Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: A Reyt Tayty on April 24, 2012, 21:12

Title: Lillies.
Post by: A Reyt Tayty on April 24, 2012, 21:12
Decided to have a go at some lillies this year. Set some off in big pots with some very nice compost. Making sure they are watered ok and loving care given them. Had a couple of corms left, so I just bunged 'em in a bit of an empty space. Just bare soil, never done much fertilising or adding anything to it. Left 'em to it.

Guess which lillies are doing the best?
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: Mrs Bee on April 24, 2012, 21:41
ooooooo it wouldn't be the ones in the empty space would it ::)

Have grown lillies for years and they are a lot more accomodating and easier that people think.

Main problem is the nasty red lily beetles. If you see any fornicating red beetles pick them off and squish them. usually in twos at this time of the year. Also if you see any thing on the plants leaves that looks like black squidgy poo, wipe it off and bin it as that is the eggs/larvae.

Beautiful plants and if you get the scented ones it is heavenly in the gardenin the summer evenings with the scent wafting around. :)
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: sclarke624 on April 25, 2012, 15:16
I adore Lillies.  They don't seem to mind being crowded, come back every year, multiply and just generally look gorgeous.  You will not be disapointed.  The only thing that annoys me is they seem to be over by mid August.

By the way Wilkinsons half price at the mo'

Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: cob nut on April 25, 2012, 15:42
I second Mrs Ball's comments.  I have grown lilies in pots/containers for years and they never fail...only problem I have is with the dreaded Red Lily beetle which I have to check for several times a day and squash when found, I have already seen two lily beetles on my snakes head fritillaries a couple of weeks ago, needless to say they won't be breeding  ::)
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: spottymint on April 25, 2012, 18:29
I have an orange lilly in a pot, asiatic. Bought cheaply from Morris- on.

It has grown, divided and now filled the whole pot, seems happy & never fails to flower.
Needs splitting, it's that crowded, maybe next year, been saying that for 3 years now.  :ohmy:
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: Milly on April 25, 2012, 18:37
My in laws bought some from a car boot about 3 years ago, they've split them every year and have loads of them now.
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: A Reyt Tayty on April 26, 2012, 21:43
So what is the drill when they finish flowering? Leave them where they are, or dig 'em up and split 'em? Where, when and how?
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: Mrs Bee on April 27, 2012, 00:37
So what is the drill when they finish flowering? Leave them where they are, or dig 'em up and split 'em? Where, when and how?


Cut the flower head off and leave the leaves to die back. The leaves will soak up the sun and send the energy to the bulb for next years flowers.
Leave them where they are, they will be fine. AFter a year or so you will find that they make little lily bulblets which you can pick off and plant to make more lilies.

You can also take some of the scales from the bulbs and put in a bag of compost for a while until they start to grow and then you can more lilies. ;)
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: Diddy Gardener on April 27, 2012, 13:07
Don't tempt me Mrs Ball, I already have too many! Hmm... can you ever have too many???  ::)
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: Mrs Bee on April 27, 2012, 13:19
Don't tempt me Mrs Ball, I already have too many! Hmm... can you ever have too many???  ::)

You can never have too many lillies. But only the scented ones ;)

Have you seen the new tree lillies. Really giant ones. I planted one recently.Just hope it lives up to its promise :)
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: loobs61 on April 28, 2012, 11:55
Mrs Ball, I bought 3 tree lillies from TM 2 years ago, splendid very pleased with them and they get taller every year ! I dont think you will be disappointed
Title: Re: Lillies.
Post by: Mrs Bee on April 28, 2012, 19:09
I look forward to the warmer weather and the appearance of the giant tree lily then, Loobs. :)

I am looking forward to having my raised beds built in the garden so I can get some of my treasures out of their pots and into their final places.

Then I can see where else I can put in some more lilies.  ;)