I am really excited after reading about some of you, like pard, who have done some propagation techniques. I was reading about scaling, and is it correct to say that this will produce a clone of the lily you scaled? Can you scale a bulb you receive from a grower right away or is it best to establish it in your garden first, then scale later?
Which is faster to flower? Scale or seed? A seed then would not produce a clone, but a strain because of open pollination?
I so look forward to trying some of this propagation stuff, but any advice from you more experienced in this area would be so appreciated. I've learned a lot already.
Scales or seed
Scaling produces a clone, just as if you take a cutting from a plant and root it. You can do it when you receive your bulbs, prior to planting. I usually take no more than 3 scales. Try to remove the scale with some of the basal plate as this is where the bulblets form. Sometimes I use a paring knive to start a cut, otherwise the scale easily breaks higher up and the chance of success goes down. This technique is used by the growers for propagation. I tried to position these scales so you can see the bulblets growing right on the curve that previously connected to the basal plate.
I haven't noticed any difference in time to first bloom. Both methods start from the beginning of bulblet formation. Seed is used to create new lilies and propagate species, which will grow true from seed.
I'm just learning this stuff and am so thrilled with your knowledge. It seems crazy, but I never knew that as the lily "multiplies" it must be the bulbets that form from the scales? Right?
I'm am going out on limb and will try both over the winter. It must feel so fulfilling to know you can do this yourself. My first will NOT be an oriental, as this sounds more time consuming. Do you know if the OT lilies act more like orientals in the way you deal with them, or more like trumpets?
Thanks, for any advice you can give. I am grateful.
I don't think that a scale is inclined to form bulblets unless it is removed from the bulb. Survivor instinct you might say. When you see a lot of bulblets coming up around a main stem in the garden they are usually attached ABOVE the bulb in the stem roots. These can be collected in the fall and planted out.
OT seeds usually germinate like trumpets (immediate) but if they don't come up in the course of several weeks some chilling might be helpful.
When you plant them out, do you plant them to the depth of 3 times the size of the bulb? Then replant as the bulb grows?
You're a great teacher, Pard. I guess I should have listened better in grade school science class , when they talked about plants. Who would know how much I could use it these days? :0) Thanks much for your tips. Can't wait to do this now!
I don't plant the baby bulblets very deep. I find it best to have a separate space in the garden somewhere to grow out the bulblets. My biggest gripe is constantly trying to keep weeds out as the babies can get lost real easy. They look alot like grass! Lily bulbs tend to pull themselves deeper as they need it. But I have found that Trumpet lily bulblets grow so fast that I have to toss some extra soil over them. This is better than digging and setting them deeper which disturbs the roots and may set the lily back in it's progress.
Attached is a pic of a clump of seedlings that I removed from a 1 gal pot and just shoved them in as a chunk unit without separating them. Started last spring, several have little stalks; they should bloom next year. After they die back in the fall I will cover with a light mulch to keep the weeds out over the winter.
I wonder if you could use corn gluten as a weed preventer in that area? You can't use it area where you want seeds to take (it is a pre-emergent), but it seems to do a good job, when worked in the soil 2 inches,after all the weeds are pulled. I first used it in my lawn, then tossed it in my vegetable garden where I have had awful trouble with weeds, with success. Just a thought. I buy it under the product label "Concern". Maybe it could help.
Those lilies look great, well on their way to being beautiful flowering stalks! Adding dirt sounds like a good idea too, less distubances mean better growth. They look like a happy group there. Your soil looks to have wonderful composition, great drainage. Mine is heavier, a bit. It is between silt loam and sandy loam, depending on where you pull the soil out.
I plan to try the corn gluten in this area. I bought some under the Preen name. This is the only *good* soil I have-- a raised bed 10 X 16 feet. I tilled in a truckload of sandy loam, otherwise it would be heavy clay like the rest of my yard. I would love to have all raised beds but that would divert my share of the winter rains to the neighbors' yards and I suspect they wouldn't be happy about it!
The lily seedlings above are from a lost label pot so I am looking forward to being *surprised* next year when they should bloom!
I always cut up the sides of the scales if they are large enough. Last year we had some huge, really mega martagons in our annual manitoba bulb sale so I took 5 scales from each of those and cut them all up. I'll have a martagon garden in a few years. I keep them covered with old no longer used metal dog crates to keep off all critters.
inanda
Come to think of it I did notice the Preen "organic" label last time I was in the garden center. I have just used the same stuff I use on the lawn. If you have a lot of beds, it is more economical. It seems the Preen label had a significantly less amount per package for an equal price.
You'll have to photo-op your "surprises" , Pard, so we can share in your success. Thank you too, Inanda, for sharing your experience. I so appreciate it!