Lillies

[EddieH]

Hi All. I am an amateur gardener seeking advice about lillies.

My lillies blossomed for a couple of weeks and now all the petals have fallen off. The lillies were in an enclosure to protect them from any wind/breeze, so it is not the wind that has blown the petals off. I understand that the petals will not grow again this year, which is a shame.

My query is, next year how can I increase the length of time the petals stay on the flower?

Eddie

 

[Esther Knapicius]

you can't, they have a built in genetic timer specific to the plant. just research and plant other lilies in a mixture, ones that bloom at different intervals so you will have a "Lilly type" always in that area.

 

[Tetters]

Hello @EddieH

-to the forum. Afraid I'm not clever with lilies, and stopped growing them when they got covered in those red lily beetles. We spotted a good tip on Gardeners World though last evening about making a tea out of the leaves of the curry plant to spray on the lily leaves. Evidently those beetles don't like curry! Maybe I will try again

What sort of lilies are you growing? We do have some day lilies here which are tough and spread like billyo, and they die off eah day - lose all the petals as the name suggests, then they have a whole new batch of flowers eah day for ages...they are called Hemerocallis.

 

[zigs]

Welcome to the forum

 

[LouisFerdinand]

@EddieH, There really is no way to control the timing of the petals on the lily flowers. I have planted numerous lilies for customers.

 

[EddieH]

Thank you to Esther, Tetters, Zigs and Louis for your responses. It is helpful.

Eddie

 

[EddieH]

Hello @EddieH View attachment 57306 -to the forum. Afraid I'm not clever with lilies, and stopped growing them when they got covered in those red lily beetles. We spotted a good tip on Gardeners World though last evening about making a tea out of the leaves of the curry plant to spray on the lily leaves. Evidently those beetles don't like curry! Maybe I will try again

What sort of lilies are you growing? We do have some day lilies here which are tough and spread like billyo, and they die off eah day - lose all the petals as the name suggests, then they have a whole new batch of flowers eah day for ages...they are called Hemerocallis.

Hello Tetters. I am not sure what lillies I have. Attempted to grow them for the last couple of years but unfortunately I no longer have the package. All I know is that they are white. Have to wait a few months now until the stems sort of 'hibernate' and then remove them from soil until next year. I will plant them at intervals next year to get the flowers for a longer period.

Eddie

 

[Tetters]

Afraid I don't think that will work with Lilies @EddieH - it's not quite like sowing lettuce. May I suggest that you grow something different with your lilies that will flower before they start and after they ''go over'' so that you get a succession of colour.
If you visit a nursery at least once a month and buy a plant you like (perennial) that is in flower at the time, you will be certain of a display all year round ..........just a suggestion.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Afraid I don't think that will work with Lilies @EddieH - it's not quite like sowing lettuce. May I suggest that you grow something different with your lilies that will flower before they start and after they ''go over'' so that you get a succession of colour.
If you visit a nursery at least once a month and buy a plant you like (perennial) that is in flower at the time, you will be certain of a display all year round ..........just a suggestion.

@Tetters, An excellent suggestion! Remember to inquire if the perennial is for Sun or Shade.

 

[NigelJ]

If you want lillies over a longer period then you need to plant different species. I have lilium regale types starting about Easter leading onto L henryi that is flowering now. There are some species that flower in autumn.
The alternative could be to keep some of the bulbs chilled until planted later in the year.

 

[Tetters]

Brilliant bit of information Nigel