I have some oriental lily bulbs left over and I'm not sure where to plant them. How will they do in containers?
Containers
They do well in containers. Deep containers are best because they allow one to mimic outside placement. Once placed in pots they'll need quite cooler temperatures. I usually place mine in a covered stairwell (to the basement) for the winter.
Lilies in photo are containerized.
jmorth: Thanks! I am confused about part of what you wrote. You said: "Once placed in pots they'll need quite cooler temperatures. I usually place mine in a covered stairwell (to the basement) for the winter." Can't you just leave the pot outside (on the patio, for example) over the winter? When you say "cooler", do you mean warmer that the outside temperature?
happy, in your zone they should be fine with the containers just left out for winter. I know someone here in my area that does it successfully with Orientals. The summer will be when to try to keep the containers cool, shaded perhaps by a cascading overplanting.
I plan on growing the lilies I'm expecting in March in containers. I'm not sure where I want to plant them and I like the idea of seeing the colors with my own eyes before putting them in the garden.
That's great news. I'm figuring maybe 3 lilies to a 10" container? What do you think? The containers' sides are quite straight -- they don't taper in.
Another question -- how many years do lilies typically last, with half-way decent care?
This message was edited Dec 11, 2006 9:40 AM
3 to a 10" container is about perfect...I'd agree with gemini sage for your zone about placement...up here I'm a little leary about subjecting mine to the full blunt of winter weather (especially those in pottery containers). I've had successful returns for more than one season; I usually rotate mine into the ground after one or two seasons.
Thanks!!
Orientals are tempermental for me. Iowa winters want to freeze them out. Are you growing your containers in full sun?
Well, I haven't tried this yet, but I have no FULL sun anywhere. I was planning on putting them in a spot on the patio that gets a lot of sun.
My best orientals get afternoon shade. The ones on the east side of the house got cooked last summer & I had to move them. Too much Iowa sun & heat withered them.
They do pretty well without a lot of sun, but only the first year. It sounds like your situation is perfect for Orientals.
What do you mean "only the first year?" What is the best way to keep them going as long as possible?
I think the first year comment was in reference to them getting too much shade; the first year they have energy reserves in the bulbs to bloom nicely, but too much shade (sun=food stores) can prevent them reserving enough energy for next years blooms. My Orientals that get 4-5 hours of sun come back with more blooms each year.
As far as how many years they last, I've read conflicting things about that. Some sources say Orientals fizzle out after a few years. I've been growing Orientals for about 13 years now, and still have several of those original ones. I've dug and divided them over the years, but they've stayed vigorous. It may depend on the variety, and I got lucky with that first one (a no id). Asiatics, species, trumpets, and OTs can be very persistant performers in the garden.
My neighbor's Stargazers didn't come back last year after blooming for several years in a very shady yard. These are supposedly one of the shorter Orientals, but they were a good six feet in her yard. It would be interesting to dig some up and see what they look like. I wonder if they might be resting due to lack of energy and might return one day?
I've heard the average life of an Oriental is 3 years up here in the frozen north. However, I think you can extend the life by planting deeper, making sure they get adequate food and water and making sure they get at least 4 hours of sunshine.
That's all good news. I'd love for mine to last for a while. My idea of the perfect garden is one that will flourish forever!
That's what I meant about "first year." They have what's needed to bloom the first year, but you have to supply more sun after that. It sounded to me like you can do that.
Orientals seem to last about 4-6 years here in Iowa. They don't increase either. On the other hand, asiatics, Orienpets, Trumpets & LAs are happy as can be--if the bunnies don't get them!
I do rely quite heavily on Blood Meal to keep the rabbits away. It works for me. I don't reapply it after a rain either.
Thanks for the reminder about blood meal! I have a problem with chipmunks I am hoping it will help with.
We start off in spring with five bags of it and as soon as the Asiatics poke their first leaves through the soil I start using it. The year the rabbits ate 25 brand new Orientals to the base was the year I first tried it. They all came back just fine (the following year) but it was annoying to look at that garden and wait another year for blooms.
Annoying is an understatement. Blood meal won't work for me--gets our German Short Hair in the mood to dig...
NOT a "good thing" at all!
Yeah. And he taught our daughter's 60 pound puppy to dig in our yard too! They don't need any encouragement....
Sounds like a good bunny chasing dog is what you need now!
When we had our English Setters, they would work as a team and kill any bunnies stupid enough to come thru the fence. Our German Short Hair is only interested in keeping birds out of the yard.