Re: Lilium kelloggii

Hi.

Thank you for some mouth watering comments about this plant.  I wish I could
hurry my seedlings into flowering!

For comparison, I thought I would add my own comments on how I germinated
the seeds.  Reading the label, I actually sowed the seeds on 21st November,
1999 (not last year as I originally thought).  The seed were described as
ephemeral, that is to say they are viable for a very short period, sow they
need to be sown fresh.  I knew that many bulbs with ephemeral seed tend to
develop their bulbs before producing shoots, confirming Moira's comments on
these plants having a hypogeal delayed type of germination.  For this
reason, I sowed the seed sparingly in 5 inch pots.  This gives the bulbs
both width and depth to develop.  The mix was quite sandy, as suggested by
Sean.  Many of the plants that I grow from seed are South African in origin,
so a sandy mix is quite the norm for me.

At this point, I did not know whether they needed heat to germinate, or
cold.  Therefore, I split the pots.  Some were left outdoors to endure the
rigors of the British winter, some were given the protection of a cold frame
while the rest were given the comfort of the window sill.

Come spring, nothing had germinated so all the pots were placed outdoors in
a shaded area of the patio where they remained throughout the summer.  This
produced a single seedling from one of the pots put in the cold frame.  This
was left in the pot to allow the bulb to develop.  Come December, the pots
were returned to their original locations (outdoors, cold frame or
windowsill) where they remained until this spring.  So now they have been
through 2 winters and a summer.

In June this year, I began to notice seedling in the pots kept outdoors and
in the cold frame.  These seedlings are still in their original pots to
allow for the development of the bulbs.  They are about an inch high, grass
like in appearance and look quite fragile.  I have not removed them from the
pots to check on the development of the bulb.

Perhaps I could have been at this point last year by starting them off warm,
then putting them in the fridge.  But by allowing them to germinate
naturally, I am confident that they are going to survive the British
climate.  I just hope they can survive my handling of them when I finally
transplant them.

Incidently Sean, your web link has been bookmarked.  What a wonderful
resource.  I only wish I had found it earlier.

David Field.
London UK.


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