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Recalcitrant Liliums
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Posted by MPPI VIC. Australia (My Page) on Fri, Mar 5, 04 at 19:41
The Liliums I planted last year came up this year but their flowering was pathetic to say the least. I did everything in the way of watering and fertilising by the book but with no result. I wonder if I can expect better of them next year or perhaps the exotic and beautiful blooms that appear in the first year are one time wonders. should I just remove them amd replace each year?
MPPI
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Recalcitrant Liliums
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It depends on the quality of the soil. They like an acid soil, moist but well drained, and not wet during dormancy. They don't like their bulbs to be in contact with manure.
They also don't like to have their bloom stalks cut, so if you cut first season, they will have poor bloom the next time. The stalk and leaves feed the bulbs for next years blooms. If you must cut them, only cut back 1/3 of the full stalk length. |
RE: Recalcitrant Liliums
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| Also consider how much sun they get. If they are under trees and don't get full sun for at least part of the day, the bulbs won't be able to gather up enough energy to produce flowers for the year after. Remember the flowers that you got the first year were actually formed during the previous year, so even if you move them to a full sun position now you might only get a few flowers next year. Until they have spent a full season in full sun you won't know the true capacity of the bulbs. Does this help? Generally Liliums get bigger and better every year, well for me they do anyway. Cheers,
Lauren |
RE: Recalcitrant Liliums
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| Hmmm My lilies were OK, some did not flower and will be moved but how can I add acid to our alkaline WA soils? Leaf compost is non existent. |
RE: Recalcitrant Liliums
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Sulphur, and sulphates can be used to lower the pH of soil. Azalea and camelia fertilisers, also mulches such as pine needles and pine peat.
In general, I think it is better to choose the plant to fit the soil type, as long term you are going to have to keep amending it. You could always grow your lilliums in pots, using acid lovers potting mix. |
RE: Recalcitrant Liliums
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| Graham Ross answered my query last night on BHG. He says just to use a fertiliser for Cammelias and that will work. I just happen to have some I got for a Paeony, so will use that round the lilies and see what happens next year. |
RE: Recalcitrant Liliums
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- Posted by MPPI VIC. Australia (My Page) on
Sun, Mar 7, 04 at 20:17
Thank you garden folk for the advice. I'll try using Camellia fertiliser now. Do I use it when the new plant appears or as the old one is going down I wonder? Maybe both. I realise now that some of the weedy plants are where the original plant has seeded. I guess I can't expect anything from those plants or can I? The plants get lots of sun and I've been using an ordinary slow release fertiliser and I don't let them dry out.
MPPI |
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