A Complete Analysis of the Key Points of High-Yield Lily Cultivation Techniques
1 Biological Characteristics
LilyIt prefers a warm and humid environment, and can also grow in slightly cooler regions. It is tolerant of drought, but fears intense heat and summer scorching, and fears waterlogging. It requires deep, loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam or loam soil. It grows well on plots with partial shade and partial sun and slightly acidic soil. Alkaline, overly clayey, and low-lying waterlogged land is not suitable for planting. It should not be grown in continuous cropping. The previous crop is best as legumes or grasses.
2 Propagation Methods
It is mainly propagated by bulbs, scales, and bulbils, and can also be propagated by seeds.
2.1 Scale Propagation After the lily harvest, select large bulbs that are robust, undamaged, and free of pests and diseases, cut off the base, and keep the scales, then dry them in the sun for several days. On a prepared seedling bed, open horizontal furrows at a row spacing of 15cm, with a furrow depth of about 7cm, then place 1 scale every 3 to 4cm, with the tip facing up; after planting, cover with 3cm of soil and cover with grass to retain moisture. Before long, small bulbs differentiate from the callus tissue, roots form in the same year, and seedlings can sprout in the spring of the 2nd year. After another 2 years of cultivation, the underground bulbs can reach an individual weight of about 50g, and about 150kg of seed scales are needed per 667 sq m.
2.2 Bulblet Propagation During the growth process of old lily bulbs, multiple new small bulblets can grow from the stem axis. At the autumn harvest, the large bulbs are used for the commodity market, and the small bulblets can be used as propagation material. Plant immediately after harvest. On a prepared seedling bed, open horizontal furrows at a row spacing of about 15cm, with a depth of 7cm. Then, every 6 to 7cm, place them into the furrow like planting garlic; after planting, cover with 3cm of soil, and cover with soil level with the bed surface. After the seedlings emerge in the spring of the 2nd year, strengthen field management, and they can be harvested after autumn. Select those with an individual weight of more than 50g as seed planting material. Small bulblets below 50g are left in the bed for continued cultivation. They can also be dug up after autumn and stored in sand until planting the following spring.
2.3 Bulbil Propagation Lilies often grow bulbils in the leaf axils of the upper part, which can be picked off and used as propagation material. When the flowers fade in summer, before the mature bulbils are about to fall off, pick them off in time, mix them evenly with 2 times their volume of clean fine dry sand, and store them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated room. In autumn, take them out in mid to late September and sow them. When sowing, open horizontal furrows on a prepared seedling bed at a row spacing of 20cm, with a furrow depth of 3 to 5cm. Then, scatter the bulbils into the furrows, cover with 2 to 3cm of fine soil, and cover the bed surface with grass to retain moisture. They can root in the same year, and the bulbils turn white and enlarge. Seedlings emerge in the spring of the following year; remove the covering grass, strengthen seedling management, and cultivate until the autumn harvest to obtain 1-year-old small bulbs. Then propagate them again in the same way as small bulbs.
2.4 Seed Propagation In September to October, collect nearly mature capsules and dry them in a ventilated, dry room for after-ripening. After several days, take out the seeds and sow them immediately in autumn. If sowing in the following spring, store the seeds stratified with 3 times their volume of moist sand. After Qingming the following spring, sieve out the seeds and drill-sow them in furrows on a prepared seedling bed at a row spacing of 10 to 15cm, with a furrow depth of about 3cm and a width of 5 to 7cm; then sow the seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with a thin layer of soil, and cover the bed surface with grass to preserve warmth and moisture. After the seedlings emerge, strengthen seedling-stage management; after 3 years of cultivation, they can be dug up and harvested, with the large ones supplied to the market and the small ones retained as seed.
3 Planting Techniques
3.1 Land Selection and Preparation It is advisable to choose high, dry, sunny land with deep soil, loose texture, and good drainage, such as sandy loam or loam, for planting; in mountainous areas, plots under sparse forest with partial shade and partial sun or gentle slopes can be chosen. After selecting the land, deeply plow the soil more than 25cm before planting. In combination with land preparation, apply 2000kg of decomposed barnyard manure or compost and 25kg of superphosphate per 667 sq m as base fertilizer, plus 0.6kg of 50% thiophanate-methyl, and turn them into the soil at the same time for soil disinfection. Then, break up the soil finely and rake it level, and make high beds or flat beds 1.3m wide, with a bed ditch width of 30cm. Set up drainage ditches around the area to facilitate drainage.
3.2 Planting Autumn planting is preferable. In areas north of the Huaihe River, carry out planting in early September. Before planting, select small bulbs obtained by the above propagation methods, preferably those with tightly clasped scales, white color, proper shape, and no damage or pest and disease damage. Soak the seed bulbs in 2% formalin solution for 15 minutes for disinfection, take them out, dry them, and then plant. On the prepared bed surface, open horizontal furrows at a row spacing of 25cm, with a depth of about 12cm, then place 1 small bulb every 15cm, with the tip upward, cover with fine soil, plant upright and firm, rake the bed surface level, cover with a layer of fallen leaves, press dead branches on top, and remove them when sprouting in the following spring. The seeding rate per 667 sq m is 150 to 200kg.
4 Field Management
4.1 Cultivation, Weeding, and Fertilization In the 2nd year after planting, carry out the 1st intertillage and weeding after the seedlings are fully emerged in spring; shallow hoeing is advisable, and do not damage the bulbs. In combination with weeding, apply 1 topdressing: per 667 sq m, use 1000kg of decomposed human and livestock manure, 20kg of superphosphate, and 800kg of compost, mix them evenly, apply them in furrows between rows, and cover with soil after application. The 2nd time is before flowering in May, in combination with intertillage and weeding: per 667 sq m, apply 500kg of decomposed cake fertilizer water, 20kg of superphosphate, and 800kg of compost, mix them evenly, and apply them in furrows between rows. The 3rd time is after flowering in July, in combination with weeding, apply 1 more topdressing of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, in a slightly larger amount, by the same method as the 1st time. Each fertilization should avoid direct contact between the fertilizer liquid and the seed bulbs, so as to prevent bulb rot.
4.2 Bud Removal Except for seed-production plots, when buds appear in May to June, cut off the flower buds in time so that nutrients are concentrated for bulb growth, thereby helping increase yield.
4.3 Drainage and Irrigation Lilies fear waterlogging. In the high-temperature and rainy summer season and after heavy rain, clear the ditches and drain water in time to avoid pests and diseases. In case of drought, irrigate in time.
5 Pests and Diseases and Their Control
5.1 Leaf Spot Disease It damages stems and leaves. On affected leaf parts, round lesions appear and are slightly sunken; with the massive appearance of conidia, the lesions become dark brown or black, and in severe cases the leaves wither and die. After lesions appear on the stem, the stalk becomes thinner. In severe cases, the stem rots, the seedlings fall over, and they die. Control methods: 1) Select disease-free bulbs as seed. Before planting, disinfect the bulbs with benzalkonium bromide or formalin; 2) Clear ditches and drain water in time, reduce field humidity, maintain ventilation and light transmission, and enhance plant disease resistance; 3) Before and after onset, spray 1:1:100 Bordeaux mixture, or 65% zineb 500-fold solution, once every 7 days, spraying 3 to 4 times consecutively, which can also control bulb rot.
5.2 Viral Disease It is a whole-plant disease. Leaves show yellow-green mosaic patterns, with an uneven surface and black lesions, causing early leaf death, stunted plant growth, and in severe cases death of the whole plant. It is caused by virus infection. Control methods: 1) Use disease-resistant varieties and select disease-free mother plants for seed production; 2) Spray pesticides in time to eliminate virus-transmitting insects, such as aphids and seed flies; 3) Apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote robust plant growth and enhance disease resistance.