What are the propagation methods for lilies? Learn to propagate lilies with ease
Seed propagation
Collect lily seeds in advance and store them well, then sow them in the spring of the following year. About one month after sowing, the lily seeds will germinate. During the seedling stage, shade them, and by early autumn they can be divided and transplanted.
Cuttage propagation
After digging out the bulb, break off the scales, let them dry, then insert them into prepared soil, water them appropriately, and in about one and a half months they will take root.
So, after reading the introduction the editor gave you, have you discovered some of your past mistakes? Go correct them! We hope the added lily propagation methods can help your lilies bloom more and more!
How do lilies propagate? Lily propagation methods
Lilies have a fresh and elegant appearance, giving off a faint delicate fragrance; the crisp, light floral scent is intoxicating. Lilies have always been regarded as auspicious flowers. How do lilies propagate? Today we will tell you the propagation methods for lilies.
1. Lily propagation by dividing bulbs
If you need to propagate 1 plant or a few plants, you can use the lily bulb division propagation method. Usually, some small bulbs grow around the outer edge of the stem plate of the old bulb. When harvesting lilies in September to October, these small bulbs can be separated, stored indoors in sand to overwinter. In the spring of the following year, plant them in pots. After cultivating until September to October of the third year, they can grow into large bulbs and be cultivated into large plants. Bulb division propagation yields a small amount, so it is only suitable for home potted propagation.
2. Lily seed propagation
Lilies can be propagated by seed propagation. The main method is to harvest seeds in autumn and store them until sowing in the spring of the following year. They germinate about 20 to 30 days after sowing. During the seedling stage, shade appropriately. In early autumn, the underground part has already formed small bulbs, so they can be dug out and divided for planting. Seedling plants grown from seed may bloom in 3 years depending on the species, or some may need many years of cultivation before blooming, so it is not suitable for home use.
3. Lily scale cuttage propagation
The lily scale cuttage propagation method can be used for medium-scale propagation. In autumn, dig out the bulbs, break off the plump and thick scales from the old bulb one by one. The base of each scale should carry a small part of the stem plate. Let them dry slightly in the shade, then insert them into a flowerpot or shallow wooden box filled with river sand (or vermiculite), with 2/3 of the scale inserted into the substrate. Keep the substrate at a certain humidity. At around 20 degrees, in about 1.5 months, roots will grow from the wounded part of the scale. In winter, humidity should be kept at around 18 degrees, and the river sand should not be too wet. After cultivating until the spring of the following year, the scales can grow small bulbs. Separate them, plant them in pots, and manage them carefully. After about 3 years of cultivation, they can bloom.
4. Lily propagation by dividing bulbils
The lily bulbil division propagation method is only suitable for a few species. For lilies such as Lilium lancifolium and Lilium leichtlinii, this method is often used. The method is: take the small bulbs formed in the leaf axils of the aboveground stem (also called "bulbils"; in summer, when the bulbils have fully grown but have not yet fallen off) and cultivate them. From growing into a large bulb to blooming usually takes 2 to 4 years. To encourage more small bulbils for propagation, after the plant blooms, press the aboveground stem down and shallowly bury it in soil; divide the aboveground stem into small sections each with 3 to 4 leaves, and shallowly bury the stem nodes in wet sand, then small bulbils can grow from the leaf axils.
5. Lily tissue culture propagation
The lily tissue culture propagation method uses different parts of the lily, such as filaments, styles, ovaries, and axillary buds at the base of scales, to culture test-tube plantlets, which are then transplanted into seedbeds for care and growth, to supply production bulbs.
Lily cultivation methods
The suitable growth temperature for lilies is 15 to 25°C. Below 10°C, growth is slow; above 30°C, growth is poor. During growth, daytime temperatures of 21 to 23°C and nighttime temperatures of 15 to 17°C are best. Bulbs for forcing cultivation must be stored at a low temperature of 7 to 10°C for 4 to 6 weeks. This growth habit of lilies determines how they are cared for.
1. Selection of lily seedlings: Choose plump, robust seed bulbs. For the Asiatic series, the circumference of the seed bulb must be 10 to 12 cm; for the Oriental series, the circumference of the seed bulb is 12 to 14 cm. The larger the seed bulb, the more flower buds.
2. Pay attention to land preparation and fertilization. Lilies have strong adaptability and prefer a mild climate with sufficient sunlight. The soil should preferably be deep sandy loam with good drainage; clay soil is second best; waterlogged low-lying land is not suitable for planting.
3. Proper pruning and planting help lilies grow more beautifully. Lilies can be cultivated by sowing, scale cuttage, bulblet cultivation, and so on.
4. Drain water at the appropriate time. Lilies need moist water for cultivation, which is beneficial to the growth of stems and leaves. If the soil is too wet, waterlogged, or poorly drained, the lily bulbs will rot and die. For potted lilies, watering should gradually increase as the plant grows. Water supply should be sufficient during the flowering period, reduced after flowering, and stopped after the aboveground part withers. If the pot soil is too wet, it will likewise cause bulb rot.
5. Lily cultivation requires sufficient light. Lilies like soft light. They also tolerate strong light and semi-shade. Insufficient light will cause flower buds to fall off and reduce the number of blooms. With sufficient light, the plant is robust and short, and the flowers are vivid.
6. Prevention and control of lily pests and diseases. The main lily pests and diseases are black spot, gray mold, and rust damage, which can be prevented and controlled by spraying with a 500-fold dilution of 25% carbendazim wettable powder. Pests include white grubs and aphids, which can be killed by spraying with a 1000-fold dilution of 50% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate.