Lilium experience
Posted: February 18th, 2017, 11:19 am
This is an appeal to all dormant, tired, retired, inactive and active members who are/have grown Liliums, to share their experience, positive as well as negative for the benefit of us all.
Jera bolay ohi kundi kholay
I feel Liliums can be grown as perennials in Lahore but with special care.
Forced, already sprouted bulbs are sold in the market (at twice the price they are sold in India) in around October. Planted immediately they start flowering about ten weeks onward.
As the main stem dries the bulb will re sprout and re bloom in May/June.
Now when the stem dries and if left in the pot the bulbs go dormant and will stay healthy if not allowed to bone dry or get wet in rainy season. They will sprout again as the season changes blooming in April/May. These blooms are not as healthy as the cold season blooms.
The life cycle
As the bulb sprouts and the stem grows till blooming the energy stored in the bulb is consumed and it reduces in size, after the blooming till the stem dries the bulb replenishes the lost energy.
Chilling forces the bulb to sprout and is also required to keep the bulbs dormant. It is a must for growing Liliums in hot areas.
Chilling requirement varies with the variety of Lilium. About 40 days for Asiatic and 60-120 days for Orientals.
Chilling is in two stages, at -1C for dormancy and at 8-10C to encourage sprouting.
Plant your bulbs October onward depending upon when you want the blooms.
Hold on it is not as simple as that, there are many variables I still know not. Whereas most of my old bulbs planted in October have bloomed, one Pink variety (kept under same conditions) has yet to sprout although the bulbs are perfectly healthy.
Your contribution is requested
Arif
Jera bolay ohi kundi kholay
I feel Liliums can be grown as perennials in Lahore but with special care.
Forced, already sprouted bulbs are sold in the market (at twice the price they are sold in India) in around October. Planted immediately they start flowering about ten weeks onward.
As the main stem dries the bulb will re sprout and re bloom in May/June.
Now when the stem dries and if left in the pot the bulbs go dormant and will stay healthy if not allowed to bone dry or get wet in rainy season. They will sprout again as the season changes blooming in April/May. These blooms are not as healthy as the cold season blooms.
The life cycle
As the bulb sprouts and the stem grows till blooming the energy stored in the bulb is consumed and it reduces in size, after the blooming till the stem dries the bulb replenishes the lost energy.
Chilling forces the bulb to sprout and is also required to keep the bulbs dormant. It is a must for growing Liliums in hot areas.
Chilling requirement varies with the variety of Lilium. About 40 days for Asiatic and 60-120 days for Orientals.
Chilling is in two stages, at -1C for dormancy and at 8-10C to encourage sprouting.
Plant your bulbs October onward depending upon when you want the blooms.
Hold on it is not as simple as that, there are many variables I still know not. Whereas most of my old bulbs planted in October have bloomed, one Pink variety (kept under same conditions) has yet to sprout although the bulbs are perfectly healthy.
Your contribution is requested
Arif