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Liliums

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Geebo:
Hi All,
For several years I grow a variety of lilium bulbs,the are growing in pots ,single bulb per pot,the compost is replaced once a year,most of the liliums seem to be blind,is there something I have to do with the bulbs to get them into flower,please some advice on this cultivation problem.
Cheers,
Geebo.

Ian Y:
Guy, I have a few thoughts about your blind lilies.
Firstly as they are in pots are you watering them enough during growth, they can only take up food when there is moisture present.

Secondly and if you think you are giving them ample water then you need to give them extra potassium.

My third point is the pot deep enough and have you planted them near the bottom of the pot.
Many lilies are stem rooting and produce a second root system at the base of the stem, just above the bulb. These roots provide most of the energy required for the lilies to flower and if they cannot develop you will get blind lilies.

Susan Band:
Geebo,
Its my experience that Lilies don't really like growing in pots, they are too hungry for that. You didn't mention what types you were trying to grow. I find that the smaller types such as nanum, lopophurum and oxypetalum will do well in shady polystyrene troughs, if you feel they might get overgrown in the garden. Some such as ducatrei and lankongense will run about so need plenty of space, others eventually grow into large spreading rizomes. I find that most of the species like a well dug patch of ground with lots of humus, such as leaf mould, and grit dug in. In pots I think the roots get too hot, most in the wild grow with their bulbs in amongst other shrubs with their bulbs kept cool and their heads in the sun. Avoid water logged soil, top dress with leaf mould each year. I would think Ireland would be an ideal place to grow a lot of the himalyean species. Unfortunately as with all bulbs what you do this year won't affect this year's flowering, you will have to wait til next year for the results.

Gene Mirro:
I agree with Susan.  Species lilies in general don't like pots.  People in cool climates do fine with them, and can't understand what the problem is for the rest of us.  The problem is excessively high soil temperatures, and also soil temperature variations that are too big and too fast.  I live in Portland, Oregon, which is lily heaven, but even here I have huge losses due to Fusarium basal rot when I grow lilies in pots.  Lilies, even the hybrids, are fussy prima donnas compared to a lot of other garden plants.  Even big changes in air temperature will stress them so much that they abort their flower buds.  See this link:  http://web.archive.org/web/20041022041509/www.hoffqualityfirst.nl/howtogrow_main.htm

Geebo:
Hi Ian,Susan,Gene Thank you all for the sound advice.it all make sense.
The Lilies I grow are most like The stargazer,yellow and red pixies, also longiflorum bought in from a dutch bulb compagnie.
The all flowered in 11cm pots the first year,I could easy sort them out and pot them up 3 in a larger 2 liter pot when the started to flower and get a nice display.
I have to agree with you Susan what I do on the bulb this year get the result next year !!
For the moment I have no space available to grow them in the garden.

I could go with your advice on Pottasium Ian,as the pots get ample water true the season,I have little experience in bulbgrowing,but would it make a difference to remouve the compost from the bulbs and give them a rest and repot them next spring,as happen in the trade??Do you mean sulfate of potash,when? I do usualy use osmacote  in my medium.
You right there also Gene Ireland is a good country for growing bulbs in general,ther eare no mayor problems,I usual pot the bulbs fairly deep and put them on his side,the longiflorum are kept in Deep rosepots (2lit)the multiply rapidly but refuse to flower.Thanks a mill for the web site enclosed.
cheers to you all.
Geebo

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