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Re: Lilies to KITTY
perennials@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Lilies to KITTY
  • From: "* L* <b*@netins.net>
  • Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2011 08:43:20 -0500
Question about where did you put your potted lilies during the winter? I have many from the year, and don't know how to keep them over. Another question the ones I have in pots should I repotted them because too many to put into the ground? Should they have new dirt for new growth? Thanks, Becky Litterer, Dougherty, Iowa 

On Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:58:35 -0500
 "Kitty" <kmrsy@comcast.net> wrote:

Joanie, f you want fragrance, get the trumpets and
orienpets.  Trumpet will knock your socks off with
fragrance!  When they crossed the orientals with the
trumpets, both parents contribute fragrance and you get
an extra chromosome to boot - which is why they're so
durable.  The orientals are so lovely, just not
dependable for me.

If your clay soil doesn't drain well enough they could
rot.  Depending on the size of the planting and how
you've amended the planting hole, there is the
possibility of the bathtub effect, again causing rotting.
Next time you plant some, put some sort of marker for
each.  If one doesn't come up, dig down to see if it is
there.  If it's rotting there'll still be some semblance
of a bulb there.  If it's voles or chipmunks there may be
nothing or maybe a bunch of loose scales.

The only experience I've had with rodents getting into
my bulbs was the year I potted a lot of lilies in fall to
sell the next spring.  I placed these pots in a different
spot than I usually did and some rodent got into almost
all of the pots.  They ate only the basal plates and
tossed the scales everywhere.  Now when I pot lilies in
fall I bag the pots in big mesh Narcissi bags.

I thought orientals originated with L speciosum Rubrum,
but I may be wrong.  I don't believe Tiger lilies (L
lancifolium) are involved.  Tiger lilies are very durable
and consequently can endure many viruses that orientals
would succumb to.

Kitty
neIN, Zone 5
 ----- Original Message -----
 From: Jeaa0088@aol.com
 To: perennials@hort.net
 Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2011 2:57 PM
 Subject: Re: Lilies


 Hi, Kitty. My trouble began when I discovered the
orientals, which I really could never have too many of.
My soil is heavy clay and the lilies are in an area which
drains pretty well but that's an elusive phrase here. I
plant the bulbs in deeply amended soil (compost, peat
sometimes and also aged manure depending on what's in a
certain bed), irrigate as needed, no chems, sun until
around 3pm, 1 1/2" leaf mulch or compost mulch,  But, I
don't have cats and I do have many dig-to-China
chipmunks. And voles and moles. But they would have eaten
the entire bulb as I did not encase them in wire so even
spindly lilies wouldn't have come up. But I also had
quite a few which never appeared again.

 You said the Orienpets worked for you. I need to try
some of those and go back to the tigers as well. But the
fragrance of an oriental is out of this world, right up
there with lilacs and the rose 'Jacqueline du Pre'
(http://www.dianeseeds.com/files/r_jacqueline_du_pre.jpg).

 BTW, does anyone know if the orientals spring from
tiger lilies? They have similar traits. Thanks to anyone
who might have some ideas.


 In a message dated 6/12/2011 1:50:26 P.M. Central
Daylight Time, kmrsy@comcast.net writes:
   I generally have complete success with lilies until
it comes to shade types.  Maybe it's all the tree root
competion for moisture and nutrients.  Asiatics and
Trumpets are easy; the former multiplying quickly, the
latter getting bigger underground until they split in
two.  Orientals, not that good, they tend to be more
wimpy for me.  All the hybrids I've tried - Orienpet, A/L
hybrids grow big and healthy.  Tiger Lily, Lilium
lancifolium spreads like crazy.  Rodents rarely bother
them, though that could be because I was blessed with
some wonderful cats over the years.  I have some lilies
still that I bought 20 years ago.

   Joanie, I assume you're following all the standard
cultivation info for lilies.  Exposure, moisture, not
pruning more than 1/3, and all that.  Do you frequently
water the beds their in?  You can rot them that way.
What's your soil like?  Does it drain too quickly or not
quickly enough?  When I plant bulbs I like to prepare the
soil deeply so that the soil below the bulbs where some
of the roots will be will be loose too.  I fertilize at
the time of planting but rarely after, only because I
tend to forget.

   If you can share a little more detail about your
location & cultivation, maybe someone could suggest what
you might alter & how.


   Kitty
   neIN, Zone 5
     ----- Original Message -----
     From: Jeaa0088@aol.com
     To: perennials@hort.net
     Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2011 10:13 AM
     Subject: Lilies


     Both of you mentioned lilies that I have grown and
loved but I haven't planted any in 3 years as most never
return. It's depressing. Are there any lilies that people
have coming back for 5 or more years? If so, what kind of
situation are they in? Soil? Light? Do you feed them? Are
they planted in cages to deter rodents? I did hear that
some species of lilies are subject to disease but I
haven't had any which did return that looked ill in any
way. Quite a few were, however, smaller than in the
previous year. Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

     Joanie Anderson

     In a message dated 6/12/2011 9:35:48 A.M. Central
Daylight Time, kmrsy@comcast.net writes:
       L canadense never did too well for me; wimpy,
perhaps too much competition.  L henryi did better when
it got more sun than it has now; going to have to move
him this fall.  Had speciosum probably 20 yrs ago.  Don't
know what happened to to it.  Keep meaning to get it
again.  Perhaps this fall. I 've had the species martagon
a couple of times; doesn't seem to stick around longer
than 3 or 4 years?  Rodents?

       Kitty
       neIN, Zone 5
         ----- Original Message -----
         From: Gene Bush
         To: perennials@hort.net
         Sent: Sunday, June 12, 2011 5:58 AM
         Subject: RE: Help with Special Plants/ Lilies


         Joannie

                     Some of the lilies I am grown in a
bit of shade are L. canadense, L. speciosum in white and
red, superbum in couple of bloom forms, L pardalinum,
several martagons, L. henryii. There are a couple more,
but cannot remember the names just off hand. I keep
finding room and adding a couple each year. Some of them
will lean toward the prevailing light, but that is OK
with me. I especially enjoy them coming up out of some
hardy geranium.


         Gene E. Bush

         Munchkin Nursery & Gardens,LLC

         www.munchkinnursery.com

         Garden Writer - Photographer -  Lecturer


         From: owner-perennials@hort.net
[o*@hort.net] On Behalf Of
Jeaa0088@aol.com
         Subject: Re: Help with Special Plants


         Hi, Gene...just back so am late responding to
your interesting list. I'm going to check these out but a
question: as someone else posted, I mysteriously lose
lilies over the winter too...do you? I'd love to hear
more about lilies that do well in some shade as they're a
real fave of mine. Hydrangea relatives? Love to hear more
about all when you have time. Glad those of us in the
upper mid-west can stop being slaves to the garden hose
for awhile now. Joanie Anderson


         In a message dated 6/6/2011 7:05:52 A.M.
Central Daylight Time, genebush@netsurfusa.net writes:

             e new epimedium, of course.


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