Falmouth,
Nova Scotia, Canada
Things you should know
Falmouth,
Nova Scotia, Canada
Things you should know
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Growing Tips
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Through the use of new breeding
techniques it is now possible to make crosses between already
Now, beside the Asiatic, Oriental, Longiflorum and Trumpet hybrids the following types have been bred. * A = Asiatic
These easy to grow bulbs are
a perennial and will return year after year.
Fall is a great time for planting lilies but if you're like me, any time the soil is not frozen I dig lily bulbs! Lily bulbs are actually tubers
composed of fleshy scales and lack a protective covering.
Lilies in the bags can go two
to three months sealed if left in a cool dark area.
If you wish, rather than
leave the bulbs in bags, you may pot up in individual 4 or 6 inch flowerpots.
Essentially, you can plant
your new lilies anytime before the ground freezes.
Plant your lilies with low growing
plants that can provide shade for the bulb and root system.
Lilies are most effective when
planted in groups of three or more. Space them about a foot apart
Dig the bulb at least 4 inches
down in zone 5, zones lower then 5 you might want to dig at least
If you have questions about planting or about your growing zone, please contact us. Lilies From the Valley Hint & Tips Blood and bone meal or a bulb booster granular feed when planting does wonders for a newly planted bulb. Dogs and coyotes love the smell so do not use if you have dogs or coyotes around. If you have a problem with small rodents (voles, mice, shrews etc.) eating your bulbs from underneath, try laying small meshed chicken wire or hardware cloth under the bulbs, or use a wire 'basket' so that only the growing tops of the bulbs would be left open. You can also place chicken wire just under the soil line and secure it to prevent pests digging up the bulbs. The lily pieces (bulb leaves) can grow into new plants given time, as will the bulbuls and seeds. If you save seeds remember to tag and name as seeds are never true to parent and you could have a beautiful new variety! In a few years when it flowers send a photo to me and I will pass on to appropriate society. You never know your lily could be a celebrity! Send us your photos for others to enjoy. Next year 2008, we will be having
a photo contest.
Lilies make wonderful cut flowers to enjoy indoors. Here is a tip in case you get pollen on your clothing or household linens. Do not brush off with your hands or moisten the cloth, because this will set the stain. Let the pollen dry, then brush it away or use sticky tape. If some stain remains, place the item in direct sunlight for a few hours. It's best to brush and wash after the pollen has dried, otherwise it will stain. Alternately, when you bring in your flowers you can remove stamens so pollen does not mark the flowers or accidentally rub off on your clothing or linens. If flowers are needed
for immediate show and you only have maturing (colored) buds,
Change the water in your cut
lily vases every day, and use a floral feed if desired
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| For
a person that you want to say thank you to an example your guide leader.
Have a basket or large flower pot with the bag of bulbs in the pot. Add a garden tool, like a bulb planter and plant stakes with the names of the bulbs already written on them, also garden gloves. You can think of other items to use do so, it will make the present more personal. You can add either raffia or burlap cloth as a stuffer under the bulbs to add support to the items in the container. Use cellophane to wrap and tie with raffia add a card and you have a great gift idea. Anytime of the year. |
| When
cutting lilies always leave at least one third of the stem.
This will help the bulb restore some strength from the old stem. If you take all the stem the bulb may not produce flowers for the following year, but will produce green stem and leaves. This is call a blind stem. The year after that it will be full of huge blooms since it did not produce flowers. That is why most people have numerous bulbs of the same variety. So they can have the show of flowers in the garden as well as flowers to cut. They alternately harvest each plant leaving enough of the same variety for each year to show. |
| When
planting your lilies try planting Four O'Clock plants around the base.
While your lilies are starting to break the ground the Four O'Clocks will
grow faster and shade the ground a little for the bulb. There will be great
colour before your lilies bloom and it will be two-tier plantings the humming
birds will love you.
Only plant one plant for every 1-3 feet. They can be a little bushy. |
| When
you go to plant your bulbs, look at the center...If it is a closed tip
bulb where the scales are fairly tight together you can plant in
the regular way. Tip up and Roots down...IF your bulb (usually this will
be Asiatic varieties) has a open center...where the old stem came out and
the scales are not to a point...plant those bulbs on an angle.
Why you say? Fritalaria's and other open bulbs should be planted on their sides so that rain water or from the hose, do not collect in the center of the bulb and rot it from the inside out. If you have a tip you would like to send me please do so. If you wish me to credit you with the tip please state that too. |
| Grind washed and dried egg shells into small peices, but not a dust. Sprinkle around the base of the plants. It will give small amount of calcium to the soil/plant and any soft bodied insects like slugs will avoid the area. As the shells are jagged and will cut the soft body. |
| Getting
ready for your buds to colour up?
Need them faster then they can naturally mature? Try placing a clear plastic bag or film over the lilies needing a quick colour up.. The humidity and heat generated in the 'mini greenhouse' will quicken the maturity. Remember though to water well , you are putting the lily under stress so water with a dash of fertilizer would be good. Follow the instructions on the container. I
am trying SeaBoost this season.
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| When placing lilies or any flower in a vase , make sure that there is NO leaves in the water. The leaves will quickly foul the water. Use either a floral perservitive or a special made one just for bulbs . Also do not place vase in an area where there is bright sun coming through the windows. They will last longer. To prevent pollen from staining surfaces, pick anters off when they are new and not full of pollen. Wear gloves or use a pair of tweezers. |
| If
you wish to 'force your lily bulbs' for indoor growing, which can be done.
Take your lily bulbs place in a storage baggie meant for lettuce (Glad kind) place dry peat moss in bag with a gentle spritz of water. Seal bag (which does allow ventilation) and place in crisper in fridge...should be around 40 F . Just above freezing. Leave in crisper for two months, but keep checking for signs of roots or damage from too much moisture. Plant if you see signs or at the end of two months. Place in a large stand pot, remember some lilies will be tall so they need to be deep enough in indoor pots. Mainly so they do not fall over. Place an inch layer of soil at bottom(mixed with bulb booster) -make sure there is drainage and catcher for the excess water. Place bulbs and cover to one inch from top of pot. Place where there is bottom heat...register etc... and place near window or under grow lamps.... then wait for them to pop up. When you see the first sprout start to use feed like Seaboost, but follow directions for half strength feed. Then wait for them to flower. Can be done with other bulbs too, ones you dig out of the garden or fresh ones ordered here. |
| Lilies
make great handties for floral bouquets, the stems are strong enough to
wrap with floral tape then wrap with either ribbon or special bind wire
sold at florists.
See below. Make sure lilies are not quite open when making the placement. As they will open and it will be a tighter, nicer look to the over all hand tye. You can use Caspia,Baby's Breath or Solidago for a filler. Using any kind of rose in moderation makes the effect even better when they and the lilies open. For a green, use either Aspidistra or Cast Iron Plant leaves or if you don't have those try peace lily leaves. Which you fold back on themselves and tie with florist wire. Of course odd numbers are always better then even numbers, same with the greens around the bouquet. You will use your creativity to make your arrangement/ bouquet and then use a spiral effect of floral wire, florist tape or ribbon. If you are adventurous try 'wrapping' or weaving the same leaves used for the greens around the 'handle' of the handhold. Cut the stems cleanly about 1 inch from the bottom of the ribbon or tape. To make a holder cut a circle from heavy poster board with a whole in the center...place hand tye through and sit in a sturdy non tip-able vase or shallow pail until needed. Remembering not to get the ribbon wet. Any questions please ask. |
| If
you have to store your bulbs, do it in a very cool place that is also frost-free.
place them either in a brown paper bag or a box of dry peat moss. And never store them with apples or other fruit. The fruit will kill the bulbs by emitting an Ethylene gas ( in higher conditions than normally needed for growth cycle of a lily bulb) that causes them to rot . A refrigerator acts in much the same way. Kept closed to retain the desired temperature, it also enables an increased concentration of ethylene to accumulate. The right amount for lily bulbs to have a 'dormant' period and get it ready for a new growing season. Any closed environment, such as a truck trailer, shipping container or warehouse, will have a similar effect. |
| Now
that the stems of the lilies are beginning to brown up you can now remove
them. If you want to save the seed heads this is the time if they have
not split open. Save dried seeds in a glass jar in the crisper unit of
your fridge.
Of course label either Asiatic or Oriental . Unless you hand pollinated and bagged the flower heads all the seeds that result will be crosses of some kind. Plant them in February in peat trays and label. Plant out in a special location and see what comes up. Remember some varieties will take 3 -5 years to bloom, but it is worth the wait. |
| Fall
is here (sniff*) winter will arrive in some areas soon. Have you put your
flower beds to sleep?
If not this is the time to take all brown plant materials and debris away from the beds. Rake up and if possible burn any materials that had disease or pests. If you can not burn, check garbage ordinance on diseased or weedy debris. I do not like to burn as that would not be 'green' but in some cases it is the only way to destroy the pattern we set up by not cleaning the beds weather it is flower or vegetable. This would be the last week for fertilizing this year in most areas. When mulching a bed (if you do) a reminder that straw, hay and leaf 'mold' might attract little critters you are forewarned. Also try and keep the mulch 'fluffy' or aerated, otherwise with no air circulation and the wetness it could rot the bulbs if you have soil leaning towards clay. The mulch will compress on its own throughout the winter but even snow is fluffy and has plenty of air mixed in, unless shoveled. In spring just rake mulch off early enough that the tips do not get harmed if poking through the soil. |
| We've
had a mild start to the fall and I still have green growth on some late
planted lilies. Of course I will leave them to die back and will clean
those up in the spring if they don't die soon.
Since I don`t have the lily beetle or any viruses in my soil I can compost my yard debris. Otherwise I would be either burning it in a barrel (with permit) or placing in garbage per instructions on waste removal in my area. So
winter is coming ..what do you do now? Well this is a great time to start
planning your outdoor living area for next year....Planning is key!
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| Now
that the ground is starting to thaw and the snow is going , well it is
at my back yard. You want to start cleaning any debris from the yard. Old
plant materials in my area that may have disease should go into the garbage
not the compost. Please check you location for yard waste removal,
as all are different across Canada.
The ground is soft at the moment so you don't want to walk too much on the ground . If you are going to do lots of yard work now it would be good to use an aerator before the season gets too underway. If you compress the soil too much the grass will not grow well as all plants need air for their roots . So
saying that, it is time to think of garden planning. After
you do a bit of yard clean-up take the time to really walk around the yards.
Look at what you had (good if you have photos of before) and think what
would look good there. There is software out there that can help you plan
your yards. Or if you have a Master Gardener or extension program in your
area please ask them for advice. Maybe this is the time to join a local
garden club as a member you usually get a chance to get plants at a good
price or at plant swaps. Most gardens have one or two grand shows of colour
a year. Plan your garden for months of pleasure with blooming times to
keep colour and plants year long.
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In BC most low land areas do not need mulching. Planting around foundations will keep the soil warmer to keep the bulb from freezing.Yet they prefer a 55 F to 63 F soil temp. when first planting and then like warmer day temps as the days get longer.. For certain areas of Nova Scotia the same can be said. The rest of the provinces please either mulch heavily or dig corms after they die back , let dry and store in a cool dark area. Note: storing for long periods(more then 49 days ) of time new corms will start to grow. May make the Freesia late in blooming when planted again or winter over in pots in a deep pot for indoor flowers.May repot and pinch back new flower stems Flowering starts 110 to 120 days after planting and lasts about four weeks.The second and 3 weeks are the best I find. If planted straight into the ground and it is cold...place a little plastic greenhouse over the area planted or cloches (bells) to get the soil to the right temp. If you want flowers for several months you must stagger the plantings. On arrival, always inspect the corms to be certain they are free from serious diseases or physical damage. Be prepared to plant the corms on arrival. If you have to store before planting, place them in open trays at 55F under non-ventilated conditions, but only up to three weeks. If planting in pots or if you are making a Freesia bed with new media, the planting media must be well drained, have a pH of 6.5-7.2, be free from fluoride-containing additives, and is best if sterile. If planting in the ground instead of pots corms can be planted in either ground beds or raised ones that are at least 10 in. deep. The ground bed or bench must have a mesh support system for the growing plants. A stake system with 3 - 4 inch hardware cloth is good and sturdy. A support system is needed if in pots too.l Average plant heights are 20 to 30 in., some varieties are taller still. The 'hooks' or branch are usually 10 to 14 in. long. Remember though the first year will not be the best show for the plant as they had been forced the first season. They too are recycled . Plant corms 2 in. deep at a density of 80 to 100 corms per sq. yd if you want a high yield and a good showing. The exact planting date depends on prevailing soil temperatures, which must be in the range of 55 to 60F. Late April and May would be best for spring planting and Sept to Nov. for fall planting and sometimes into Dec. if the weather and temperatures hold. After planting keep the planting medium moist, but not wet. They too hate wet feet. Freesias require medium to high light intensities (2,500-5,000 f.c.). Use 50 to 55F night temperatures and avoid day temperatures over 63F, especially during the short days of winter if you have a greenhouse or room in the house with proper lighting.. To avoid excess hot soil which could hinder the growth of the plant , plant in sun dappled areas or somewhat protected but not too shady areas. Or mulch with soil cooling mulches. Hint
: do not use any superphosphates or fluoride in soil, fertilizers containing
it and don’t use water that contains fluoride during forcing or after
cutting the flowers. So run tap water and let sit for a few days for gases
to evaporate in barrels if you have high fluoride in your water system.
It may cause the buds to drop when you use large amounts of fluorides.
Forcing freesias as flowering potted plants requires some experience. Caution: Do not return corms to 86F! You must not store corms for more than 49 days. This can cause the corms to pupate--or form a new corm instead of a shoot. If panting in large amounts in beds, plant the corms 1 in. deep. Use four to six corms per 4-in. standard depth pot, 6 to 10 in a 6 3/4-in. pot, or 10 to 15 corms in an 8-in. bulb pan. Use a well-drained, pH 6.5-7.2, fluoride-free, sterilized planting medium. After planting, keep the medium moist but not wet. For plants that require staking, special rings are available from garden suppliers. If planting only a few corms plant among other plants for self staking. The Freesia blades look like gladiolas leaves. After
the blades begin to grow, use 20-20-20 every other week or top-dress with
14-14-14 Osmocote.Both can be found in garden supply stores...I am going
to experiment with some of my Freesias with SeaBoost seaweed fertilizer.
I will let you know what happens later in the year.
Marketing. Market flowering potted plants when the first floret begins to color. Although the open flowers aren't highly sensitive to ethylene, the floral buds are sensitive and can abort. . Homeowners should be advised to place plants in a cool, but well-lit area of the home in order to obtain maximum flower life. |
| Now
is the time to think DIG ME,
plant your lilies by the end of May and lilies should be on time to flower if Orientals if Asiatics they could be a month behind the first year.. The ground is getting dryer and easier to walk and work on. After cleaning up debris ,marking new beds and working on them.It is time for the 'relaxing gardening swoon' This is the fun part because us gardeners get whipped into a green and blooming frenzied we can not do with out....what ever makes us happy. Planting a straight lily patch or mixing pleasing perennials among the bulbs. I like the three layer look. A low growing ground perennial not ground cover as most are invasive and hard to control in a bed. Say types of small ferns. A mid level to cover the stalks while growing, a perennial with either just pleasing or unusual foliage or early blooming before the lilies bloom. Will fill the 'empty' air or space in a lily patch. Last is a slow growing perennial that will complement the lilies blooms and later in the season the "UGH after the blooms is gone look" While the seed heads are forming it is helping the bulb grow for next year too! So it is important to keep the stalk even if you pinch off the seed pods. Perennials can hide the stalks of past their prime lilies in the fall. SO think what you might like to see. If you need some advice email me. Or call toll free 1-888-822-7204 please leave a message if I am not there. I am trying a new phone system so please be patient with me. I hope I have worked out all the 'bugs' of it. Or go to your local garden clubs or extension offices for more information. I am also potting up various lilies for individual sale at the 'shop' Priced right and growing well for pick up in Late May. |
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Special Tip of the Week That was Requested On the Lily Beetle
In my area we are lucky there limited pockets of the beetle. I personally do not have any. I do have stock agricultural photos of the beetle please email me for them. Looks like a cross between an Asparagus beetle and potato beetle , bright scarlet red with a tinge of orange and a fast mover. Devoted Lily Beetle squishers know that it is tough to catch adult beetles on mature lilies because, at the slightest plant jostle, the beetle falls to the ground. When approaching mature lilies, the first step to overcome this quick escape is to place under the plant a pail containing sudsy, detergent-charged water. You quickly lean the plant over the pail so that the escaping beetles fall into sudsy water. The escape-artists drown – the rest get squished. Any liquid dishwashing detergent (a teaspoon per 4 liters of water) can be used for this chore. The larvae is the one who does the damage. It carries is fecal material on its body to pretend to be *poop* .As birds and animals do not ingest fecal matter usually. This way it eats unlimitedly on your lilies.Neem will help as will Diatomaceous earth or Rose dust. It will scratch their bodies and cause dehydration and death. A few people tell me that Neem oil is banned... No Neem oil is not banned It is still sold in stores under Neem and also Leaf Shine possibly other names. It is used in the natural foods and uses market. Also has 10 different names on agricultural market Is used in a variety of products for human and animal use. If you need a large quantity of Neem for Orchids (in the greenhouse) or other plants,store the Neem Oil in a cool spot, such as a refrigerator. Only use what you need. As the Neem Oil may solidify when kept cool, you will need to warm up the container of Neem Oil in a container of very warm water until the Neem Oil turns into a liquid state. If you have a large container of Neem Oil, you may wish to pour this oil into several smaller containers (and label as such) so that you have a handy amount to warm up when required that means less waste. When mixing up a solution of the Neem Oil with your water be sure to add some soap such as Sunlight Dish Soap, as this will break down the oil in the water. If you fail to include the soap, the oil will not mix with the water and your spray application will be of little value. A mixture of 1 oz. to 1 gallon of water should be used for spraying. I do not have lily beetles but when I use other sprays or a different container for foliage fertilizers ,I like a back pack sprayer not a trigger action spray bottle. Less wear on the old fingers LOL A weaker solution may be used as a maintenance spray. It is impossible to give a definite schedule for spraying, however a "close eye" will help each person to adjust a timetable to maintain clean plants. You will probably not have to spray as often with Neem as with toxic insecticides. **Always read the instruction on use of any natural or chemical 'spray' or dust.** |
| Note
: If you have been looking for Neem and not found it I do have a supplier
for it in Nova Scotia. Please email me and I will send their phone
number or email to you.
Well
things are getting full swing for growing this year.
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| Well
here in Nova Scotia my asiatic lilies are blooming quite nicely despite
some heavy downpours lately.
Around Falmouth there is a few pockets of the beetle but most gardeners are not really having problems as they are doing what I have told them to do . They have kept the population down and I might see one or two in all my garden tours so far this year...I do go to quite a few! Remember
if you want to bring in cut lilies to the house for vases or flower arrangements
please leave at least a 3rd of the stem behind. If Cutting for the vase
the questions you should ask yourself before cutting are:
This is for making sure your container does not tip over due to bloom weight. I you use a small container and have a fair amount of stem , it will be top heavy when they open up...an accident waiting to happen. How many blooms are there on the stem? I
give one week for each bloom. That means a fresh 1/4 cut off the bottom
every day for best results. Even better results when you have the proper
cut flower bulb food/water cleaner in your container. That way you can
cut the minimum amount of stem for less `damage`to the next years flower.
Remember you need the stem to help regrow next seasons blooms. This is
why I sell by the dozen. Mainly for the budding florist in the gardener.
You only cut between 3 and 6 of your lilies out of 12 so the ones you didn`t
cut this year are great next year when the ones you did cut are getting
strong again.
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| Well
hope everyone is enjoying the summer hopefully it will last a long time...I
can't stand the cold...
anyway while doing some research I ran a cross a few facts I did not know about the lily. In Feng Shui they believe the lily to be of summer and abundance... Ok I like that one Greek mythology it is tenderness I do have a soft spot for them... Speaking of which, as you might know I also do flower arrangements one of my favourite flowers to use it the lily. Why, because it actually lasts out of water for a few hours before the water in the stem starts to go 'dry' but with a inch re-cut and back in water they will come right back. It also takes a while for the bloom to open fully in an arrangement so you can handle it quite a bit . Unless you bump it a bit before the blooms open it doesn't bruise . I will have some of my lily photos on my Facebook site as soon, it will start to fill up. If you have photos of your lilies that you would like to share just email them to me and I will set it up. |
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Well it is that time again Fall is upon us.
YUCK! This
is the time to clean in the gardens.
For lilies I personally do not cut stalks down that are not diseased. I let them continue getting brown and let them ride through out the winter that way. As it helps strengthen the bulb for next year. All the energy going back into the bulb that was expended this season on growing and trying to make seed. I had a great 'crop' of seeds this year so in the next 3-5 years I will have some fabulous new crosses I hope. If I show them to the NALS and no one has crosses like that maybe I can take them to trials . From there who knows. One: it helps the bulb mature and winterize. It keeps the center tight so no water or bugs get into the center to either freeze and possible rot it or to be a incubator for a new generation of bugs. Two: any cross pollinating that has happened the seeds will mature properly and when ready, will either be wind blown to the ground or eaten but the birds. Three:
when I say winterize , I also mean the stalks will help collect snow around
the base of the plants ensuring an insulating layer of snow for the winter.
Yes lilies can freeze that is ok , it just can not take a constant freeze/ thaw , freeze / thaw cycle that will surely kill it. As the cells in the scales of the bulb are only so resilient in that cycle hot temperature extremes. Constant stress of that cycle can rupture the cells. I
find other then being 4- 6 inches deep in the ground and you are unsure
if they will survive, place cut up pine or fir tree boughs loosely over
the area where the bulbs are. It will insulate, help collect snow and keep
the temperature to a moderate level with out big fluctuations. That is
key.
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| It
should be tip of the month lately
Between work and other schedules and health , things have been busy. Slowly shipping to other provinces will halt until late February or March depending on the thaw. Now if you have a greenhouse or other avenue to grow lilies all year around I will double pack your shipment during the winter months. Now
that the cold weather is here and across the country I will be shipping
with cell aire packaging.
Saying
this means customers in Newfoundland,the Parries and northern climes only
have until roughly the 21st of Nov before the ground freezes. If you know
for a fact it has happened already please let me know the regions .
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| Time
again to think of spring and what you would like to grow in the gardens.
First you have to make sure where you want to plant your lilies will be
a permanent garden. I say this because the longer the lilies are undisturbed
the bigger they get. Plan you gardens I know it sounds 'hokey'
but planning helps in the long haul. You know what the size of the beds
will be (hopefully raised beds too for good drainage in the beds) I do
say you can plant and forget the bulbs but it is best if before you plant
you do till up the soil. To aerate and break clumps up. As all plants need
air around their roots to be healthy. Bulbs need air in the soil to let
water run off (drainage) so the bulbs do not rot.. This is one way of having
a raised bed with out lots of soil being moved in. Don't forget to add
organic matter and larger particulates to create the air pockets as well
as a source of nitrogen.
Do not walk on your grass or garden beds until the water run off is dried up ,so the soil is not being compressed by your walking. Once it is safe to walk on the ground roto till once then add the 'compost' then roto till again to mix well. You will have a fluffy bed. I have at least 160 sq feet of coconut fiber 3 inches thick tilled into all my beds. Coconut fiber lasts for up to 5 years before breaking down. It aerates , has nutrients and still holds just enough water. Whereas , peat moss will compress, hold too much water and is acid with not real nutrients. While waiting to garden get out some graph paper and start planning your garden beds. It is simple yet it works . Make your plan but make it reasonable you can always make it bigger later. More later. Boarder or no boarder? People use rope, garden hoses , special grass paint and a garden edger...or spade. |
| Many
customers have asked this question... what can I mulch my lilies with..?
Through trial and error from previous customers, my boyfriend and my own yards I believe I have an answer. First
I will list what some people have tried. Remember also lilies do not like
wet feet. Planted in raised beds , on hills or if lots of drainage materials
in your lily bed ,are best.
Newspaper
: Yes newspaper will work well if it is 3 inches thick and you have
your
lily bed not in a depression where water can collect. It can look
a site with the vegetable ink bleeding after getting wet... it rots to...
hides slugs and bugs
Plastic:
Not a good idea , holds heat and water and rodents like to live under it
as well as nasty bugs. Good for veggie garden around heat loving
plants. For one season
Marble chips : Nice effect but expensive. Bugs can hide out in cracks but it is the ants that would love the nooks and crannies , it would be filled in in one season. Heavy to dig or move and could prevent bulblets to emerge. Barely gives anything proper to the soil. Good for scree slides (alpine or rock garden- or around certain trees and shrubs ) Good for walk ways. Landscape
cloth: Mid price range can be tricky to cut to shape of the
lily bed.
Sawdust:
Fresh sawdust is not good for any flower bed as it robs nitrogen from the
soil. It might look good but that is for one season. May kill your
plants if not adding a high nitrogen fertilizer...problem is most people
over dose on the nitrogen and all they get are leaves and greenery... no
flowers. May burn shoots of bulblets emerging.
Natural Bark mulches: Might look good but again if fresh may rob nitrogen from soil. Can be heavy to move and can be expensive to purchase. Slugs and bugs like, especially ants due to the mulch will save water and may prevent drainage. Need to re apply every one to two years to keep in shape. Also need to add some higher nitrogen fertilizer. Easier for bulblets to emerge if ant farm not preset. Can also be a haven for small rodents , especially in winter. They might move in and chow down on the bulbs. Better for regular perennial gardens Red
Cedar mulch : Can be pricy to buy, but looks great.... same thing
as the natural bark mulch if bark like...if the shredded variety
it is much better for weed suppression... but will keep more water at the
soil level and may rot out bulbs especially if in a depression.
Coconut mats: Very pricy, will hold water well and may rot out bulb again slugs and bugs like. It does well as a soil additive if shredded ( I have lots in my soil and it loosens it well- better then peat moss ) , and nutrients do leach into the soil slowly as it decomposes very slowly. Better for large trees. Bulblets will not emerge. Peat Moss... not a good idea, expensive and when dry will blow away ,higher acid when leached out (lower ph) may add as it will hold water but you don't want it to hold too much water or bulb will rot. Leaves may be yellow when growing as need nitrogen and phosphorus. other
then leaving the soil bare and just weeding like I usually do...
Pine
Needles
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| During the growing season most
of the time the weather was splendid. Here in Nova Scotia, although it
seemed every time I had time off there was not so good weather for outdoors
work.
Today I set about starting to
put the garden to rest. I am a firm believer that when you grow lilies
you do not pull out the stalks even when brown and dead Until the following
spring. My reasoning
Time heals wounds as the saying goes. This is also the time to give a last top dress of compost or slow release fertilizer. Do not fertilizer after October. Again clean other debris from the beds and here in Nova Scotia my location you may place diseased plant material in the garbage or burn . Although ,I do have quite a big compost pile. I did not have a huge lily beetle problem as I sprayed Neem early in the season on the ground , I may do so after all my gardens are cleaned up.Just incase there are pupae in the soil. I also picked both adults, larvae and eggs from any plants not just lilies I found them on. I hope everyone had a mostly pest free season. I still have a few lilies trying to bloom , ones I planted late. I have my NS azalea blooming again and lavender...which is very strange |
| Well
it's been a wild winter , extreme cold, high winds and so much more.
Today the 13th of March there is no snow in my front yard and just a bit left in the back yard . After that soaking rain I hope we have some good long winds to dry the ground enough to start getting it ready. I already see snow drops, the hyacinths (both kinds) starting to tip as well as peonies, day lilies and tulips among some of the bulbs and rhizome perennial plants in my yard. The Hellebore's are starting to turn green or purple again with their flowers and coral bells are getting strong stems again with full colour. None of the lilies will yet make an appearance until mid April unless we have an equivalent of at least 2 weeks of good heat and sunshine in March. The bulbs that were displaced by the heaving of the frost look fat and happy. What I can see of the bulbs there is no frost damage. This is the time to push them back into the soil before the ground starts to dry and they start their roots. This is also the time to clean up all the winter debris . As many of you know I do not take my stalks out of the ground until spring is here. The stalks are easy to pull out so the bulb has fattened up and healed the old stalk area. Clean and dispose of old garden waste either buy burning it or bagging and putting in the garbage like our area may do with weeds gone to seed and infected plants. Also if you have had lily beetle in the past or it is in your area this is the time to start application of Neem oil /water/soap mix. Any pupae that maybe in the soil or debris that comes in contact with the Neem will never become an adult. It will eventually die. |
| You
always think " things will slow down soon" well it doesn't look like anything
is slowing down. If it is not things around work and the weather
slowing us down , it has to be the gardens...Trying to get the gardens
cleaned up for open gardens that I will be having soon. Between work and
weather I have been immensely delayed. I haven't even got the veggie
garden in either. I am edging, top dressing soil less mix on the beds,
weeding big time and I mean BIG time. I swear in one week those weeds I
never pulled are about ready to walk away. I have a humungous pile of compost
now...guess it needs to be turned so it won't start growing.So while all
this is going on and more ,I am still keeping an eye on those darn little
red bugs...I am pretty lucky as there is almost no visible damage to most
of the lilies. I have heard back from some customers while at NSAGC convention
that was held at the Atlantica Hotel ( Oak Island inn) and at the
Windsor farmers market. Those who have been affected by the beetle
most have tried using potato dust in the squeeze tube. They appear to be
having great luck with it. I am going to get the dust and try it on a friends
yard since I really have no problems as yet.
When using potato dust as with all chemical and natural items , please read the instructions fully. Do not use in windy conditions! Please wash your hands , face and all exposed skin with hot soapy water and rinse well. It is best to wear a full overall with gloves and if possible a face shield. I know it gets warm but safe is always cool. I am allergic to pyrethrums which are natural insecticides found in chrysthanthamums. Why I don't used anything that has it in it including Safter's Soap. After a little research I have found out what rotenone is and will give it a trial. The customers tell me it is almost immediately effective on both the adult and larvae of the lily beetle. Just as a precaution I will be wearing a heavy formed construction mask not a dollar store brand. I will let you know the results. I have been thinking of using Facebook as a faster way to reach me as I am still having trouble with spam filters and email. When I have it ready will post a link on this site or however Face book lets me use it. |
| Well
it's that time again ...fall is around the corner.
Boo hoo! Wish it could stay warm and green and plants could just keep growing... Reality is cruel. The leaves are changing colour , plants are dying back and some things are going to sleep. It has been a weird year here weather wise and sometimes violent too. Late spring almost non existent summer.... My mighty Northern Catalpa had major damage due to Irene blowing through. Large heart shaped leaves caught the wind just right and over 20 feet of tree came down. Didn't help there were two leaders on it from a previous injury . Last couple of days I have been weeding my little fingers off... This year the lilies were extra gorgeous. Although right now looks pretty nasty as their stalks have turned brown early and are already popping out of the bulb. That usually doesn't happen until it's gone through a winter. So while weeding have been popping off spent stalks. I am planting more bulbs that will bloom before the winter sets in. These are ones that sprouted so I plan to have some colour in a couple of months Maybe this year I will again have lilies right up to the second week in December if the weather holds. We'll see. Soon
we will have to clean the gardens of debris (if gone to seed or diseased)
burn if you have to or dispose by the garbage. In my area I can do both
if they are either weeds gone to seed or diseased or noxious plants. Please
check your ordinances in your area for disposal methods. This is
also the time to figure out if the plants you have are in the right location.
When moving plants at this time of the year the roots will have enough
time to get them anchored and engaged for the winter heaving.
My seed heads are still not hardened off or mature yet but I let them self seed , it might take some energy from the bulbs but I like to see some new crosses. My bulbils from the tiger lilies and some Oriepets have dropped and are rooting now . As I was weeding I found over a hundred. The black ones were the tiger lilies. In a few years will have some extra plants. I
also learned a secret which I will try next year but will attempt
in a patch of ground right now that I know some lily beetles are
right now.
Last but not least I made a face book page it is up but as I am new at this please be patient with me. As I am very busy with various things it might be a day before I can answer a post or upload a photo. Also today Sept 21st they made Facebook a little different so still learning where they put everything. |
| Well
,November most of December and the beginning of January has been relatively
quiet weather wise. Quite mild, with only a few storms... Ok did a little
damage but we've seen worse in Nova Scotia.
After all these years, I am finally going to be able to finish my 'shop'. I have found a carpenter and will be getting together soon to see the plans I have drawn up- Good thing I took drafting at school. Nothing fancy, just a little shop. Think I will get some more commercial shelving as it should all match. Have the paint , curtains and all the rest should come together nicely. When done will post photos on here and facebook. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lilies-From-The-Valley/148370488565496 While the winter winds blow and the temps are a little chilly, my bulbs are sleeping. I will start shipping to certain parts of Canada late February and the rest will be March as per usual. I am hopeful that on the 2nd of February those little furry critters will call for an early spring. I will be working on getting some of the old favourites back if possible and some new tantalizing shades and colours as well as different bulbs and varieties. Meanwhile, I have also been busy with the other part of my business. Floral tributes ,proms, floral bouquets and arrangements ,I also have bouquets every Friday that are available to the local customers. I have already booked 5 weddings for 2012 . With careful planning I should be doing some floral judging as well. Have to ask in advance with work so I can do those wonderful shows around Nova Scotia. I should have an on-line calendar so others can see what I am doing ( other then working a full time job) Already booked for June 8th -9th for NSAGC convention at the Old Orchard in New Minas. Now
that the Windsor Farmers Market is back to Saturdays(starting in June-
until October 27th) , 9 am until 1 pm . I can not be there with my bulbs
and I guess I am a big draw because I have people asking for me by name
or if they can’t remember –
I have to work from 7 am until 3 30pm on Saturdays , so I have a great lady looking after my floral bouquets as the lily bulbs could be un manageable especially when people ask questions. When the time comes for the farmers market this year I will see how she feels about selling the bulbs for me as well. If not at the market with the bulbs , well the shop will be open when I am home. Don’t forget to start making plans for your gardens now. It is only a few months till you can get out and dig in the garden. Time will go by quickly! Send me photos of your gardens I would love to see them. |
| Guarantee: Upon
delivery we ask you to inspect your bulbs immediately.
If any of our bulbs appear to be in unsatisfactory condition, please contact as soon as possible. Bulb condition may be normal for that variety. The size of lily bulbs can vary greatly depending on the types of bulbs and breeding background. We are not responsible for any bulb loss due to circumstances beyond our control. Should the bulbs not flower after the second year, please contact us. Proof of purchase is required. |
Webmaster John MacDonald