Lily Gardens

Of all the bulb flowers, lilies stand apart from other hardy bulbs by having a significantly longer bloom period. They are also for the most part tall and upright growers. Growth occurs so rapidly in some of the varieties that division may be required every 4-5 years.

Classes of Flowering Lilies:

Classes of flowering lilies are divided by:

• Color range
• Period of bloom
• Hardiness
• Orientation of the flowers

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[1] Asiatic Hybrid Lilies: These lilies are the easiest to get to bloom and have the widest range of colors. They are also the most hardy of the hybrids. Some of the features of this lily are:

* They have straight stems and thus make great cut flowers.

* They have a strong and sweet fragrance.

* They will multiply if left in one spot and will create larger and more beautiful clumps each year.

* They prefer full sun and well drained soil but will tolerate some shade.

[2] Oriental Hybrid Lilies: These lilies are thrive under similar conditions as the Asiatic lilies but are not quite as hardy. They are a beautiful flower but only come in the colors of crimson, pink, rose, and white. Other features of this lily are:

* Bloom time is July, August to September.

* The flowers tend to hang downward.

* The fragrance of the flower is very intense and tends to increase after dark.

* They make excellent cut flowers and are used by florist. The popular florist lily, Stargazer, is an Oriental Hybrid that can be grown easily in your home flower garden.

* Some Oriental Hybrids grow to be 6 feet high.

[3] Species Lilies & Minor Hybrids: These have the look of wildflowers because they are more airy and delicate in appearance. They are beautiful and have all the colors that the Asiatic and Oriental Hybrids have but in even greater variety, sizes, and shapes. Some of these are super hardy and will do well even in plant hardiness zone 3.

[4] Trumpet Lilies: Much like the Oriental and Asiatic. Their flowers resemble a trumpet, are very fragrant and are outward facing. They were once only available in white & yellow but with hybridization between the Asiatic and Oriental they are now available in many colors.

[5] Martagon Hybrids: These are tall lilies with a lot of downward facing flowers and whorled leaves. These plants like some shade, and may take a few years to adapt but will thrive for years after that. Their most frequent flower colors are yellow, white, pink, lavender, light orange, and deep dark red.

[6] Candidum Hybrids: This Lily hybrid has very few entries and is very rare to find in commerce.

[7] American Hybrids: There are many lilies native to North America. The bulbs are definitely unique with bouncy bright blooms that swirl and curve. Growing conditions that suit them are cool light soil, and spotted / dappled shade.

[8] Longiflorum Hybrids: These hybrid lilies are generally white trumpets that are easy to raise but are not too hardy in the flower garden.

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Planting Lily Bulbs:

Look for that sunny spot that is well drained. Note: Which place in your yard or garden is the first to dry out after a rain? If lilies are in too much shade they will the stems will tend to stretch and lean towards the sun.

You need to plant lily bulbs soon after you get them. This is because the bulbs lack the paper like covering that is common to other bulbs so they may dry out fairly quickly. Note: If you cannot plant them right away, keep them cool but not frozen (your garage or refrigerator should be fine). Also, keep your lily bulbs in the dark because exposure to light can make them sprout and once sprouts begin you need to plant them right away.

Soil & Site - Lily bulbs need a well-drained soil. Dig your hole for the bulbs about 1 foot deep, remove debris like rocks, and add your organic matter. Organic matter like leaf mold or peat moss improves the soils drainage capabilities as well as the over structure.

Bulb placement in the hole, after organic matter is put in, should be a depth of 6-8 inches and approximately 12-16 inches apart from each other. Note: Lilies prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of about 6.5 percent.

Watering is important and should be done deeply enough to reach the bulb. Note: After first planting the bulbs water thoroughly to ensure the soil settles in around the roots. Note: Excessive watering will rot the bulbs. Also, avoid regularly wetting the leaves.

Fertilizers are not needed until the lily bulbs send up green leaves because a bulb has its own storehouse of nutrients built inside. Once the lily starts to grow you can add organic or other types of fertilizer. A light to moderate ratio of 20-20-20 is a good start.

Note: Too much nitrogen in the fertilizer will produce lush leaves but weak stems. Heavy nitrogen in wet, hot areas will also set the stage for bulb rot. A good rule of thumb is to use the same type of fertilizer that is used for growing potatoes.

Organic Mulch is a good idea to spread around your lilies because it keeps the soil moist. Examples of organic mulch are compost, wood chips, bark mulch, and rotted manure.

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You’ll want to discourage voles or even eliminate them from your flower gardens entirely. One way to do this is to get rid of any moles because voles like to use their tunnels. Moles like to eat beetle grubs, so if you eliminate those you will probably get the moles to move on.

Another way to protect your lily bulbs is to surround your bulbs in the ground with flaked rock. Flaked rock has sharp edges and makes it hard for the voles to dig past. Note: You could also surround your bulbs in a wire mesh but this is time consuming.

What else bugs Lilies?

Lilies can be bothered by a fungus known as botrytis blight. This occurs when they have been exposed to prolonged cold and wet weather. You’ll notice orange-brown spots on the leaves if this is an issue.

Lily mosaic can also affect your plants. It is a disease virus that that is spread by aphids and usually produces streaking or mottling of the leaves, then comes a distortion of the leaves. Usually the only s=cure for this is to destroy the plant.

Basal rot is caused by a fungus and infects the roots and the lily bulb. Infected lilies simply disappear or plants may emerge stunted later in the spring. Also, foliage may yellow and die prematurely.

Solution: In your flower gardens at home it is usually easy to control fungus problems by having proper air circulation and sunny spots where the leaves can dry out properly after a rain. You can also apply any fungicide that is recommended for roses.

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Water Lilies:

There is a magic in seeing a garden pond complete with water lilies. These flowers are a beautiful addition to any water garden and are easy to grow with the right information.

The 2 primary types of water lilies are Hardy and Tropical varieties.

Hardy Lilies mean that it can be placed in most ponds in most parts of the country. Hardy lilies come in a wide range of colors but are not quite as diverse and vibrant as the tropical varieties. Hardy lilies do come in red, yellow, pink, white, and variation mixes of those colors.

Hardy lilies do not like flowing water so keep them away from water falls and fountains. They usually bloom for 3-5 days and open in the mid morning each day and close in the late afternoon.

Tropical Lilies

Tropical lilies are not as temperature resistant as the hardy variety but they make up for that with their dramatic colors and variety. There are 2 types of tropical lilies: the day bloomers and the night bloomers. This is unique because you can have blooming lilies 24 hours a day if desired.