Tonight I found quite a few bulbils growing and I'm not sure what to do with them. Some are big enough that they have either one or two leaves.
Do I leave them alone or pick them and pot 'em up? If i pot them, do I leave them outside this winter or do I bring them in?
I'd hate to do the wrong thing and lose them all.
Thanks,
Jen
Bulbil ?
Are you able to plant them in the ground, or is potting a necessity?
We probably have another 5 weeks before we get out first hard frost. Do I have enough time for them to establish in the ground?
I may be stepping out on a limb here....but, I don't think in the case of the bulbils a killing frost is going to do much. I would be more concerned about when the ground freezes. Here in southern Iowa it usually freezes hard around the end of December. I think I will allow for an earlier freezing this year though...it has been a year of extremes.
I just leave mine in the ground and let them fend for themselves. I'm lazy.
Our leaves are already turning here. Makes for beautiful site, but makes me really wonder how far out winter is.
I picked a couple last night but I think I'll leave the others where they are. They are this bright, almost neon, orange, one that I'm not quite fond of, but they did put on a show when they bloomed.
Thanks for the help!
Jen
Justjen,
I would put them in the soil. I think they would be able to root in time for winter if you 'helped' them get to the ground! This would save them the time of falling and hopefully working themselves down about an inch or so before ground freeze.
I was just thinking that first hard frost and ground freeze are 2 different things. Most perennials die back on the top, but continue to develop roots until the ground freezes. That is why we seem to be able to do the fall planting we do. The plant is only working on establishing roots and no top growth. Hope I don't sound like a know it all.
Oh gosh, no, you don't!!
So do I want to put them an inch below soil level?
I also found today a group of 3 leaves that are in close proximity to my African Queen. I'm thinking the seeds dropped last year and they germinated?
Probably just new bulblets putting up a little growth. Next year you might see a spindly stem where the leaves are now.
You can plant lilies any time until the ground freezes hard. The bulbils can take care of themselves but as Sue mentioned, giving them a little 'help' getting to the ground and planted will give them a big head start.
Sue may not know everything, but she's no dumb bunny, either. :)
Justjen, make sure you mulch them, then you can be sure that they will survive. Say like 4 to 5 " of mulch. I use wood chips.
Maxine
ditto on what moby and maxine said.
Thanks for not thinking what I thought when I read what I wrote. If they have leaves I would make sure the leaves are still in the sun, no leaves then about an inch deep.
With or without leaves, I planted several pots of them in pots a couple years ago. I wintered the pots under mulch, and each spring, they come back. This year, they have sturdy stems and next year many will be nice lily stalks.
I pick mine off andplant around mother stem. That way I know what they are.
Exceptions are ones wth tons of bulbils. eg Robinsons Comet and Pt. Albern i Tiger. These I give their own space in the nursery garden. Oh yes, and Champagne(forgotten rest of name) and Alex seedlings.
No mulching for me. They live or die. Unless you can call a shovelful of composted manure around each lily.
inanda aka Ginny