Falmouth,
Nova Scotia, Canada
Things you should know
Falmouth,
Nova Scotia, Canada
Things you should know
 |
 |
 |
 |
Growing Tips
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
| 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.
|
| 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!
|
| 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.
|
|
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. |
| 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