Tree Lily bulbs - in a box for too long? Help please!

Hi everyone,

I'm a very unexperienced gardener on this cold land and bulbs are totally new to me.
Ordered some tree lilies bulbs during Autumn but the delivery took ages.
They finally arrived mid January but the weather here in Scotland made impossible to do anything so far outside. I've kept the box closed (yes, I've recently realized it was not the best idea...) outside on the cold weather and protected from rain, frost and snow.
My question: is it still worthy to plant them? And, if so, for how much longer can I wait? (weather forecast here still pretty grim)
Thank you very much for your attention.
Cheers from chilly Scotland


Last edited: 1 minute ago

 

Hi and welcome to the forum.

They say tree lilies bulbs should be kept in an airy location but quiet cool, say below 7c to prevent them from sprouting.

Are you intending to put them in pots or direct into the soil ?

As they have a short flowering period we find they are best in pots so you can move them out of the way after flowering.

You can pot them up any time as long as you keep them out of frosts way, eg in a garage or hut.

If direct into soil again wait until the worst of the freezing winter is over.

We keep them in pots outdoors all year round though probably not as cold as you get in Scotland.

EDIT - ah, seems you have double posted -

Tree lily bulbs - boxed for a month. What to do?

 

Thank you, Ricky101!

i've finally opened the box and, to my surprise, some of the bulbs are already sprouting! And I've kept the box outside where the weather hasn't being up to 4c at all...
Is it worthy to keep them and plant already sprouted bulbs?! That must sound like a real silly question, but i really have no idea.
Last year i've planted some beautiful oriental lilies on my garden - soil, no vases - and was surprised by how long they lasted. I was planning on planting this towering ones on the soil as well. But now I'm unsure if I'll plant them at all...
Would you please suggest me what to do with this already sprouted bulbs? Thank you so very much!
Oh, about the double posting, I'm so sorry - newbie and kindda confused. Wont do that again.

 

If you do errors again..not to worry about that NinaCZ because we are not robots, well their might be a few about, but generally people here will assist you in your hour of need.....

 

Hi,

Assuming those sprouts are still quiet small, just a few cm or so, then they will be fine.

If you can get into the garden and plant them, if, like parts of our garden, they are not waterlogged, then go ahead and plant them with the bulb part about 150mm deep.
Once planted put a piece of bubble wrap or old carpet or a thick layer of compost/peat over the soils surface to keep out the worst of the forthcoming freezing weather.

If the soil is too bad, then do you have a large pot you can put them in using soil or bagged compost and the place the pots in a shelted pot ouside, again covered around with bubble wrap or similar to keep the frost out of the pot.

Must be good plants if they are so eager to grow !

 

Well what are your options?

Most plants are pretty hardy.

Just bury them as they are as soon as possible. Try not to drown them and I promise they will grow in the upcoming spring. They may not grow as big and splendid as they normally would this year but in 2022 you will be surprised.

Just give it a shot, you have nothing lose

 

Thank you guys, you're all so very kind.
I'll follow your suggestions and plant them as soon as possible, at least the smaller sprouted ones - but I have no vases so will have to wait until the Scottish weather allow me to do so. God knows how much longer that is gonna take.
Problem is, some of the bulbs that already sprouted are more than a few centimeters long - I'm attaching a pic to show you. The big one is around 12cm already and growing... the sprout looks quite pale and week already. Do you still think it's worth the try of planting it in, say, a month time? I'm no expert - at all - but it doesn't seem right...
If you would give me more suggestions I'd highly appreciate it.
Love from freezing Scotland
(Btw, the snow is about 5/7cm today...)

 

Suggest you get them ALL planted now.

Cannot you get to a diy store or garden center and get some large cheap pot/s and bag of soil or compost to put them in.
That will let them carry on growing and you could transfer them once the weather /soil is better.

Something like these should take one or two bulbs easily.
A plastic storage box or bucket would do at a pinch if you cannot get out.

 

@NinaCZ
Of course the sprouts look pale. But that is not a bad thing. You left the lily in a dark box. I guess the thought process inside the lily must have been something like this:

"Hmmm, it is kind of dark, but not as cold as it could be. Maybe it is spring and I need to start growing...
Okay, growing is pretty easy, so the ground is not frozen. Good. Still dark though, so I don't need to produce chlorophyll yet
I must be deep underground, so I need even more growth. While I am at it, I might as well produce a few more leaves to catch the nice spring sun once I reach the surface..."

I you leave it out in ln the light for long it will turn green, promise. But I suggest burying it so deep, only a small tip of the plant is looking outside (rule of thumb, three times as deep als the bulb is high)

Edit: By the way, those are some nice lilies. I would love to see a picture or two once they start blooming
I planted twenty or so myself last year. If the bulb is big and healthy you can break it in two to gain additional plants over time

 

Thank you once more, guys.
I now understand the urgency of planting them all. @ricky101 is right, it wouldn't be expensive and i do have soil to do it. Problem is I can't bring anything inside - not even to work for a while and take it all back to the garden. My OCD husband won't have it.
I bet they'd be gorgeous, @Black Dog - if i find a way to rescue them rest assure i'll show it to you.
I've started an album with some pics from last year. Some of my Oriental and Asiatic lilies are there, if you want to have a look.
Whatever happens I'll keep you guys posted.
You're so very kind.
Oh, and here goes a pic from today.
This is part of my garden at the moment (LOL):

 

Hi,

Don't panic, its just some bulbs, if you cannot plant those ones you still have lots of time to buy some more once the freezing weather has gone.

 

I know, @ricky101 - you're right. But i feel responsible for them. The possibility of beauty within - and the loss of it in case they go to waist. Just bulbs, but beauty is such a fragile thing, and I hate to miss it.

EDIT - I've complained about this whole mess with the garden centre that took almost 4 months to delivery the bulbs - not asking for anything, but letting them know how frustrated i am with it all. Now i find on my email that they already re-send me the entire order again. OMG!
I was not panicking - until just about NOW.

 

I've always assumed lily bulbs were totally hardy, but not something I've grown in pots.

 

As long as I'm aweare they are fully hardy - please correct me if I'm wrong here, dear @ricky101 , but some people rather grow them in pots 'cos they say the flowers last too little. Tho so far that's not my experience. Last year my lilies lasted quite a long time...

 

Assume you mean they are sending you some more FOC .

Seems by early next week we will be in much warmer weather so hopefully you will have two lots you can plant out !

ps - do you know about the pollen from Lillies ? especially on the big tree types,with the flowers being so big and open it comes off very easily and can badly stain some fabrics, so though they do entice you with their amazingly strong scent and looks, don't get too close.