Lily advice please

I have never grown lilies before, but thought it was about time to learn. So I would be grateful for any advice. I have just bought some Stargazer and Tom Pouce - oh! and I don't have any cats!

The main questions are :- how hardy are they? How long do they flower for, and how deep do you plant them? The packet said plant 8 inches deep. But when you add another inch at the top of the pot to hold water, and an inch for the height of the bulb and a bit of gravel at the bottom of the pot, even in a pretty large pot there is not much room below the bulb for the roots.

 

Just as long as there 3-4 inches, they should be fine. The oriental lilies are very hardy - but will need staking when the flowers break to keep them upright. Feed them once a fortnight, or plant with some slow release fertiliser. Don't cut the stems back til they brown back and die - then put the pot in a sheltered place, and they will come again next year.

Or better yet - plant them in the garden - then you don't have to worry about the size of the pot.

Watch out for Lily Beetle - pesky blighters that kill them. Very easy to recognise - both the grub and the beetle itself.

 

If you do plant them in the garden take care that they do not get too wet. I have some huge lillies in my car park bed and they come back year after year despite me living in a frost pocket. I do nothing to them except dead head and feed allong with general shrubs.

AND if you think you do have enough room in your garden, you can always underplant your shrubs - or give a few more seeds away

 

They have been very hardy in my garden, in large pots and thriving. I keep mine in the pots because we have squirrels who consider them a delicacy and dig them up if not well covered.They only flower once a year but are worth waiting for. Flowers last for about 3 weeks.

 

Many thanks Fran, Waco and Liz - you have answered all my questions. I will resurect them and replant less deeply - and then ..... wait.

The only reservation I have over them is their relatively short flowering period. But they are very beautiful. I have a Meconopsis (blue poppy) in my garden. Last year I went out shopping one afternoon and missed its entire flowering season. :D

 

There's a moral in there, PeterS! Never go shopping again! :D

 

Would that I never had to go shopping again - however I would love to be able to grow blue mecanopsis, but they do not like my lime. to add insult to injury I get a garden full of the horrible yellow mecanopsis which despite my many shopping trips just will not go away.

 

Are you talking about Meconopsis Cambrica here - (the yellow ones) - if so shame you don't like them cos I like those vivid splashes of yellow and orange - took me a while to get them going but now they are self seeding - and I just remove the ones I don't want.

 

have you seen the "rare" lilac mecanopsis? From T+ M?http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/8496/1 - very nice!!

 

Tom Pouce. I went to a garden centre last year and a scent was all over the place. I tracked it down to a bench of these lilies and bought one immediately.

They must be the stronges smelling flower I've ever smelled.

 

Fran - I think so, they are yellow and orange and have a huge tap root and seed everywhere. they do look very pretty, but difficult to uproot and they take over preventing other things growing.

You are welcome to some seed heads if you think they will do better than your strain, but they come with a warning!

 

Thanks Waco - but mine are doing fine - and are not causing me a problem - yet :eek:

 

I have to admit to buying my bulbs in Morrisons. 2 Stargazer for 99p, and 2 Tom Pouce for �£1.29. As the Stargazer appeared to be the nicer looking, I am pleased to hear there was a reason why Tom Pouce was more expensive.

 

Hi PeterS,
I have Stargazer and Tom Pouce, and wouldn't like to say which was the more perfumed! They both havea really strong scent which spreads round the garden. I prefer the Stargazer because I love the colour! Both are lovely.