something the deer won't eat,for the spot I want to plant.I think they will leave helleaborus alone,(did I spell that correct.)that would look nice.hummmmmm
have your balloon flowers sprouted yet? mine have not, every thing else is just about sprouted.
Have you started to plant out yet?
cAROL

The deer have been grazing on my phlox and hosta, but they have not touched the blackberry lily! Can't say they won't but they haven't yet!I don't recall BL being a deer magnet in years past either.

Deer haven't touched my blackberry or candy lily for the past 6 years and they have to walk by them to get to the hostas and daylily.

3 years ago they demolished most of my hostas, more than 50% of my daylily buds and flowers and just walked away from the the blackberry lilies and candy lilies.

Fran

Thanks every one,I think I will take a chance and plant them out tomorrow.
The deer back here are really bad,way to many.
And they have eaten all my lilies in the back,I think I will be moving them up front.
cAROL

my blackberry lily and candy lily havent sprouted yet. Is there still hope?

cAROL - looks like you might be okay planting the BL and not having a problem with deer eating them altho' I've heard they'll eat anything if they're hungry enough. How do you grow so many hostas if you have a deer problem? Hosta is supposed to be like offering them a chef's salad.

NancyPlants - was the seed fresh when you sowed it? Diane's Flower Seeds recommends storing extra BL seed in the refrigerator which suggests it doesn't remain viable long after being harvested. I don't think I'd give up on them just yet though.

cAROL - the Fuji pink balloon flowers sprouted 4/30 but are still just tiny sprouts with only their seed leaves. As for hellebore, I don't think the deer would bother Lenten rose but I wouldn't risk planting them in or near their favorite grazing spot.

I'm gradually potting up things that have their true leaves but haven't planted out yet except for things I WS last year that I wintered over in pots in the ground. Just about everything I stuck in a trench down near the granite garden bench survived the winter under all the snow.

Nancy, give them more time. I had some seeds that were 2009, from my own plants, and they sprouted. Maybe it isn't warm enough yet?

Becky

Hi everyone. I checked on Swallowtail for Blackberry and Candy Lily and the seeds are expensive $2.00 for 10. Does anyone have any seeds they could share? Let me know of something you want in exchange and I will try to get it. First year ws so I just have the usual plants.

Linda

linda_jo - I'm surprised they're so expensive because the plants produce LOTS of seeds. Thanks to trading I've got more than I know what to do with plus 16 or more milk jugs with sprouts in them. You are welcome to as many as you'd like. I'm not hunting for much of anything so they're yours for postage. Send me an email and we can work out the details.

I might have some but will have to check when I get home. I do have about 30 seedlings if you would be interested in some of those - they are most likely orange and are still quite small so could probably travel in a bubble envelope, wrapped in a wet paper towel and plastic, since I am in VA and you are in NC.

Becky

Hi Becky. I just sent you an email.
Linda

Linda, I didn't get an e-mail from you! I will try sending you one, then you can respond to it.

Becky

Okay, Linda, I did get your e-mail, it just took until 12:30 to get to me. I sent you a reply.

Becky

Nancy pants,( I wanna say Fancy Pants) teehee**OH, i DID,:0)
My BL,are very small, they still have the seed head attatched,and not all of them have sprouted, I would say, 1/2, the container is, I am keeping the other 1/2, cause I think they will still be some in there.I did plant them out this morning, very,very, tiny.Don't give up,have you gone topless,and placed them in the sun?
If not, do so.
Gardenweed,I found a few sprouts this morning, yeaaaaa.
The deer do eat my hosta, when you have over 2,500,in your yard, they come.
I am in the woods, so there is plenty for them to eat,other than my hosta, plus, I have a planting peremiter,of common ones, just for them, this has worked for me for years,they enjoy them,and leave my good ones alone.Busy day today,how about all of you,nice and sunny,life is good.
cAROL

I dont know how fresh the seeds were. I received them from GW members. It wasnt mentioned that they had been refridgerated.
I WSd both the blackberry lily and candy lily on 2-25. They are located where they get sun till about 3 pm. I make sure they are moist but not wet.
There are a few others that havent germinated yet:
-allium
-Lady's mantle
-bittersweet
-columbine
-golden alexanders
-laurentia
-liatris
-mountain bluet
-a couple others
Those in the 'waiting hopefully for sprouts' area are the minority compared to the 'Sprouting All Over The Place' container area.
Just makes me smile to see how successful WSing is. Now I need to get them planted!

Thanks for the hope on the lilies :)

ah yes, 'Fancy pants'...hahaha
I remember in kindergarten hearing 'fancy dancy nancy pants'. (I kinda liked the lil boy chanting it)
guess it stuck :)

I have a blackberry lily sprout :)
hopefully more to come