How to Grow Lilies from Seed? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Growing Methods

The lily is also known as Qiangqu, Fanjiu, Shandan and so on, and is a perennial herbaceous bulbous plant of the genus Lilium in the family Liliaceae. At least 120 species have been found worldwide, of which 55 are native to China, and in recent years many new cultivars have been produced through artificial hybridization. The bulb is rich in starch and can be eaten as well as used medicinally. Now let us take a look at how to grow lilies from seed!

How to Grow Lilies from Seed?

Lilies can be propagated both asexually and sexually. Seeds can be sown immediately after collection, or sown again the following spring, and they germinate about 20 to 30 days after sowing. During the seedling stage, shade is needed and water and fertilizer management should be strengthened. By autumn, small bulbs will have formed and can be dug up and planted separately. Depending on the species, some seedling plants bloom in 3 years, while others need many years of cultivation before they bloom, so seed propagation is not suitable for home cultivation.

What Is the Best Way to Propagate Lilies?

1. Scale propagation: In autumn, choose healthy, disease-free, plump scales and soak them in a 1:500 benomyl solution for 30 minutes. Take them out and dry them in the shade, then insert 1/3 to 2/3 of each scale, base downward, into a seedbed of fertile sandy loam. After about 20 days, 1 to 2 small bulbs will form at the cut end at the lower part of the scale.

2. Bulb propagation: Multiple new small bulbs can grow on the stem axis of an old lily bulb. Collect the small bulbs from disease-free plants, disinfect them, and plant them at a row spacing of 25×6 cm. After one year of cultivation, some can reach the standard for planting bulbs (50 grams), while the smaller ones continue to be cultivated for another year before being used for planting.

3. Bulbil propagation: Lily bulbils are harvested after they mature in summer. After harvesting, mix them with moist fine sand and store them in a cool, ventilated place. In September to October of that year, sow the bulbils in a seedbed at a row spacing of 12 to 15 cm and a depth of 3 to 4 cm, cover with 3 cm of fine soil, and cover with straw.

How to Grow Lilies Well?

1. Planting: Potted lilies are best planted in September and October. The growing medium should be a 1:1:1 mix of leaf mold, sandy soil and garden soil. Apply plenty of fully decomposed compost at the bottom of the pot along with a small amount of bone meal and plant ash as a base fertilizer. The planting depth is generally 2 to 3 times the diameter of the bulb.

2. Sunlight: Lilies like light. If they lack sunlight and are shaded for a long time, normal flowering will be affected. In addition, during the growing period the pot should be turned once a week, otherwise the plant tends to grow lopsided, which affects its appearance.

3. Temperature: The temperature for lily growth and flowering is 16 to 24°C. Below 5°C or above 30°C, growth almost stops. If the nighttime temperature in winter is below 5°C for 5 to 7 consecutive days, flower bud differentiation and flower bud development will be seriously affected, delaying flowering or even causing blind flowers and split flowers.

4. Watering: Lilies are afraid of wetness, so watering only needs to keep the potting soil moist. However, during the peak growing season and in dry weather, water a little more frequently, and often sprinkle water around the flower pot to increase air humidity. The potting soil should not be too wet, otherwise the bulbs rot easily.

5. Fertilizing: Lilies have a relatively high demand for nitrogen and potassium fertilizers, so apply fertilizer once every 10 to 15 days during the growing period, while phosphorus fertilizer should be limited, because too much phosphorus fertilizer causes the leaves to turn yellow. During the flowering period, phosphorus fertilizer can be applied additionally for 1 to 2 days.

6. Pests and diseases: Common lily diseases include mosaic disease, bulb rot, leaf spot and leaf blight. When leaf spot appears, remove the diseased leaves and spray once with a 500-fold dilution of 65% zineb wettable powder to prevent it from spreading.

7. Repotting: Potted lilies must be repotted once a year, replacing the growing medium and base fertilizer with new ones. To make the bulbs plump, remove the spent flowers promptly after blooming to reduce nutrient consumption, which would affect the blooming of other flowers.