FieLDS Babysitter Plant Program
The Finger Lakes Daylily Society (FieLDS) will purchase a collection of recently introduced daylily plants to be distributed to FieLDS memberships during the spring meeting. A single membership is considered to be all those persons living at one address or using one address for FieLDS mailings. There will be a separate drawing for each plant. Any qualified membership of FieLDS who would like to grow a “baby sitter” plant will have the opportunity to participate in the drawings. “Baby sitter” daylilies will remain the property of FieLDS. There will be no additional charge for FieLDS members to participate in the program. Not more than two “baby sitter” plants may be grown by a membership at any one time.
Only active FieLDS memberships who regularly participate in FieLDS will be eligible to participate in the “baby sitter” program. An active membership is one that has attended at least two FieLDS events in the past twelve months and whose dues are in good standing.
The entire “baby sitter” plant will be returned to FieLDS at the end of two years (or no more than three years for a slow growing plant). Members growing “baby sitter” plants may be required to make an oral report on the plant’s growing progress. The “baby sitter” plant must be clearly and permanently labeled by the grower. Plants should be well cared for and grown where other FieLDS members may observe their progress.
The grower of a “baby sitter” plant may use the pollen from the plant and be willing to share the pollen with other FieLDS members. NO SEED PODS ARE TO BE GROWN ON “BABY SITTER” PLANTS! Seed pods may slow the plant’s increase. Blooms and scapes may be taken off the plant to be used for flower show exhibition. The grower of a “baby sitter” plant may keep and root any proliferations that the plant produces. The plant must not be divided at any time.
If a “baby sitter” plant dies due to weather conditions, the grower will not be held responsible. The loss of a plant must be reported to the “Baby Sitter” Plant Chairperson. If for any reason a grower cannot continue to care for a “baby sitter” plant, the grower will notify the “Baby Sitter” Plant Chairperson who will then find a new location for the plant.
At the end of two years (three years for slow growing plants) the plants are to be dug up, roots washed clean, well labeled, and returned to the FieLDS at a time and place designated by FieLDS. Do not divide the plants. Plant division will be accomplished under the direction of the “Baby Sitter” Plant Chairperson. The “Baby Sitter” Plant Chairperson will return one fan of the plant to the membership who grew it as a reward for their participation in the program. The remaining divisions of the “baby sitter” plants will be auctioned or otherwise sold to FieLDS memberships at the spring club silent auction or at the August members only plant auction. Funds raised through the sale of “baby sitter” plants will be put into FieLDS’s general treasury.