How to protect lilies from frost. Wintering lilies - leave lilies in the ground for the winter or dig them up? What degrees of frost can lilies withstand?

Lilies- bulbous plants of the lily family.

There are a large number of species and varieties with flowers of various shapes and colors, and different flowering periods.

The perennial organs of lilies are bulbs ranging in size from 1-1.5 cm to 30 cm in diameter and up to 2 kg in weight.

The color of the bulbs is different: white, yellow, pink and purple.

In addition to the bulbs, lilies have perennial sub-bulb roots up to 50 cm in length, which should be protected from breakage during transplantation and efforts should be made to preserve them completely.

Annual roots develop in stem-root lilies on the stem above the bulb.

Planting depth of various lily bulbs: 1 - without supra-bulb roots; 2 - winter-hardy lilies with medium-sized bulbs; 3 - large, insufficiently winter-hardy species

According to the structure of the underground organs, lilies are divided into species whose bulb forms only an aboveground stem and species that have underground shoots-stolons.

Stolons can branch and produce several aboveground stems. The stolons are covered with sparse scales. Stoloniferous lilies reproduce well by scales.

Species whose stem grows obliquely underground and emerges on the surface of the buds 20-30 cm away from the planted bulb.

The leaves are elongated linear, the arrangement on the stem is alternate, whorled or in a basal rosette.

The number of flowers on a stem ranges from 1 to 100.

According to the shape of the flower, they are distinguished: goblet-shaped, directed upward (Daurian and saffron lilies); funnel-shaped semi-drooping (regale and candidum lilies); turban-shaped with perianth lobes turned away to the peduncle; drooping(lily Martagon and Willmott); bell-shaped with curved tips of the perianth lobes (Kesselring lily). Meet and terry forms. Most often, the flowers are collected in inflorescences: racemes, whorled or umbellate.

Lilies propagate by natural and artificial division of bulbs; baby bulbs formed in stem-root lilies on the stem above the mother bulb; bulblets, formed in some species in the axils of leaves, and seeds.

Seeds should be stored at a temperature of + 8-15°; at higher temperatures, germination decreases and germination time increases.

According to the speed of germination and the nature of seedlings, lilies are divided into those that germinate quickly, after 2-3 weeks, and those that form above-ground shoots (coral lilies, Willmott, pretty, Tibetan, oat, Formosan, Sargent, drooping, long-flowered, sulfur, tiger); extended germination (from 2 to 18 months), but above-ground seedlings (lilies candidum, Colchedonian, Henry, special); lilies with underground shoots that germinate after a year or more (golden lilies, bulbous lilies, Canadian lilies, Kesselring lilies, Martagon lilies, monofraternity lilies, Shovitsa lilies).

In relation to soil acidity, lilies can be divided into two groups: those that tolerate acidic, peaty soils (tiger lilies, Maximovich, David, Willmott, pleasant, Daurian) and lilies that require neutral soils (mainly lilies with white or light-colored flowers).

When preparing soil for planting lilies, 10-15 kg/m2 of peat should be added to the first group, and lime should be added to the rest 1-2 years before planting (200-400 g/m2 quicklime or 500-100 g/m2 slaked).

The most suitable for most lilies are loamy soils that are permeable and provide drainage.

Since lilies grow in one place for 3 to 10 years, the soil should be carefully prepared. Dig the ground to a depth of 35-50 cm, arrange drainage from stones and gravel on heavy soils, add 10-15 kg of leaf humus and 80 g of superphosphate per 1 m2.

The planting depth for stem-root lilies is 4-5 times the size of the bulb (planting depth is calculated from the bottom of the bulb), for candidum lilies and its hybrids - 7-12 cm, or 2-3 cm above the bulb.

Young 1-2 year old bulbs are planted at half the planting depth of adult bulbs. The planting technique is as follows: a deep furrow is made, at the bottom of which a mound of humus is poured under each bulb, 2-4 cm of sand is poured onto the ground under the bottom, the bulb is placed, covered with soil, watered and filled to the required depth.

According to winter hardiness, lilies can be divided into three groups: completely winter-hardy lilies that can withstand frosts of -30°C and below (Daurian, thin-leaved, oat, two-row, martogon, pleasant, tiger, one-color, calloused, saffron, bulbous, umbrella), less winter-hardy - the bulbs of lilies of this group are damaged by prolonged snowless frosts below -20°C (regale, centrifolium, henry, Schowitz, Kesselring, monofraternity, Ganson, Colhedonskaya, Ledebura, candidum, white martogon, catania and others) and insufficiently winter-hardy lilies overwintering in open ground only under good cover (Sargent, golden, special, Nepalese, Brown, Philippine and others).

For a successful wintering of lilies of the first group, a layer of snow of 30-40 cm is needed (the thickness of the snow cover is considered sufficient when its thickness in centimeters corresponds to the number of degrees below zero).

For the second group, additional cover is required with a 5-8 cm layer of humus (but not manure) or a 5-7 cm layer of wood leaf, which is applied to the plantings after the soil freezes by 4-6 cm.

For lilies of the third group, plank boards covered with roofing felt and exceeding the width of the ridge by 50-60 cm should be prepared. Dense earthen ramparts are arranged around the ridge, on which a shield is laid, and on top of the shield - a layer of insulating material of 15-25 cm.

Daurian lily. Stem-root lily, bulb flat, loose. The stems bear umbellate inflorescences of 8-12 bright brick-red flowers. Flowers fade in the sun. Blooms in June and bears fruit. Quite hardy and winter-hardy. Grows well on moist loamy soils with some shade. Afraid of the presence of lime in the soil. Requires replanting every 3 years due to rapid and abundant reproduction by bulbs and root children.

Lily white, candidum. The bulb is oval-elongated, white-yellow. The leaves are broadly oval. The stem is 90-120 cm high. The pyramidal inflorescence consists of 6-20 fragrant flowers. It blooms in June-July, after flowering it has a dormant period, and in early September it begins to grow - a rosette of leaves is formed. Transplanted during the dormant period. Planting distances are 20-25 cm. Planting is shallow. Prefers moist loamy soil with good drainage and the addition of leaf humus under the roots. It is necessary to have lime in the soil. Requires shelter for the winter with leaves and spruce branches. Propagated by bulbs and scales.

Kesselring Lily. Stem-root lily. The bulb is large, yellowish, darkening after being removed from the soil. The inflorescence is pyramidal with 8-10 yellow fragrant flowers. Blooms in June. Sets seeds well. Prefers deep, humus-rich soils. They are replanted in the fall, after which it does not reach normal condition and does not bloom for 1-2 years. Doesn't form children. Propagated by seeds during autumn sowing and by scales.

Tiger lily. Stem-root lily. The stems are black-brown, pubescent, and bear pyramidal inflorescences with orange flowers. Blooms in August-September. Quite winter hardy. Grows well on loamy soils. It reproduces by pups and bulblets formed in the axils of the leaves.

Tibetan lily, regale. The bulb is large, slightly purple. It has supra-bulbous roots. The flowers are white, funnel-shaped with a strong aroma. Blooms in July. Prefers loamy, calcareous soils and a sunny location. It becomes smaller and dies on acidic peaty soils. Quite frost-resistant, but needs to be covered for the winter. It is afraid of late spring frosts, which kill the tops of young shoots with buds and leaves. It is necessary to delay the too early development of the lily by shading the soil, filling the surface of the area with snow and sawdust, especially in frost-prone areas. Propagated by bulbs, shoots, scales and seeds, which are sown in January-February. Seedlings are kept at +20°C. Seated once. They are grown in a box for a year. Cover them thoroughly for the winter. Planted in the ground in the second spring. Seedlings bloom in 2-3 years.

Caring for lilies begins with removing coverings, careful loosening, and fertilizing with nitrogen (40-50 g of 1 m 2 saltpeter or 10 liters of mullein solution, to which a tablespoon of ash is added). Lilies respond positively to mulching with humus in a layer of 2-3 cm with the addition of fertilizers (ammonium nitrate - 50 g, superphosphate - 10 g, potassium salt - 10 g) or ash.

As the stems grow, deeper loosening is carried out, but this must be done very carefully so as not to break the sprouts. For the emerging sprouts, a second feeding is carried out with a solution of mullein (1:10) or ammonium nitrate (30 g per 10 liters of water) with the addition of microfertilizers.

In dry weather, it is advisable to water, using 25-30 liters of water per 1 m2, since the roots of lilies are located very deep. The next feeding is carried out during the budding period (nitrogen 40 g, phosphorus 10 g, potassium fertilizers 10 g). Fertilizing with the same dosage is repeated before flowering and after flowering.

When placing lilies, one should take into account their susceptibility to various diseases. The fungal disease botrytis (gray mold) is common. First, round or oval brown or reddish spots appear on the lower leaves, which in damp weather become covered with a gray coating of mold. The spots merge, the leaf turns brown and dies.

The lesion, moving up the stem, reaches the seed pods or buds, which fall off. Control measures include burning all plant residues, planting lilies in the spring, sprinkling with wood ash (300 g/m2), spraying seedlings with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture or soda ash 50-70 g per 10 liters of water. Spraying is repeated periodically.

In addition to botrytis, lilies are affected by a viral mosaic (light spots or lines along the leaves), the edges of the leaves turn up. When severely damaged, lilies stop blooming and form ugly stems with curled leaves on a dwarf plant. Such plants are immediately dug up and burned.

Lilies are used for flower beds and borders, borders near tall perennials and shrubs, in groups on the lawn, near ponds and hedges, for cutting and forcing.

The most popular and largest group. These have been growing in gardens for centuries. Asian hybrids have high winter hardiness and unpretentiousness. They bloom both in sunny areas and in partial shade. Asiatic lilies They bloom early, in June–early July. Asian hybrids are not only the most unpretentious among all groups of lilies, but also the most diverse in color. Among them you can find lilies to suit any, even the most sophisticated taste. Flowers of various colors and shades (white, cream, yellow, orange, pink, red, burgundy, and almost black). They are cup-shaped, ranging in size from 6 to 18 cm in diameter. Consist of three petals and three sepals. Some varieties of Asian hybrids have double flowers. The height, depending on the variety, is 50–120 cm. Asiatic lilies multiply very easily, with daughter bulbs (during transplantation) and scales. Small bulbs form on the stems and in the axils of the leaves, which ripen at the end of flowering, fall to the ground, and self-sow abundantly. These bulbs can be collected and sown in a separate bed for growing. But, despite all the positive qualities, they also have one minus - they have no aroma (do not smell).

History of selection

Asian hybrids have become widespread since the 1950s. At this time, the American breeder Jan de Graaf developed the hybrid group “Mid Century”. The varieties included in this group had mainly orange and red flowers. A little later, the Canadian S. Peterson took up the work of crossing and managed to cross the drooping Lily (Lillium cernuum) with the Lily of David (Wilmott). This crossing allowed us to obtain new colors of Asian hybrids. Dyes of the drooping lily (Lillium cernuum), which has turban-shaped lilac-pink flowers, when crossed with species containing flavonoids, produced in offspring with split genes forms with lilac, pink and white flowers. This is how the new variety White Princess appeared. All further crossings were successful and made it possible to obtain varieties with turban-shaped flowers of light color.

In subsequent years and to this day, breeders, going about their business, try to obtain (and they succeed) bright one-color, two-color and three-color flowers. Asian hybrids have become very popular at this time due to their simplicity and ease of cultivation, as well as bright and lush flowering. And varieties with double flowers sell out instantly. Just think, hundreds of new varieties of Asiatic lilies appear every year.

Growing and care

Asian hybrids bloom both in sunny areas and in partial shade. This is one of the most frost-resistant groups of lilies; they can be grown even in the harsh climate of Siberia. These are lilies that are not afraid of Siberian frosts. They like fertile soil (but do not tolerate fresh manure), slightly acidic or neutral (they grow poorly on calcareous soils). Asiatic lilies bloom early, in June - early July. Peak flowering occurs from July 5 to July 15. The earliest varieties bloom in June, and the latest in the second half of July.

Since Asiatic lilies produce many daughter bulbs, nests need to be replanted every 3-4 years. In mid-August, dig up the nests and plant the bulbs in a new location. The timing of plants being ready for digging may vary, and replanting may take time, until September. During flowering, the lily bulb is greatly depleted, loses mass, and wilts. And for it to strengthen, become dense and large, it needs time (about a month and a half after flowering). The ripening of bulbs is influenced by weather conditions and care (temperature, moisture, feeding). If conditions were favorable, in August, begin replanting lilies that bloomed in June.

Healthy lilies have green stems in August. Cut the shoot into a stump, and after digging up the bulbs, unscrew it carefully. Dig up nests of bulbs, shake off the soil from them, and carefully examine them. The roots cannot be cut. The bulbous nests will fall apart on their own in most cases, but if not, carefully separate them with your hands. If you find scales with brown or rusty spots on the bulbs, carefully separate them and destroy them. For disinfection, soak clean bulbs for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate. Plant dry bulbs in pre-prepared slightly moist soil. Planting depth depends on the size of the bulbs and the variety. Plant large bulbs at a depth of 10 - 12 cm, small ones - 7 - 8 cm. But make the holes deeper, 7 - 10 cm, so that all the roots fit evenly into them. Spread the roots in the hole, add river sand (2 cm) under the bottom of the bulbs, then cover with soil. Distance between bulbs: for tall varieties - 25 - 30 cm, medium-sized - 20 - 25 cm, low - 15 - 20 cm. Remember, lilies do not tolerate fresh organic matter and an abundance of nitrogen fertilizers. Stagnant moisture is also detrimental to the bulbs.

If you purchased the bulbs in the spring, store them until planting time in a cool place at a temperature not lower than zero, wrapped in moss or placed in peat. The lily bulb consists of fleshy scales without protective outer coverings, so it cannot tolerate overdrying. If the bulb does dry out, then soak it in damp moss or sand for several days before planting.

Asiatic lilies are responsive to fertilizers. But they need to be fertilized only during the period of bud formation. Since excess nutrients during flowering leads to rapid withering of flowers. After flowering, it is important to remove all flower ovaries to prevent seed formation. When the leaves begin to yellow, cut the stems down to soil level.

Varieties

Lily Patricias Pride (“Patricia’s Pride”) - has neat star-shaped flowers. They are directed upwards. The base color of the flowers is a neutral cream color with a white tint. It is complemented by dark burgundy broad strokes with a small number of specks that surround the middle. Petals are curved. Over time they burn out.

This lily is slightly fragrant. The stamens are long and red with heavy orange anthers. Flower size - from 15 cm to 18 cm in diameter. Withstands -35 °C. Looks best in groups of 3-5 pieces (or more). Needs support. Plant height – 90 – 120 cm.

Lily Annemarie's Dream (Annamaria Dream) – large double inflorescences of snow-white colors will decorate your garden. The size of each flower is close to 15 cm. The flower is unpretentious in care, blooms early, is not afraid of frost and can grow perfectly without losing the splendor of the inflorescences in one place without replanting for up to 5 years. The height of the plant can reach 60 cm.

Lily Elodie (“Kiss-lily”) – a lily without pollen. One of the first to bloom. Its petals are painted in a delicate candy pink color, which adds a special elegance. The color of the flowers is more saturated in the center. Rare dark spots in the center of each flower emphasize its beauty.

The flowers of this lily are large in size, but its stems are shorter (compared to other varieties). This makes this variety an excellent choice for small gardens or for growing in containers. The flowers are all facing up. The flower shape is tubular. The flower size is from 7.5 to 15 cm in diameter. The plant looks best when planted in groups in the foreground of borders and rock gardens. The flowering period is from June to July. The height of the plant is 60-90 cm, and the width is about 25 cm.

Lily Golden Stone (“Golden Stone”) is a real star in your garden. Lemon yellow color on the top of the lily petals with a stunning contrast of rich cherry red, almost black color in the center. The flowers are facing up. A distinctive feature of this group of lilies is the presence of an incredible number of dark specks in the center of the flower. The flowers are large. Their size is 10-13 cm in diameter. Grows up to 90-120 cm, less often up to 150 cm in height. The flowers are simple, six-petaled, funnel-shaped, resembling stars. The flowers are collected in clusters. Flowering time is June-July.

Lily Trogon (Trogon) – has an exotic coloring. Flowers with a pink throat, pastel yellow spots with dark specks and deep pink tips. Stamens are present. The anthers are orange.

The flowers are simple in shape, six-petaled, and resemble stars. The petals and sepals are satin-textured, narrow, long, with sharp ends. The flowers are collected in inflorescences of several pieces. They crown long, straight stems and brighten up the garden in early summer like no other plant. Flowers without fragrance. Their size ranges from 12 to 15 cm in diameter. Flowering period: from June to July. The height of the plant is about 75 cm and the width is 30 cm. This variety is highly frost-resistant: it can withstand up to -34.4 °C.

Lily Easy Dance ( "Easy Dance") is a cool yellow color on the top of the lily's petals with a stunning contrast of rich dark burgundy, almost black color in the center. The flower has no pollen. A distinctive feature of this group of lilies is the presence of an incredible number of dark specks in the center of the flower. The flowers are larger than those of other Asian flowers. Their size is 10-13 cm in diameter. The brightly colored petals contrast with the dark center. The flowers are simple, six-petaled, funnel-shaped, resembling stars. The flowers have a faint aroma. They can withstand temperatures down to –40°C. Easy Dance lily grows to 75-120 cm in height.

Lily Mascara (translation “Mascara”) is a dream for lovers of black flowers. The color of the flowers is mesmerizing with an elegant combination of burgundy-black and gray-violet. It is complemented by a light star in the center.” Each flower consists of 3 petals and 3 sepals with a satin texture, which are very similar to each other. The stamens are long and red with heavy orange anthers. The flowers are facing upward.

This variety is profusely flowering: the bulb produces up to 12 beautiful flowers. The flower size is from 7.5 to 15 cm in diameter. This lily has very high frost resistance - it can withstand -45.5 °C. Looks best in groups of 3-5 pieces (or more). Needs support. Plant height – 80-90 cm. Flowering period – early to mid-summer.

Lily Red Twin - This is a double Asiatic lily without pollen. It will add a bright touch to the garden. This lily is extremely robust and will grow to approximately 100cm in height. Its flowers are on average up to 12 cm in diameter, and “look” upward. Each of them can have at least double the number of petals and sepals, which are very similar to each other. The edges of the petals are slightly ruffled, and the tips are effectively curled. The color of the petals is quite rare. The petals are deep red towards the center and fade to a clear orange-yellow at the tips. It is characterized by very high frost resistance - can withstand down to -40°C.

Purchasing planting material is very important - the success of growing lilies depends on timeliness. Before buying bulbs, or ordering through an online store, you need to find out which group of hybrids the selected flower belongs to, perhaps it’s even a species lily, they require special care.

If you are offered lily bulbs of unknown origin, it is better to refuse the purchase - you simply may make a mistake with the choice of location, planting depth and further agricultural technology, but even worse if the lily turns out to be unsuitable for your region in terms of frost resistance.

For example, varieties of LA hybrids or Oriental lilies (Orientals) require shelter if winters are harsh, while American hybrids are generally very thermophilic and can only be grown in southern regions or containers (overwinter in the basement).

For residents of central Russia, the Urals and Siberia, it is important to know the flowering time when buying lilies, so for Eastern hybrids the flowering period is very extended, some varieties bloom earlier, others later, but late-flowering lilies may not have time to ripen by winter (store nutrients), by spring they will be exhausted and die.

If you have the opportunity to examine and touch the bulbs, choose those that are dense, hard, without spots of rotten scales, especially mold, always with living roots at least 5 cm long, and the bulbs of snow-white lily hybrids are viable only if they have good long roots . You should be wary if the bulbs are very dry - a good gardener will not allow this, soaking in water or wrapping with a damp cloth may not help, do not take risks.

Problems with purchasing lilies arise for gardeners if you buy imported bulbs from Holland out of season. The fact is that in the fall, imported bulbs go on sale only from last year's unsold stocks. In October-November, the Dutch only begin to prepare the bulbs for sale: they dig them up, wash them, dry them, put them in cold storage, and they arrive in Russia only in the middle of winter.

Our domestic gardeners, on the contrary, only dig up planting material in the fall. Therefore, in the fall you need to buy bulbs from friends in the garden, through clubs and forums of lily lovers, and at the end of winter and spring - lilies from Europe. However, it is very important to buy bulbs that are in the dormant stage. Sometimes the desire to purchase a beautiful variety is so great that gardeners, without hesitation, purchase bulbs with sprouts, while others are ready to sell lilies immediately after flowering! It is a very common occurrence when at the market you are offered a dug up lily, with a flower that has not yet faded - to prove the authenticity of the variety. You are asked to cut off the peduncle and plant the bulb immediately.

If you are an experienced florist, then you most likely understand how risky it is to buy lilies with sprouts, and even more so, dug up during flowering. The recommendation to break out the sprouts and simply plant them in the ground is especially frightening. It is a huge stress for a plant to survive after its growth is broken, to rebuild its biological rhythms from vegetation to suspended animation. When dug up, lilies that are fragile after flowering take a very long time to recover and take root, and very often die! The survivors bloom weakly and grow bulbs slowly.

Planting lilies

We have already written about this stage of cultivation - read: .

Let's repeat it more briefly:

If you bought the bulbs at the end of winter or very early spring, before planting them in open ground you need to store them in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment or where the temperature ranges from 0 to + 4 ° C, no higher, the longer the storage is expected, the closer the temperature should approach zero - optimally 0+1°C. The bulbs should be placed in damp sphagnum moss and a plastic bag with holes.

Important: ethylene gas is emitted by almost all fruits and vegetables, and it has a detrimental effect on lily bulbs, so it is necessary to isolate them from fruits and vegetables. Moreover, it is the fruit that needs to be sealed tightly in the bag, not the lilies.

You can keep lily bulbs in the refrigerator until the sprout reaches 5-6 cm. If the sprout has formed ahead of time and it is too early to plant in open ground, do not wait until the bulbs are depleted in the absence of ultraviolet light on chlorotic sprouts - plant them in containers and place them on a glazed balcony, in a film greenhouse, until the frosts have passed. Then simply transfer (reserving the entire contents of the pot) into the prepared holes in the flower beds.

If you missed the moment when sprouts began to appear on the bulbs in storage, and they grew too large, then when planting, place the bulb in the hole at an angle.

If you bought lily bulbs in the fall, plant them immediately or at most they can wait 3-4 days, wrapped in damp moss. If you plant your own lilies, then take into account two important factors:

Lilies can be divided and replanted only 1.5 months after the end of flowering; this time is necessary for the bulbs to gain mass, store nutrients, they will grow, and look strong and elastic in appearance.
It is better to divide and plant lilies when the mother bush reaches four and five years of age. By this time, it will have grown enough for the daughter bulbs to easily separate on their own.

Tubular and other large lilies can be planted less frequently - once every 6-7 years. An earlier transplant of lilies may be associated with damage to the flower garden by gray rot, an attack by mice that gnaw the entire flowerbed, or when serious damage was caused by thrips (gnawed on the bulbs) or infected with a virus.

Before planting, the bulbs need to be soaked in the fungicide-protectant Maxim. If the Lily (lily) red beetle has been noticed on your site, it is better to additionally treat the bulbs in the preparation Prestige or Prestigator - it is intended for treating potatoes against the Colorado potato beetle, but it also works well against the lily beetle. Treatment is especially helpful when planting lilies in the spring, since the maximum effect of the drug is observed in the first month (in the fall the bulbs will sleep), but the fully active substance of these insecticides decomposes for more than a year.

We plant lily bulbs in prepared soil to a depth three times greater than the size of the bulbs (excluding Candidum hybrids and immature children - lightly sprinkle them with soil).

After planting, make a small border around the hole, like a tree trunk circle, so that water after watering does not spread into the rows. Now they need to be watered, especially if the soil is dry.

How to care for lilies

To grow and bloom, lilies, like all plants, need light, warmth, regular moisture, protection from diseases and pests, fertilizing, mulching, and tying to supports for tall varieties.

We take into account the need for sunlight when choosing a location.

Many species of lilies available commercially: Lilium leichtlinii, Lilium speciosum, Tiger lily (Lilium tigrinum), as well as Orientals and Tiger hybrids prefer very light partial shade or bright places where there is sun. at least 4-6 hours in the morning or evening.

Asiatic lilies and LA hybrids prefer sunny areas, but also grow normally in light partial shade.

LO hybrids, Trumpet lilies, OT hybrids prefer full sun. But even they sometimes require shading on particularly hot days in the summer. You can organize it by stretching a mosquito net or installing a beach umbrella next to the plantings.

Lilies with a height of more than 50 cm must be tied to a support so that they are not broken by the wind.

Mulching

After planting lilies, the soil must be mulched - straw, peat, pine or leaf litter, pine sawdust. Of all types of mulch, the best is forest litter. If your soil is quite acidic, use leaf litter (from birches, aspens, lindens); if it is close to neutral, you can use coniferous litter from pine trees. But the needles strongly acidify the soil and are not suitable for mulching Tubular hybrids, Lilies regale and others who need slightly alkaline soil.

By the way, OT hybrids that form supra-bulb roots especially need mulching. As soon as they begin to appear above the surface, add soil.

Mulching is necessary so that the soil does not dry out quickly, the surface roots do not overheat in the heat and do not freeze in winter. In addition, the mulch gradually decomposes and creates a new humus layer. Also, mulching allows you not to loosen the rows - with mulch the soil is not compacted and remains porous.

If you have the opportunity to get horse bedding - sawdust mixed with horse manure, then you can use such mulch only after six months - so that the composition has time to rot well and decompose.

If you are growing lilies surrounded by ground cover or low growing plants, mulching is not necessary. Variegated bulbous ryegrass looks very good next to lilies - its variegated leaves are an excellent frame for lilies and protect the soil. By the way, tall lilies look and grow great surrounded by shorter daylilies.

How to water lilies

Lilies prefer the soil to be constantly moderately moist. This is how they grow in nature - in the undergrowth, where a large layer of fallen leaves protects the soil from drying out, but does not create excessive dampness - the soil is very porous. Lilies do not tolerate excess dampness - for them, stagnation of water in the roots is destructive.

Therefore, we carry out watering as needed - in the absence of rain, about once a week, and water should be poured at the root in the inter-row spaces. The best time for watering: morning or before 14-15 hours of the day - the soil should have time to dry out from above by night.

Experienced gardeners advise being especially careful with watering in the spring, when recurrent frosts or sudden cold snaps at night are possible. In such cases, many use watering in conjunction with growth regulators and anti-stress drugs - Epin, Zircon, Previscur Energy. This is especially necessary during the budding period.

The greatest need for soil moisture occurs in June, when temperatures are equal day and night, it is very hot during the day, and also after flowering, when the formation of lily bulbs begins and the accumulation of nutrients before the dormant period.

However, waterlogging of the soil is detrimental for lilies, especially when the plantings are dense; if lilies are planted in a flower garden next to plants that need to be watered and fed frequently (for example, roses), diseases develop from constant moisture. Most often this is gray rot and botrytis - a fungal disease typical of bulbous plants (the lower leaves become covered with small spots, turn brown, dry out, flowering is weak, the disease goes from bottom to top).

The frequency of watering also depends on the type of soil - on light sandy loam soils it is necessary to water more often, on loams (even taking into account their improvement, adding sand and peat) - less often.

After flowering, you must completely stop watering the lilies. The exception is abnormally hot weather in the fall, when the earth dries up into dust, you can water the lily 1-2 times after flowering, until the foliage has completely turned yellow.

Feeding lilies

The first thing to remember is that lilies cannot tolerate any organic matter! You can add humus to poor soil to improve its composition before planting (planting a flower bed), but it must be well-rotted compost - that is, if you bought a car of fresh manure, you can use it for flowers no earlier than four years later.

By the way, lilies also do not favor green fertilizer - freshly infused mown leaves and weeds, which with love and gratitude accept vegetables - tomatoes, cucumbers - as fertilizer.

All organic lilies tolerate well-rotted leaf litter.

In total, it is enough to feed these flowers three times a season:

in spring, you can use calcium nitrate, twice with an interval of 2 weeks (6 g per 1 liter of water)
during the period of budding and flowering - complete mineral fertilizer, for example, Fertika Lux, Fertika Universal, or feed with potassium magnesia (1.5 tablespoons per 10 l), feeding every 2 weeks
after flowering - phosphorus and potassium fertilizers once

In autumn, you cannot replant and fertilize plants at the same time.

Combine all root feedings with watering, do not apply fertilizers on dry soil, only with plenty of water.

In addition to root feeding, lilies sometimes need leaf feeding; if chlorosis appears on young leaves, perhaps there is not enough iron, then you need to spray with iron chelate (just not on a sunny day). Iron deficiency manifests itself in soils with an alkaline and neutral reaction, so lilies that are grown on such soils, OT-hybrids, Tubular lilies, Candidum hybrids, are primarily affected. Iron is well absorbed at an acidity pH of 6 and below.

But in addition to iron, neutral and alkaline soils may lack boron and zinc, so these minerals can also be used for foliar feeding, boron is especially useful, as for vegetables, it is diluted at the rate of 5 g per 5 liters of water, for spraying during budding. To compensate for the lack of zinc, add zinc sulfate 2.5 g per 5 liters of water to the solution.

If your soil is slightly acidic, then chlorosis can be caused not by iron deficiency, but by molybdenum deficiency; use a complex fertilizer that contains this element.

Lilies for cutting

Sometimes, when gardeners cannot be in the garden often, they tend to cut blooming lilies in order to take this beauty home with them in a bouquet. But you need to cut lilies correctly:

Do not cut the peduncle too low, leave as much of it as possible in the flowerbed, otherwise the bulbs will not be able to ripen normally.
Powder the cut area of the stem remaining in the flowerbed with wood ash, then add a drop of medical glue to prevent the wound from rotting.

Lilies after flowering

When lilies fade, remove fading flowers to prevent the formation of seed pods; there is no need to cut the stem itself!

In the fall, when all the leaves turn yellow, you need to cut the stems at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground and leave them like that until spring. In the spring you just need to pull them out of the ground (they practically fall out on their own).

Shelter for the winter

After transplanting lilies in the fall or after final pruning, the flower beds need to be insulated if winters in your region are harsh.

Usually the shelter is multi-layered: rake up leaf litter, for example, from under apple and pear trees, cover with spruce branches or peat. You can lay plastic film on top and press it down with stones.

Oriental hybrids (Orientals) especially need shelter for the winter; in the northwestern regions of Russia they should be covered not with foliage, but with a layer of peat of at least 10 cm, then spruce branches.

In the spring, you need to remove the film and spruce branches, and leave the peat or mulch, but it’s a good idea to water it with special preparations to increase fertility, for example, Baikal-EM1.

It is important to remove the covers in a timely manner, before the lilies begin to grow, so as not to damage the sprouts or to prevent the young shoots from rotting away.

Lily culture in open ground

Lilies are best planted in an open, sunny place. Lilies that are planted in shady, cool places or under the crowns of tall trees, they bloom much worse, become less winter-hardy and very often get sick. But lilies such as violet, “Violet’s Daughter”, monofraternity, Martagon, Ganson, must always be planted in slight shade, best among low shrubs that do not produce shoots, or perennials such as dictannus, peonies and others.

Preparing the soil for lilies. Lilies are unpretentious to soil conditions, but they grow best in cultivated garden, garden, or light to medium-heavy loamy, fairly permeable soils. The presence of nearby groundwater leads to rotting of the bulbs and death of plants. In these conditions, it is necessary to remove water before planting by drainage with a stable drain. It is necessary to add coarse sand and gravel to clay soil in order to create good water and air permeability in it.

For autumn plantings, the soil is prepared in the summer, digging it to a depth of at least 25-30 cm. When planting lilies in the spring (which should be done as a last resort), digging the soil is best done in the autumn, keeping the inverted layers intact for the winter. Along with digging, it is necessary to add fertilizers, mainly from leaf and well-decomposed manure humus. Fertilizers are applied taking into account the condition of the soil, because excessively abundant fertilizer causes severe fattening of the bulbs, which makes the plants susceptible to various diseases. Many years of experience have confirmed that for the natural growth and flowering of lilies, it is enough to add a couple of buckets of perfectly decomposed humus per square meter of area when digging. Adding fresh, unrotted manure to the ground causes massive rotting of lily bulbs and leads to the loss of many plants.

If there is a shortage of organic fertilizers, mineral fertilizers should be added. They are added at the rate of 40-60 grams of superphosphate or 60-80 grams of phosphate rock, 25-30 grams of potassium salt per square meter when digging. Nitrogen fertilizers are best applied when feeding, 30-35 grams per watering can. Wood ash at the rate of 100 grams per square meter is applied in the autumn and embedded in the ground.

Growing lilies in our garden and testing their relationship to soil conditions, we became convinced that certain types of lilies do not tolerate soil acidity, while others, on the contrary, grow and bloom best in acidic soils, for this reason, when growing lilies, you need to pay attention to the requirements some varieties of lilies to lime. Philippine lilies, long-flowered lilies, Martagon, Shovitsa, monofraternity, white, regale, Henry and their forms do not tolerate acidic soils, for this reason, for them, from year to year in the autumn, we add lime to the ridges - 100 grams per square meter.

As for lilies such as David's lily, tiger lily, Daurian lily, Wilmot's lily, drooping lily, they grow and bloom best on humus-peat soils. We add perfectly decomposed peat to these lilies at the rate of 5 kilograms per square meter, in the autumn, every two years.

Planting and replanting lilies produced in the autumn. Although, as a last resort, certain species, such as white lily, narrow-leaved lily, regale with its forms, can be planted in the spring. It must be remembered that the growth of lilies is much reduced, and the flowers come out far from perfect.

As for the white lily, when planted in spring, it does not bloom in the first summer, and occasionally even in the second. In most cases, lilies grow without transplanting for four years. Later they grow into large colonies, deplete the soil, become smaller and bloom unsatisfactorily. However, certain types of lilies - Ganson, Martagon, all Caucasian lilies produce a minimum number of children and daughter bulbs, for this reason they can easily grow in one place for 6-7 years.

When transplanting or planting bulbs, we follow the following rules: we dig up the bulbs in the autumn, when the flower stems begin to die off (in the conditions of central Russia this is the end of August - the beginning of September); During this procedure, we strive to preserve, if possible, all the adventitious roots, since breaking them entails weakening of the plants; we separate the baby and daughter bulbs from the mother bulb and stem and certainly cover them with burlap, protecting the scales and roots from drying out.

Lilies are best planted in the ground in the center and end of September. At the same time, the plant has time to take root well before frost, and lilies such as white, Chalcedonian, and Zalivsky have time to form very good basal rosettes of leaves. Bulbs are planted at different depths based on soil conditions and species characteristics. On cultivated, medium-density soils they are planted to a depth of 20-25 cm, on heavy soils - a little shallower (15-20 cm), taking into account from the “bottom” of the bulb to the surface of the earth. However, not all lily bulbs can be planted at this depth. Chalcedonian, white lilies and their hybrids must be planted so that the top of the bulb is no deeper than 2-3 centimeters in the ground; When planted deeper, these lilies usually do not bloom.

Delicate lilies- long-flowered lily, Sargenta, Philippine - they need a deeper planting (at least 25 cm), as for small lilies - drooping amabile, narrow-leaved lily, pretty lily - they can be planted to a depth of 10-15 cm.

The distance between lily plants is 20-25 cm for large lilies, and 10-12 cm for small ones.

Lilies are planted as follows: using a garden scoop, dig holes to the required depth, carefully straightening the roots, place the bulb at the bottom of the hole and cover it with soil.

At first we do not water the planted bulbs, and only after two or three days, when the earth has settled, do we water and mulch the plantings with humus.

Good caring for lilies consists in timely and thorough weeding of the ridges from weeds, loosening the soil, especially after heavy rainfall. Although many lilies have very strong stems, some full-grown plants, having large clusters of large flowers, bend strongly and often break. They must be tied to the pegs in time. When cutting lily flowers, you should try to leave as many leaves as possible, which promotes better accumulation of plastic substances in the scales of the bulbs and makes them more winter-hardy. After flowering is completed, the boxes unnecessary for harvesting seeds are cut off.

Is it necessary to produce watering lilies in spring and summer? In our opinion, in the Vladimir region and adjacent areas, where there is a significant amount of precipitation in winter, watering lilies is not necessary, because for lilies, the most important thing is the supply of moisture in the soil in the spring, when there is intensive growth of above-ground parts and the formation of new root parts. systems Melted spring waters replenish this reserve well. In summer, lilies do not need watering at all. Even in dry years, we never water the lilies, and they grow and bloom beautifully. In the southern regions, where there is minimal snowfall and spring is hot and dry, it is absolutely necessary to water lily plantings in the spring. Watering is best done in the evening or early in the morning.

Covering lilies for the winter. In the Vladimir province, before the arrival of severe frosts, there is almost always a fairly thick cover of snow, which serves as the most optimal insulating material for bulbs overwintering in the ground. This makes it possible to grow such delicate lilies in the soil as long-flowered, Sargent and others.

Having grown various types of lilies for many years, we have accumulated some experience in covering these plants in our climate, which is as follows: as a rule, we cover lilies when the soil freezes 3-4 centimeters, not counting finely planted lilies - white and hybrids Zalivsky. Cover these lilies until the soil freezes.

Shelter of lilies on frozen soil is caused by the fact that in our conditions, almost every year, at the beginning or in the middle of May, long frosts occur - down to minus 3-5 degrees, which greatly destroy the young shoots that have arisen from the ground, together with the buds of many lilies, and especially the regale lily and its hybrids. Due to frost damage, the lilies are not blooming this year. Frozen soil, and subsequently covered with a leaf, thaws more slowly in the spring, for this reason the bulbs begin to grow later, and most of the shoots begin to appear when the threat of frost has passed.

During later spring frosts (at the end of May and beginning of June), we cover the flower beds with lilies with matting, paper and light mats made from craft bags. Lilies covered with this method can withstand frosts well and bloom as expected.

The stems and buds of the “Northern Palmyra” (Zalivsky) and “Kostromskaya” lilies can easily withstand spring frosts down to minus 5 degrees without covering and bloom according to the norm. For this reason, in the conditions of Vladimir and adjacent regions, they are especially valuable.

The beds on which delicate lilies grow - Zalivsky hybrids, white, Philippine, long-flowered, Formosan, beautiful, Sargent - are covered with a dry tire. For this manipulation, we lay the plank on bars or thin logs, lay roofing felt on top of the plank, on which we pour a sheet or manure 20-25 cm thick.

If there are several lilies, they can be closed with a low box and covered with some kind of insulating material. Under the cover of lilies that overwinter with basal leaves, we certainly place poisoned mouse bait.

Regale lilies, its hybrids, Henry, “Northern Palmyra”, Harrisa, Ganson, improved long-flowered lily and others are covered with only a leaf and plant debris with a layer of 10-15 cm. In the spring, after the snow melts, remove the cover in parts as the leaves thaw, open lilies depending on weather factors during the first half of April.

Undoubtedly, the lily is the prima of the flower garden. But having a royal appearance, she is quite unpretentious. I planted a good bulb, and already in the first year you can expect flowering. There is a huge selection of varieties on sale. The packaging shows all the flowers close-up, and they are all amazingly beautiful! How to figure out which lilies to buy? Which ones are the most unpretentious?

According to the international classification of lilies, they are divided into 9 groups. The division into groups was made in accordance with their origin and biological characteristics. When purchasing, it is advisable to know which group the selected lily variety belongs to. The agricultural technology of planting, care and preservation in winter depends on this.

The group of lilies is indicated on the package. It is often written in Latin or indicated by two letters of the Latin alphabet. Sometimes flowering dates are also indicated. If the variety is imported, consider the flowering period a month later.

FEATURES OF DIFFERENT GROUPS

The most unpretentious Asian hybrids. They are very winter-hardy and reproduce well. An ideal choice for beginner gardeners.

The most promising today are hybrids between Longiflorum and Asiatics lilies. They were given the name LAhybrids. On the packaging they are designated by two letters LA or completely LAhybrids (photo 3).

The variety of shades and abundance of flowers on one stem is simply amazing! Several LAhybrid bulbs planted side by side provide a luxurious flowering array (photo 12, p. 6).

Compared to “Asians”, which have no scent, LA hybrids often have a subtle, delicate aroma.

However, in areas with harsh winters, it is advisable to cover LA hybrids for the winter. The shelter is simple: leaves, spruce branches and film without a frame right on the ground. Cover the lilies no earlier than the soil on top freezes, so that mice do not get to the bulbs. By the way, mice are a serious threat to lilies. In the central zone, LA hybrids overwinter normally, so there is no need for shelter, it only attracts mice.

But Oriental hybrids - Orientals (from Oriental Hybrids) can suffer without shelter, and not so much from frost, but from excess moisture. In autumn, the planting site is covered with spruce branches and film to keep the soil dry.

Oriental hybrids are rightfully considered the most beautiful (photo 1,6,11). Their flowers reach 25 cm in diameter, and their wavy petals resemble orchids. A wonderful aroma completes the picture. But, unfortunately, these are one of the most delicate lilies. In our climate they are often affected by diseases.

When buying Oriental lilies, you need to choose varieties with early flowering, since later ones do not have time to accumulate nutrients in the bulb and winter worse. In addition, their flowers are damaged by precipitation and lose their decorative properties.

But you shouldn’t give up on Oriental lilies. With good drainage and timely shelter for the winter, the plants bloom well and overwinter (photo 1).

One of the most fragrant and spectacular lilies are the Trumpet Hybrids, photos 4, 10. They bloom well in our area under two essential conditions: they need shelter from spring frosts and alkaline soil. In acidic soil they develop poorly and may even die. Therefore, when planting trumpet lilies, deoxidizers such as dolomite flour or ash are added.

The flower bud of these lilies is formed very early and is easily damaged at subzero temperatures. The solution is either to cover the plantings with spunbond in early spring, or to plant the bulbs deeper so that they germinate later in the spring.

OT-hybrids (short for Oriental “oriental” and Trumpet “tubular hybrids”), photos 2, 8. These plants have absorbed all the best from the mother (oriental and trumpet) lilies. They have very large, exquisitely shaped flowers, often with a pleasant aroma.

But most importantly, in the central zone, OT hybrids do not need to be covered for the winter, they bloom profusely and are quite resistant to disease. Among them there are very tall plants; in flower beds they are planted in the background.

LO hybrids derived from long-flowered and oriental (Longiflorum x Oriental) also turned out to be more reliable than Orientals, pay attention to them.

WHEN TO BUY LILY?

The best time to buy lilies in a store is spring. This is planting material dug up in the fall, which goes on sale after storage. In the fall, stores sell those bulbs that have remained unsold since spring.

It is better to buy bulbs from private owners in the fall and plant them immediately (from late August to late September).

HOW TO PLANT LILES

In order for lilies to bloom well and not get sick, it is important to choose the right place and plant. When choosing a location, avoid low and windy areas. In lowlands, when moisture stagnates, the bulbs can rot.

LIGHT. In relation to light, all types of lilies are approximately the same; they love warm, sunny areas. The exception is Martagon lilies; they grow well in the shade (photo 7).

THE SOIL. Lilies love light, fertile soils. Heavy clay needs to be loosened (sand, peat, compost), poor sandy soils need to be improved by adding herbal compost). Do not apply fresh manure under lilies, it provokes diseases.

Experienced flower growers prepare special soil for lilies. The best option is fresh forest soil (coniferous and leaf litter). Such soil has the ideal balance of moisture and air, which is necessary for lilies.

The planting depth depends on the size of the bulbs. The general rule is 3D, meaning the planting depth is three times the diameter of the bulb. Adult large bulbs are planted so that there is approximately 15 cm of soil above them.

FEEDING AND CARE

The soil under lilies should be kept free of weeds. The best way to mulch plantings is with any organic matter: peat, compost, grass clippings, pine litter.

Mulching allows you to avoid loosening, which is dangerous for lilies, since their supra-bulb roots are located close to the surface.

Modern varieties and hybrids of lilies have large flowers and bloom very profusely. Therefore, they require increased nutrition. Fertilizing is carried out several times per season, and fertilizers are selected according to development phases.

The first two feedings are nitrogen fertilizers (urea or ammonium nitrate). The first fertilizing is applied even before the lilies emerge to stimulate their growth. The second when sprouts appear.

During the growth period, before flowering, two more feedings are applied. Use complex fertilizers, for example, Ferticulux.

Before flowering, feed well with potassium magnesia. After flowering, August, September, abundant watering (if there is no precipitation) and fertilizing with potassium monophosphate. For ripening of bulbs.

After flowering, it is necessary to cut off the ovaries, but do not touch the stem. When cutting lilies into a bouquet, they also leave part of the stem (at least 1/3) so that the bulb is fed by the leaves.

With proper care, lilies grow in one place for 4-6 years, successfully reproduce and bloom. After this, the nest of bulbs should be divided. They start this in early September. Immediately after dividing, the bulbs are planted again.

PESTS AND DISEASES

Protection against diseases is preventive in nature. Densified plantings should be avoided so that the plants can be ventilated.

The soil should be loose, for which it is mulched with organic matter.

When watering with fertilizer solutions, you must ensure that the solution does not get on the leaves. In general, any watering should be carried out strictly at the root. Excess moisture leads to disease of the leaves and stems.

Having detected signs of diseases, spots on the leaves, fungicides are used. In rainy weather, systemic ones (Ordan, Oxychom, Skor), in dry weather you can get by with biological products (Fitosporin, Alirin, Gamair). If your lilies suffer from diseases every year, spraying is carried out preventively: the first time in late May early June, the second time after flowering.

In case of mass yellowing of leaves, the stems are cut off and burned. Fallen leaves carry pathogens into the soil.

The most dangerous pest is the lily beetle. It is small, the size of a ladybug, bright red in color, and easily visible. In the spring the beetle eats the leaves, and in the summer it spoils the buds.

If the number of beetles is small, you can collect them by hand. During mass reproduction, insecticides are used, but only before flowering.

The beetle appears again in the second half of summer, after the lilies bloom. Spraying is carried out on the leaves, trying to ensure that the solution does not get on flowering plants nearby.

Spring is the time to buy new lilies. Now we know more about them. Happy shopping everyone!