Struggling Lilies

I have two lilies that are only just about 3" above the soli, when all the rest are willowy and about to flower. Otherwise the foliage looks perfectly healthy. I dug one up (a pink asiatic so nothing unusual) to see if anything was chewing the roots. No sign of anything but the roots look poor and are mainly stem roots. The compost is gritty but was very wet below the surface. I put a bit of drier compost in and replanted.

Any ideas? They don't look virusy, I have one other that does but even that one has grown more.

 

They are in a big pot, newly planted this spring, at least 6 weeks ago. Several of the other ones have had exactly the same treatment but have grown away OK.

 

That's interesting, Armandii. I bought some tree lilies last year but was very disappointed when they failed to come up. However, this year, I think they may have done. Hard to be sure as I have about 20 pots of lilies around and the permanent felt tip on the labels has washed off. Hmpph. I just take whatever comes! Also, in the past newly planted lilies have done well.

The bulbs I checked on look very plump and healthy but very poor or non-existent root development.

 

My lillies looked the same then one morning I found lily beetles on it.. suffice to say I took the beetles to the drain to get some swimming lessons. Since removing the beetles it looks much better and is growing better.

 

I don't think it is beetle, my lilies are regularly patrolled for beetle (like twice a day since April!) and there is no sign of beetle damage on them.
I have found quite a few over the weeks but I don't think the problem has been as bad as in previous years as I have killed them before they could breed or eat much.

 

Are they newly purchased, or just newly repotted? If purchased maybe the supplier has mixed-up with a dwarf variety perhaps/ (Although I suppose they would be showing flower buds by now)

I've tended to buy-cheap for Lilies in the past, but got a bit carried away this year and bought from H W Hyde and have to say the quality is excellent. I'd buy from them again (and they weren't significantly expensive anyways ...) Gold medal at Chelsea this year too ...
www.hwhyde.co.uk

 

Newly purchased, can't remember where from.

 

Any chance they were mis-labelled do you think? (Although I'm still inclined to think that if they were dwarf you'd see flower buds forming)

 

Possibly they were mislabelled. Anything's possible! Do you think dwarf ones, which I usually avoid, would only be 4" high? It's the lack of roots that puzzles me.

 

No, a foot tall would be normal for a dwarf lily I reckon.

Ignore me earlier thinking looks to be irrelevant.

Stem roots would be normal on some types - but I've never dug one up to know how much root they should also have out of the bottom of the bulb.