Detailed Explanation of High-Yield Cultivation Techniques for Edible Lilies

To achieve high yields in lily cultivation, the following technical steps should be followed in cultivation:

1. Select suitable improved varieties

Lilies are divided into two main categories, edible and medicinal, with more than 10 varieties in total. Among edible lilies, Longya lily is the best in quality; this variety has large, plump scales shaped like dragon teeth, is white and tender, has no bitter taste, commands a high price, and sells well. Medicinal lilies generally have short, small scales, low yield, and a strong bitter taste, and can only be used as medicine. Therefore, when introducing edible lily varieties, be sure to choose seed bulbs that are white in color, have large scales, no spots, and no bitter taste. Lilies have a low propagation rate and require a large amount of seed; about 150 to 200 kg of seed bulbs are needed per mu.

2. Choose suitable soil

Although lilies are widely adaptable and can be cultivated in many types of soil, it is best to choose plots with high terrain, smooth drainage, loose soil, and fertile soil. Lilies should not be continuously cropped or rotated with onions and garlic crops; the previous crop is best as legumes or grasses. Before planting, plow the soil more than 25 cm deep, apply 2500 to 3000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer and 25 kg of superphosphate per mu as base fertilizer, and at the same time plow in 0.6 kg of 50% diazinon for soil disinfection. After fine raking and leveling, make high beds or flat beds, with a bed width of 2 m and a ditch depth of 30 cm.

3. Sow at the right time

Lily seed is the lily bulb, also called the seed bulb. Lilies are best sown in October. Before sowing, soak the bulbs in 2% formalin solution for 15 minutes, remove and dry them, then sow. The row spacing is 25 cm, the plant spacing is 15 cm, and the depth is 10 cm. After sowing, cover with rice straw or leaves to retain moisture.

4. Field management

After planting, they emerge in March of the following year (a total of 5 to 6 months is required). Before emergence after sowing, pre-emergence weed control should be carried out, generally using dryland-specific herbicides such as glyphosate and butachlor. After the lilies emerge, deep intertillage and weeding should no longer be carried out, so as not to damage the root system. Intertillage can be done 1 to 2 times, and exposed lilies should be earthed up in time. Before the Beginning of Spring, when the seedlings have not yet emerged, apply 1 heavy fertilization, with 1000 to 1500 kg of human manure and urine per mu. When the seedlings are 3 to 5 cm tall, cover the ground with about 500 kg of rice straw per mu. When the seedlings are about 10 cm tall, carry out intertillage and weeding 2 times in time. After budding, generally in early May, carry out one deep intertillage and pay attention to earthing up. When the seedlings are about 30 to 35 cm tall, promptly top and pinch off the heads, mainly to control the reproductive growth of lilies and promote the rapid expansion of the bulbs. At this time, be sure not to blindly apply additional fertilizer, so as to avoid excessive stem node growth, which would affect the development and enlargement of the bulbs, and to concentrate nutrients for transport to the bulbs. After the flower buds are removed, carry out one shallow intertillage, with a depth of 4 cm being appropriate. When the seedlings are 20 cm tall, apply 1 seedling-promoting fertilizer, with 10 to 12 kg of urea and 7.5 to 10 kg of potassium fertilizer per mu. To prevent premature aging, in early July apply 10 kg of high-grade compound fertilizer mixed with 50 kg of water as a spray, and in addition spray the leaves with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution; this is the key period for forming a high lily yield. Lilies are afraid of waterlogging, so in rainy seasons and after heavy rain, dredge the ditch system in time to drain waterlogging and reduce waterlogging damage. For leaf spot disease and bulb rot, spray with 500 times 65% mancozeb solution for control, spraying once every 7 days, for 3 to 4 consecutive sprays. For aphids, spray with 1000 times 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate for control; for root maggots, use 90% trichlorfon mixed with water to drench the roots.

5. Reasonable intercropping

Intercropped lilies have a growth period of nearly 1 year. In winter, radishes, green vegetables, etc. can be intercropped; in May of the following year, intercropping watermelon or sweet potato is beneficial for loosening the soil, reducing damage from white grubs, and promoting lily expansion. Lilies can be intercropped with food crops such as soybean, wheat, and corn, and can also be intercropped with economic trees such as pagoda tree, Chinese chestnut, Sichuan pepper, apple, persimmon, and jujube, especially with poplar, which has produced unexpectedly good results.

6. Harvest at the right time, grade and keep seed

After the Beginning of Autumn, when the lily stems turn yellow and die and the flowers fall off, it is the suitable harvest period. At this time, the bulbs are fully developed, with high yield and good storage tolerance. Harvesting should be done on sunny days. After digging out the bulbs and cutting off the aboveground parts, immediately transport them indoors and bury them in clean river sand for storage, to prevent discoloration and shriveling, which would affect economic returns. During harvest, strictly control seed quality, combine field selection with indoor selection, keep commercial lily seed and seed lily seed separately in separate storage, and store them by grade. In particular, after harvest they must not be exposed to the sun, so as not to affect quality.