What is wrong with my oriental Lily

Brundidge, AL(Zone 8b)

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with this

Thumbnail by springsong

The following information taken from here.
http://www.casa-chia.org/artevans.org/Arkhort2.html

Most lilies like full sun and will tend to lean toward the light if planted in shade or against a wall. The taller types often need staking, particularly if they are heavy with buds or if you have overused the nitrogen fertilizers. The Oriental lilies are the exception to the full sun rule. They evolved on cool, moist, volcanic slopes, of which there are precious few in Arkansas. They are the most beautiful, but tend to die quickly in our hot summers and fusarium infested soil. Grow them in pots in a cool greenhouse, or at least provide afternoon shade.

Most lilies prefer slightly acidic soil, pH 4.5-6.0, with extra peat and sand worked in. In their natural habitat, the species are often found in open pine forests among Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and Hollies. Most lilies evolved on fairly steep slopes in Europe, Siberia, Northern China, and Japan. They absolutely demand perfect drainage. My best plants grow in raised beds. If a soil will grow good root crops, such as carrots & potatoes, or even corn, it will probably grow good lilies as well. They suffocate in clay soil, but revel in an organic sandy loam. Lily roots need air. There is even one species, Lilium arboricola, which grows like an orchid in the crotches of rain forest trees in the Philippines, hundreds of inches of rain, but perfect drainage and air around the roots. Normally we get about 45 inches of rain and that's usually plenty, I seldom water my lilies except in severe drought when the plants are trying to grow seed pods. Frankly, its easy to over-water them, especially if they are in tight soil, and growing in level ground.

When watering lilies, use the soaker hose, not a sprinkler. Water on the foliage which does not dry by nightfall promotes botrytis leaf and flower blight. It's hard to avoid in our climate, especially, if the early foliage has been damaged by late frost. I have tried any number of fungicides, none of which gave perfect control of botrytis problems. Botrytis is a leaf disease, but the spores live over the winter in dead leaves on the ground. You can reduce early Spring re infection of the new leaves by cleaning away the current year's stalks as soon as they start to turn yellow in late summer and fall. Adding a new layer of mulch in Spring will also help to avoid rain splattering the infectious spores from the soil surface up onto the new leaves.

There are lots of good mulches for lilies, everything from hardwood sawdust to rice hulls to pine needles to cottonseed hulls to shredded leaves. When thinking mulch, think light, non-packing and easily permeable by our old friend AIR! Lilies love mulch, but unfortunately, so do mice and voles who love to eat lily bulbs. If you have rodents, use a minimum of mulch or you will be replanting every year. My raised beds are lined with half inch hardware cloth to keep Mickey and Minnie away from the most precious breeding stock.

If you use chemical fertilizers use low nitrogen formulas like Propell 6-24-24. I use chemicals and organics, generously. As both a soil conditioner and a source of micro nutrients, I till in at least an inch of alfalfa pellets before planting a new bed. After planting, especially in Spring, I use another half inch or more as mulch. I have no problem with organic gardening as it applies to building a rich, moisture retentive, well drained, well aerated habitat for lily roots, but fusarium loves that habitat, too, and remains viable as a pathogen for at least 5 years after it has killed the lilies planted there. The only real defense is to plant varieties of lilies that are proven resistant or tolerant to the disease. Commercial lily bulb growers have the luxury of renting new fields which have not grown lily bulbs before for each 2 year planting. Gardeners don't have that luxury. We soon run out of new soil. Over time we find out which lilies will tolerate a buildup of warm soil pathogens like fusarium and anthracnose.

Brundidge, AL(Zone 8b)

Thanks for such good information

Lawrenceville, GA(Zone 7a)

What do you think is wrong with them?

Brundidge, AL(Zone 8b)

I have no idea . These are my first ones and I am clueless CoCo's information has helped me learn a little more probably all the rain we have had and I have just decided not to worry about it and Go from there if any of the others start turning yellow and falling off I will be back here asking more questions

Cedar Key, FL(Zone 9a)

Excellent info!

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