Cloud Garment Fairy Lily: Growing Methods, Precautions, Blooming Frequency Per Year, and Blooming Period
The lily is known as the “Cloud Garment Fairy” and is also called Qiangshu, Fanjiu, Shandan, Daoxian, Chongmai, Zhongting, Moluo, Chongxiang, Zhongfenghua, lily garlic, master's garlic, garlic-brain potato, night-closing flower, etc. It is a perennial herbaceous bulbous plant of the genus Lilium in the family Liliaceae, and is deeply loved by the public. So what are the growing methods and precautions for lilies? How many times do they bloom in a year? How long is the blooming period?
There are many varieties of lilies. Simply by color, lilies are divided into white lilies, pink lilies, red lilies, and yellow lilies. Some white lilies and pink lilies usually have a rich fragrance and are commonly known as perfume lilies. There are about 100 or more varieties of lilies cultivated in China, and about 10 of them are edible.
Lily Growing Methods
Basic Knowledge
Best propagation time: The best propagation time for lilies is September to October.
Best growing soil: Lilies are suitable for growing in slightly acidic sandy loam rich in humus and with good drainage. They should not be planted in dry calcareous soil.
Humidity requirements for growth: The relative humidity should be 80%-85%. Too much fluctuation in relative humidity should be avoided, otherwise leaf scorch may occur.
Best growing temperature: The growing and blooming temperature for lilies is 16-24°C. Below 5°C or above 30°C, growth almost stops. Plants only grow normally above 10°C, and growth stalls again when the temperature exceeds 25°C.
Best growing light: Lilies prefer an environment with plenty of sunlight. The length of light exposure not only affects flower bud differentiation but also affects flower growth and development. Therefore, it is recommended to place them in a spot with ample light for growing.
Cultivation Points
1. Taking the Easter lily as an example: Easter lilies can be cultivated in the open field in the warm regions of South China, or in pots, greenhouses, and so on. For open-field or greenhouse lily cultivation, field planting should choose a cool, humid, ventilated, and semi-shaded environment. Continuous cropping land is most taboo; it is best to choose new land for planting. Use fertile, well-aerated, deep sandy loam. The soil should be disinfected before planting. To make the bulbs plump, remove spent flowers promptly after blooming to reduce nutrient consumption. Watering only needs to keep the potting soil moist, but during the peak growing season and in dry weather, water appropriately more often, and frequently sprinkle water around the flowerpot to increase air humidity. The potting soil should not be too wet, otherwise the bulbs rot easily. Potted lilies should be repotted once a year with new culture soil and base fertilizer. In addition, during the growing season, turn the flowerpot once a week. Otherwise the plant tends to grow lopsided, affecting its appearance.
2. Soil selection: The suitable period for open-field planting of lilies is August to September. For potted planting, September to October is suitable. The potting culture soil is made by mixing leaf mold, coarse sand, and vegetable garden soil in a ratio of 3:2:5, and an appropriate amount of plant ash, decomposed chicken manure, pigeon manure, pig manure, or 3-5 grams of compound fertilizer may be applied. For large bulbs planted in the open field, the planting depth is 12 cm, and the plant spacing and row spacing are 10-15 cm × 20 cm. After planting, the soil should remain moist, and new shoots break through the soil in 20-30 days.
3. Flowerpot selection: For pot planting, lay coarse sand or coal cinder chunks 3-4 cm thick at the bottom as a drainage layer. Deep pots are preferable. A flowerpot with a diameter of 20-25 cm can hold 2-3 bulbs. For pot or box planting, place them in a cool environment for management as much as possible. A shade net or straw curtain can also be used to block direct sunlight, and watering should be appropriate, with alternating dry and wet conditions being ideal.
4. Management in high-temperature seasons: Pay attention to ventilation so that seedlings grow robustly. In the hot summer season, spray water on the leaves 2-3 times at noon every day to prevent the soil temperature from exceeding 30°C and affecting growth.
5. Fertilization: Apply topdressing 2-3 times 20 days after planting. During the growing period, apply once every 15 days. Decomposed peanut bran liquid fertilizer is preferable, or apply synthetic fertilizer or urea at 1-1.5 kg per 100 sq m, and potassium oxide-magnesium oxide sulfate at 1-2 kg. In February to March and after flowering, apply synthetic fertilizer each time. Avoid applying fertilizers containing fluoride or alkaline fertilizers, otherwise leaf scorch easily occurs. If iron deficiency is found, promptly spray a 0.2%-0.3% ferrous sulfate solution. From budding to blooming, spray a 0.2%-0.3% monopotassium phosphate solution once every 15 days. After cutting flowers, apply quick-acting fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium 1-2 times.
For potted plants from February to July, apply fertilizer once every 2 months, using the same fertilizer as for open-field planting. For a pot with a diameter of 20 cm, the application amount is about 5 grams. After application, lightly loosen the potting soil and mix the fertilizer into the potting soil. Fermented rice-washing water diluted with water can be used for root application. A 0.1 urea solution or special flower fertilizer liquid can also be applied twice a month. When the winter temperature drops to 5-8°C, apply once a month. Below 5°C, stop fertilizing and wait for the temperature to rise before applying again. From late February to early March, apply 8-10 grams of superphosphate or bone meal to the surface soil at the edge of the pot. From budding to blooming, apply twice a month a 0.2% monopotassium phosphate solution, a small amount of borax, magnesium nitrate, etc., or special flower fertilizer as a root-applied flower-strengthening fertilizer. It should not be applied during the blooming period. After flowering, lightly apply nutrient solution fertilizer twice a month, which can keep stems and leaves green and promote the growth of new underground bulbs.
Precautions for Growing Lilies
Applying fertilizer: Lilies do not have very high fertilizer requirements. Usually, applying fertilizer when growth begins in spring and at the early flowering stage is enough. During the blooming period, phosphorus fertilizer can be applied 1-2 additional times.
Propagation points: Lily propagation includes asexual propagation and sexual propagation.
1. Asexual propagation: In production, there are mainly three types: scale propagation, bulbil propagation, and bulb breeding.
2. Sexual propagation: Collect mature seeds in autumn. Sow them in a seedbed, and small bulbs can be produced in the autumn of the second year. This method takes a long time and the seed characteristics change easily, so it is rarely used in production.
Watering essentials: Watering is generally chosen on sunny mornings. Watering only needs to keep the potting soil moist, but during the peak growing season and in dry weather, water appropriately more often, and frequently sprinkle water around the flowerpot to increase air humidity.
Pruning essentials:
(1) Lilies need flower buds removed and diseased plants eliminated. Due to high fertilizer and water management levels and individual oversized bulbs, flower buds easily appear during growth.
(2) After buds appear, remove them promptly to prevent nutrient consumption and promote the growth and enlargement of the seed bulbs.
(3) In the later stage, remove the leaves below the ear of the corn on the ridge.
(4) After flowering, promptly cut off spent flowers to reduce nutrient consumption.
Replacing potting soil: Potted lilies should be repotted once a year with new culture soil and base fertilizer. First, use a small shovel to gently dig the soil around the edges. Be sure to be careful not to damage the stems in the soil. After digging them out, turn the soil over, then fill the flowerpot halfway with soil, put the lily stems just dug out back in, and finally cover them with about 6 cm of soil on top.
Pest and disease control:
(1) Blue mold. Control: Store bulbs at the recommended minimum temperature, and do not plant bulbs whose basal plates have already been damaged. Before planting, infected bulbs must be soaked for 30 minutes in a 0.1% aqueous solution of fungicides such as captan, chlorothalonil, or carbendazim, and then planted. After planting, maintain an appropriate soil temperature.
(2) Bulb and scale rot and stem diseases caused by Fusarium. Control: a. Disinfect infected soil; b. Plant mildly or moderately infected bulbs as quickly as possible, and the soil temperature should be low.
(3) Rhizoctonia. Control: Use a soil disinfectant to disinfect soil suspected of infection. After disinfection, ensure that the soil is no longer infected. If the previous crop has already shown infection, general soil disinfectants cannot be used, so before planting, treat the soil in advance with a chemical for controlling Rhizoctonia and fully infiltrate it 10 cm deep into the soil.
(4) Phytophthora. Control: Use a general soil disinfectant to disinfect infected soil. During cultivation, fungicides that control Pythium can also effectively control foot rot. Ensure that the soil has good drainage conditions and prevent the crop from remaining in a wet state for a long time after watering. In summer, the soil temperature should be as low as possible.
(5) Pythium. Control: Use a general soil disinfectant to disinfect infected or suspected infected soil. Keep the soil temperature low at the early stage of cultivation, and adopt correct cultivation procedures throughout the cultivation period. Box cultivation with potting soil and peat can keep Pythium under control.
When Do Lilies Bloom
Lilies generally bloom from April to July, and white lilies usually enter full bloom in July. However, the blooming time of lilies depends not only on the variety but also on the planting time. The entire growth process takes 120-150 days. The earlier they are planted, the earlier they bloom.
How Many Times They Bloom in a Year
Under natural conditions, lilies bloom only once a year. However, with artificial intervention, it is not impossible for them to bloom twice a year, though this comes at the cost of damaging the bulbs.
The specific method: After the lilies fade, cut off the flower stems, keep 2-3 leaves, water appropriately, and after the aboveground part withers, dig out the bulbs, wrap them in soil, place them in the refrigerator's fresh-keeping compartment, and replant after 1-2 months. After leaves grow, they will gradually bloom!
How Long the Lily Blooming Period Lasts
The first case: cut lily flowers bought from a flower shop.
Buying a bouquet of lilies to put in a vase to decorate the home is the effect many flower lovers want, but how long does a bouquet of lilies bloom? According to the author's experience, it is about one week. During this week, some lily flowers that opened first will fall, and some lily buds will bloom. Of course, affected by environmental temperature, this blooming period will vary. Generally speaking, the lower the temperature, the longer the blooming period.
The second case: the blooming period of potted lilies.
Actually, whether potted or cut, the true blooming period is about the same. The difference is that with potted lilies, we watch from the bud stage all the way until the flowers fade. If counted from this point, then the blooming period is very long, about three weeks. If counted from the first lily blooming to the subsequent fading one after another, then this time is about 1-2 weeks. This time is summarized based on the author's potted lilies. Affected by region and different environmental temperatures, flower lovers' blooming periods will also differ.
In China, the lily carries the meaning of a harmonious union lasting a hundred years, a happy family, and great love, and has the meaning of deep blessings. People blessed by lilies have a simple and innocent character and are loved by everyone, but this alone is not enough to pass through life peacefully. They must have self-control and resist external temptations in order to preserve their unpolluted innocence.