What to Do When Saffron Crocus Gets Pests? Common Pest and Disease Prevention and Control Methods

Growing Techniques Jan 1, 1970 0 views

Saffron crocus is an ornamental plant that looks extremely vibrant when in bloom. However, no matter how beautiful a flower is, if it contracts pests or diseases, it will gradually wither and lose its beauty. As for what to do when saffron crocus gets pests, and how to carry out common pest and disease prevention and control for saffron crocus

I. What to Do When Saffron Crocus Gets Pests / Targeted Treatment

Any plant may develop pests or diseases during growth if not cared for properly, and saffron crocus is no exception. The most common pest on saffron crocus is generally aphids, so what should be done when saffron crocus gets pests? In fact, as long as you find the root of the problem and treat it accordingly, it will be fine. Its most common pest is aphid infestation. Detailed prevention and control methods are below; let's read on together.

II. Common Pest and Disease Prevention and Control for Saffron Crocus

1. Aphid infestation

Aphid infestation is a common pest and disease of saffron crocus, and this pest is also one that many plants fear. This pest mainly harms the leaves and stems of plants, surviving and reproducing by sucking their sap, ultimately causing the plant to lose nutrients and gradually wither and die. When this pest generally appears, the plant itself will show symptoms such as blighted spots.

Prevention and control method: Generally, the most direct method when this problem appears is to use medication for treatment. You can use 50% malathion emulsion at 1000 times dilution for spraying to kill the pests, generally spraying once every 7-8 days, and after 2-3 consecutive times it can basically be cured.

2. Sclerotium disease

Sclerotium disease is a plant disease caused by fungi. This disease mainly harms the seedlings and corms of saffron crocus, and is a problem that may be caused by improper operation during corm propagation. For the correct method of corm propagation, please refer to the article on saffron crocus propagation methods; I will not introduce it too much here.

Prevention and control method: When this disease appears on saffron crocus, the most direct method is to promptly remove the infected corms to prevent other parts from being infected by this pathogen, after which you can use 50% thiophanate wettable powder at 500 times dilution for direct spraying to carry out prevention and control.

3. Mosaic disease

This disease mainly harms the leaves of saffron crocus. At the early stage of onset, the leaves will appear twisted, and yellow streaks will appear. Later, irregular necrotic spots will appear on the leaves. When the disease is severe, it may even cause saffron crocus not to bloom.

Prevention and control method: To prevent and control this disease, you must do every step well from the very beginning of cultivation. When selecting corms, choose those with stronger resistance, and during cultivation you must frequently spray disinfectant agents on the plants to sterilize, and promptly replenish the nutrients of saffron crocus to make its resistance stronger.

4. Rust disease

Rust disease is a plant disease that mainly harms the leaves of saffron crocus. When this disease appears, rust-colored spots will appear on the underside of the leaves, greatly affecting their appearance, and in the final stages it will even cause the plant to gradually wither and die.

Prevention and control method: When this disease appears, the most direct method is to use chemicals for prevention and control. You can choose 97% fenaminosulf at 300-400 times dilution for spray treatment, spraying once every 10 days; generally 2-3 times can basically cure it.

Saffron crocus getting pests is a relatively uncommon occurrence. As long as you are fairly careful during cultivation, this phenomenon generally will not appear. That is all for the introduction to common pest and disease prevention and control for saffron crocus. I hope it can be of some help to everyone. Of course, it is best if no pests or diseases appear at all.

How to Grow Lilies: Teaching You the Cultivation Methods and Precautions for Potted Lilies

Like all living things, for lilies to grow vigorously and ultimately produce beautiful flowers, the most fundamental conditions are: the bulbs themselves must be of good quality, the environment must be suitable, management must keep up, and from the time you plan to plant them until the flowers finally fade, you must always care for them and manage them meticulously. Only then can you be sure the lilies will be as you wish, pleasing to the eye. As for whether they can make money, that still depends on whether the market cooperates; however, flower lovers grow them for their own enjoyment, so that is not within the scope of this article.

1. Successfully ordering high-quality bulbs is the foundation of successful cultivation. However, because bulbs are not industrial products but agricultural products, and are also imported products subject to various national quality inspection requirements, various problems will always exist. No matter which company it is, domestic or foreign, if they pat their chest and guarantee that everyone's order (supply, supply quality) has no problems at all, then they must be a liar. That being the case, you can only choose a reliable supplier to reduce the probability of problems with the bulbs.

High-quality lily bulbs: firm, clean, with a good root system

A common problem with lily bulbs is Penicillium infection (as shown in the figure below). If the infection has not endangered the basal plate of the bulb, the problem is not serious.

Freeze damage -- the sprouts of the bulb turn black (as shown in the figure below); in severe cases, they can only be discarded

2. Environment: A common slogan is "Even small grass has life." I remember a Dutch expert also said, "The water you can drink, it can drink too; the environment you can stay in, it can stay in too." "Even small grass has life" speaks the truth. You must treat it like your own baby, touch it, perceive it, and then change its environment at any time; only then can it repay you with beautiful flowers.

1) Soil:

Soil structure: Although lilies can grow in all soils, it is very important to ensure that the cultivation soil has a good structure and maintains good drainage throughout the entire growth stage. Poor soil structure and compaction often make the lily root system grow weakly or even die due to lack of oxygen, or because of poor drainage, Pythium runs rampant and causes the death of the lily root system, ultimately leading to poor growth or even death of the lilies.

The figure below shows the situation where soil was flooded by heavy rain during a typhoon, causing root death from lack of oxygen. Of course, overly compacted soil also makes the situation more serious.

Soil pH and salinity: Maintaining an appropriate soil pH is very important for the development of the lily root system and correct nutrient absorption. If the pH is too low, it will lead to excessive absorption of mineral nutrients (such as iron, manganese, and aluminum), while if the pH is too high, it will lead to insufficient absorption of phosphorus, manganese, and iron. Everyone knows that insufficiency is bad, but not everyone necessarily knows that excess is just as bad as deficiency.

Lilies are also sensitive to salinity. Excessive salinity will form hard, brittle, and yellow or brown roots, reduce the root system's absorption of water, affect lily quality, and in severe cases even cause the death of the lily root system and the death of the lily plant. Soil salinity is often affected by the fertilizers and water used.

The root system in the figure below was originally very beautiful, but due to the use of undecomposed organic fertilizer, part or all of the root system died. It is a great pity.

Soil pathogens: Lilies often die because soil fungi harm the root system. Common fungi include Rhizoctonia, Pythium, and Phytophthora. Rhizoctonia only harms the plant while the buds are still in the soil, and Pythium can be alleviated by improving soil drainage. Generally speaking, during the entire growth process, it is very necessary to use broad-spectrum fungicides several times, such as chlorothalonil.

The figure below shows the damage caused by Rhizoctonia and Phytophthora

From the above, it can be seen how critical suitable cultivation soil is to successful cultivation. If the soil is poor, even if you spend a great deal of energy managing it, you can only face it with tears. Therefore, it is best to choose soil that has not previously been used to grow lilies for planting lilies. Of course, the most ideal choice is peat (domestic peat is fine). To reduce management difficulty, using 80% peat and adding 20% perlite or pine bark medium is very wise. If you consider base fertilizer, using controlled-release fertilizer with a controllable release rate is most ideal. If you are very fond of organic fertilizer, be sure to use fully decomposed organic fertilizer.

With such a good root system, why worry about not having beautiful lilies?

2) Temperature

Rooting stage temperature: For 2-3 weeks after planting, maintaining an appropriately low temperature (10-12 degrees) to ensure that lilies can grow good stem roots is very critical. However, most of the time we cannot guarantee such ideal weather. Therefore, professional growers use cold storage for rooting, while we can use the crisper compartment of a refrigerator: wrapping lily bulbs in peat (peat should not be too wet; enough that water drips when squeezed by hand) (breathable) and placing them in the refrigerator's crisper compartment for rooting is a good idea. Although low temperatures will prolong the growth period, I think everyone should not mind managing them for a few more days.

In cases where rooting has already occurred, during hot seasons, root first, then plant.

Growth stage temperature: Although the most ideal growth temperature for lilies is 15-25 degrees, we have no way to control the temperature of nature. However, we still need to avoid extreme situations. Lilies below 5 degrees are very prone to freeze damage, and above 35 degrees the growth period will be greatly shortened and quality will decline accordingly. In summer when sunlight is strong, we can lower the temperature by shading and strengthening ventilation. How pleasant it would be to have cool breezes under the shade of trees in summer.

3) Relative humidity: The suitable relative humidity for lilies needs to be between 70-80%, but this refers to production by professional growers in greenhouses. If you plant lilies in the yard or place them on the balcony, there is no need to consider this point. In greenhouses, poor growth is often caused by excessively high humidity, but I have not yet seen even continuous rainy weather causing poor growth of outdoor lilies (provided the soil drainage is good and fungicides are regularly applied to control Botrytis). Of course, slight effects will still be encountered. This is because ventilation in greenhouses is very poor; when people go inside they feel very stuffy, and plants feel the same way.

Here are a few pictures of lily leaf damage caused by excessively high humidity in the greenhouse

Due to excessively high humidity, the water pressure inside the plant becomes too great, and ultimately the leaves are damaged because the cell walls rupture; in severe cases, even the flower buds are gone. This is a physiological disease, not damage from pathogens, so applying fungicides is useless. Using calcium fertilizer can increase the resistance of cell walls and can reduce the damage.

Long periods of rainy weather make the plant's leaves very tender, and because the plant needs to expel excess water from its body, the leaf stomata remain open all the time. Being open for a long time ultimately causes the leaf stomata to lose their closing function (originally they would open and close automatically according to climate conditions). After the rainy weather passes, the leaf stomata still remain open, transpiring and discharging water, ultimately causing the leaves to lose water, become papery, and even scorch.

4) Shading: Shading can control temperature, relative humidity, and light.

In summer, sunlight is usually very strong. For 2-3 weeks after planting (before budding), you can shade out 80% of the light. After budding, because Asiatic lilies and LA hybrid lilies are sensitive to light, lack of light can cause bud abortion, so shading can be appropriately reduced, such as shading out 50% of the light. Oriental lilies are not sensitive to light, so 50-70% shading can still be used.

The general steps for growing potted lilies at home:

1. Preparation stage:

1) Growing medium: It is recommended that you choose peat soil as the main medium for planting.

2) Fertilizer: It is recommended to mix 3 kg of 14-14-14 controlled-release fertilizer and 0.5 kg of calcium nitrate per cubic meter of medium as base fertilizer.

3) Pots: A 13 cm pot can plant 3 bulbs of 12-14 cm size; a 15 cm pot can plant 3 bulbs of 12-14 or 14-16 cm size; in this way, choose pots according to your own situation. It is best if the pot height is above 12 cm.

2. Receiving lily bulbs: After long-distance logistics, when everyone receives the lily bulbs, they have thawed. Normally, there should be a few small sprouts. As long as the sprouts are no longer than 5 cm and are not broken, then even curved sprouts are no problem at all. Please plant them with confidence.

After receiving the bulbs, you can soak them for 30 minutes in chlorothalonil at 600-800 times dilution.

3. Planting:

1) First mix the medium and base fertilizer evenly, and water until water drips when squeezed by hand;

2) Spread 2-3 cm of the mixed medium at the bottom of the pot;

3) Plant the bulbs in the pot with the sprouts facing outward;

4) Cover the bulbs with about 8 cm of medium;

5) Water thoroughly, place in a shaded area, and avoid sunlight as much as possible.

4. It is recommended that the planting amount per pot be 1, 3, or 5 bulbs. Odd numbers look better. If there are more than 5, then odd or even numbers do not matter.

At temperatures in June-July, sprouts can generally be seen growing in 7 days.

1. Medium: peat soil

2. Fertilizer: controlled-release fertilizer, calcium nitrate

3. Pot: 160 dual-color pot, planting 3 bulbs

4. Planting

1) Correct planting method: the sprout of the bulb faces the pot wall

Incorrect planting method: the sprout of the bulb faces the middle. Consequence: all sprouts gather in the middle, which does not look good

Of course, if planted randomly, then when the sprouts grow out, they will be very messy and disorderly, and will not look good. As for potted planting, it is best to wait until the bulbs have a 3-5 cm sprout before planting. In this way, you can control the direction of the sprouts, and the overall appearance of the plants will be better.

What growth environment after planting?

For two weeks after planting, lily growth still needs relatively low temperatures to continue developing a good root system. Therefore, for potted lilies, after planting you can choose a place without direct sunlight; for lilies planted in the open ground, you can use shade netting to block direct sunlight. However, whether potted or field-grown, once the lilies show flower buds, they should immediately be given light. Potted lilies can be moved to a place with sufficient light, and for field-grown lilies the shading material must be removed; otherwise, it will affect the number of lily buds and the flowering quality. Asiatic lilies in particular are more sensitive to light, and in severe cases all buds may drop. Appropriate topdressing can make lily stems thicker and stronger, especially in hot summer. However, note that the concentration should be lighter than usual application to avoid fertilizer damage. For topdressing, you can still choose a high-potassium lily-specific fertilizer 15-15-30 diluted with water at a concentration of 1000-1500 ppm, that is, add 1 gram of water-soluble fertilizer to 1-1.5 liters of water and mix evenly.

Each variety has different characteristics, and the flowering time also differs early or late. However, high or low temperatures will also affect how early or late flowering occurs. For the conventional flowering time of specific varieties, please see the product information for each variety. Here, I want to remind friends in the northernmost regions that in the later growth stage of lilies, if the nighttime temperature falls below 10 degrees, please move the lilies indoors at night. Generally speaking, the time from rooting to flowering for Oriental lilies is about 100 days, while Asiatic lilies need only about 60 days. Therefore, when choosing varieties, flower friends should choose according to local climatic conditions and their own care conditions, to avoid the situation where, just at the moment of flowering, they are frozen and all previous efforts are wasted. Would that not be a pity?

Notes:

1. The previously mentioned idea that "you can use the crisper compartment of a refrigerator: wrapping lily bulbs in peat (peat should not be too wet; enough that water drips when squeezed by hand) (breathable) and placing them in the refrigerator's crisper compartment for rooting is a good idea" -- if placed in the refrigerator's cold storage compartment to go through the 2-3 week rooting period, then when taken out from a cold storage temperature of 5 degrees, the outside temperature is at least 25 degrees; can it adapt?

Answer: Yes. For professional lily cut flower producers, after taking rooted lily bulbs out of cold storage, the temperature inside the greenhouse is even as high as 40 degrees. However, please note to provide shade in the early stage, and after budding please reduce the degree of shading. If heavy shading of 80% is maintained all the time, Asiatic lilies may abort their buds due to lack of light.

2. How to handle the bulbs after the flowers fade

After the flowers fade, please cut off the spent flowers. Of course, the stems and leaves are retained. At the same time, please care for them normally. Generally, when the low-temperature season (November-December) arrives, the aboveground stems will die, and the bulbs will be in the ground. During this stage, please reduce the use of water and fertilizer. After spring begins, as long as the bulbs have not rotted or been eaten by insects, they will grow and bloom again. For lilies planted in the yard, you do not need to worry about them; the next year they will grow out nicely, year after year, and more and more small lilies will appear.

3. Posting a few pictures of professionally grown potted lilies from abroad

★How to grow potted lilies

Lilies belong to cool-type flowers, meaning regions with a cool climate and large day-night temperature differences are most suitable for growing lilies.

Lilies do not have the layer of brown old skin on the outside of tulip bulbs. Before being planted in soil, they must be stored at a constant temperature of 2 degrees; otherwise, they will quickly send out roots and are also prone to rot. Therefore, after buying lily bulbs from the market, we must plant them as soon as possible and must not leave them for long.

I. Prepare the bulbs

The top is the sprout, and the bottom is the root. Do not get them reversed! Some bulbs have not yet grown roots; look at the scales: the one with the opening facing upward is the sprout!

Before planting, the bulbs should first be disinfected. Soak them in imported carbendazim at 1000 times solution for 20 minutes, rinse with clean water, and after drying they can be planted.

II. Prepare soil and pots

Lilies like fertile sandy soil with both good water retention and good drainage. Peat:river sand:perlite = 2:2:1. You can also use soil for cacti and succulents. In any case, clay soil must not be used.

Because lilies are bulbous flowers with two layers of roots, the container chosen should be a relatively deep pot.

III. Planting

First put 10-15 cm of soil at the bottom of the pot, place the bulbs. If there are three bulbs in one pot, place the heads of the bulbs toward the edge of the pot, that is, place them tilted toward the pot edge. This ensures that after sprouting, the plants are distributed evenly. Cover the tops of the bulbs with about 5 cm of soil, water thoroughly, and place in a cool place for 1-2 days.

IV. Care

Water: Keep the soil moist. From just budding to flowering, spraying water twice a day, morning and evening, is enough. In addition, water twice a month with imported carbendazim at 1000 times solution.

Fertilizing: Generally fertilize once every half month.

Common problems in lily cultivation

1. Leaf scorch

Cause of leaf scorch: caused by physiological calcium deficiency

Conditions for occurrence: prone to occur under conditions such as excessive shading, poor ventilation, high air humidity, continuous cloudy days, too low soil pH, and poor plant root system

Preventive measures: Improve ventilation conditions and increase plant water transpiration.

Appropriately provide light earlier and harden the seedlings.

Use rooting treatment before planting, which is beneficial to root development and the absorption of calcium ions.

Peeling leaves (separating the tightly clasped leaves) before the period when leaf scorch is about to appear can also reduce the occurrence of leaf scorch.

Keep dry and avoid prolonged water accumulation on the plants.

Increase the application of calcium fertilizer such as calcium nitrate, which can be done through root fertilization or foliar fertilization.

2. Root burn

Cause of root burn: excessively high salt concentration in the soil solution

A. The soil itself is severely salinized, with an excessively high EC value;

B. Improper fertilization, with too much fertilizer applied at one time, causing excessively high soil solution concentration;

C. Insufficient water and overly dry soil can also cause an increase in soil solution concentration.

Preventive measures: Do not choose soil with excessively high salinity; do not directly place high-salt medium or fertilizer on the bulbs; adopt the method of applying thin fertilizer frequently to avoid using a large amount of fertilizer at one time and causing root burn; frequently check the root system, and if root burn occurs, water promptly and combine with foliar fertilizer spraying.

3. High temperatures have a serious impact on lilies, so high temperatures should be avoided as much as possible, including high temperatures in soil and the environment. Anything above 30 degrees C is called high temperature.

4. Common yellowing of leaves

5. Phytophthora blight

Preventive measures:

A. Focus on prevention, avoid continuously excessive soil moisture (especially avoid flooding) and excessively high air humidity, and try to avoid air humidity above 90%.

B. Disinfect soil and bulbs before planting. You can choose dexon, phosethyl-Al plus mancozeb, hymexazol, etc.

C. Avoid continuous cropping in Phytophthora-infested crop land with shared pathogen hosts, such as avoiding continuous cropping with baby's breath, carnation, Solanaceae, cucurbits, and other vegetables. That is: soil that has grown baby's breath, carnation, Solanaceae, or cucurbits should as far as possible not be used again to grow lilies.

6. Root rot

Preventive measures:

Control soil moisture

Disinfect bulbs and soil with carbendazim, dexon, hymexazol, etc.

Reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizer used, especially ammoniacal nitrogen, and appropriately increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers

7. Fusarium stem rot

Preventive measures:

Before planting, disinfect bulbs and soil; lower soil temperature

8. Gray mold (Botrytis) - avoid continuously high-humidity environments

9. Blind flower (no flower)

Causes of blind flower:

A. Insufficient water and fertilizer supply: Lilies are a flower variety that requires a relatively large supply of water and fertilizer. In the early stage, the plant mainly relies on the nutrients of the bulb for growth, while in the middle and late stages, it mainly relies on fertilizer and water supply and photosynthesis to maintain growth. If the water and fertilizer supply is poor, it will seriously affect the growth and development of lilies, causing the lower branches to be thick and the upper ones thin, and the plant to be weak; in severe cases, it will cause blind flowers and bud drop.

B. Excessive temperature: Excessive temperature will seriously affect the quality of lilies. Lilies prefer a cool climate. If the temperature is too high, growth will be too rapid, the accumulation of substances in the plant will be low, and organic matter consumption will be high, causing malnutrition; in severe cases, it will cause blind flowers and bud drop.

C. Insufficient light: Insufficient light, overly dense planting, and poor ventilation affect the plant's photosynthesis, resulting in low material accumulation and easily causing weak plants or even bud drop. OT-type lilies are especially sensitive to light, and insufficient light can easily cause bud abortion.

D. Insufficient nutrients in the bulb: If the bulb size is too small, the bulbs are harvested too early, or they are stored too long, the bulbs will also have insufficient nutrients, easily causing blind flowers and bud drop in lilies.

E. Planting too deep: If planted too deep, lilies emerge slowly, which consumes a large portion of the bulb's nutrients, causing insufficient nutrients in the plant and poor growth; in severe cases, it causes blind flowers.

F. Poor root growth in lilies: If the roots of lilies are poor and their absorption capacity is insufficient, the plant will have insufficient nutrition, and the nutrients supplied for flower bud growth will not be enough. Flower bud growth will be inhibited, and blind flowers and bud drop will also occur.

★ Selection of lily varieties and planting methods

I. Basic introduction

Are lilies difficult to grow?

Actually not

I am a bulb enthusiast, and the order I have concluded from years of cultivation is

Ease of cultivation: (common problems in parentheses)

Rain lily > Hippeastrum (expensive...) = Freesia (lodging) = Portuguese squill (messy foliage) = Crocus (degeneration) > Lily (bud abortion and bulb rot) > Narcissus (bulb rot, degeneration, slow growth) > Hyacinth (flower stuck in bud, bulb rot, degeneration) > Tulip (bulb rot, bud abortion, one-time) > Ranunculus (one word: rot) > Anemone (rotting nonstop from the very beginning)

There are too many Oxalis varieties to say for sure; some are as easy to grow as weeds, while others are god-tier difficult

Gloxinia and Cyclamen are better grown as herbaceous plants, so they are not included in the ranking; bulbous irises are not widely popular, so they are not included either

It can be seen that lilies are not only suitable as cut flowers in flower shops; as houseplants and perennial garden plants they are also very good

Most of the parents of lily hybrids actually come from China. They are truly Chinese flowers and are very well adapted to our climate (except Oriental lilies, which come from Japan)

II. Variety selection

Order of ease of cultivation

LA > Asiatic (A) > Longiflorum (L) = LO > OT > Oriental (O)

LA is an improvement on Asiatic lilies, producing bulblets faster, with large flowers

LO can be considered an improvement on Longiflorum, with richer flower colors and stronger fragrance

OT improves the heat tolerance, propagation rate, and ease of cultivation of Oriental lilies

Fragrance

Oriental = OT > Longiflorum = LO >> LA Asiatic = 0

The last two, the Asiatic types, are basically unscented, suitable for flower lovers who dislike the fragrance of lilies

Longiflorum has a light, sweet fragrance, stronger at night.

The first two are strongly fragrant. Oriental lilies have the scent of flower shop lilies. OT may be sweet or pungent. LO is a mixed scent of Longiflorum and Oriental, and the fragrance is very weak in hot weather.

1. Lily fragrance is generally strongest 1-2 days after opening, then gradually fades. It is normal for it not to be very fragrant just after opening

2. Lily fragrance is not harmful to the human body and will not trigger allergies. It is only that an overly strong fragrance may stimulate the olfactory nerves of sensitive people, causing symptoms such as dizziness and excitement with difficulty sleeping

3. Lily pollen easily stains clothes and skin. Do not rinse with water, as it will stick more firmly. Instead, remove it with clear tape. Even so, cutting off the stamens is a good method

Main hybrid classifications and their detailed advantages and disadvantages

1. Asiatic lilies (Asiatic)

Advantages: many flower colors, short plant height, many buds, flowers facing upward, early flowering (2-3 months from planting), easy to grow, fast propagation, extremely cold-hardy (can overwinter outdoors in Northeast China)

Disadvantages: flowers are somewhat small (12-15 cm), no fragrance, relatively high light requirements during the bud stage, and insufficient light easily causes bud abortion

Representative varieties: many; most can be chosen with confidence, and there are also potted types with a plant height of about 20-30 cm

The potted effect of Asiatic lily 'Spring Field', pot diameter 15 cm; the right side shows the result after chlormequat treatment, and the far left is the original plant height

Actual potted plants cannot reach the claimed plant height (110 cm); that is the height after two to three years of cultivation

Springfield

Tinos

2. Oriental lilies (Oriental), together with OT commonly known as fragrant lilies, flower shop cut flowers

Advantages: strong fragrance, large flowers (15-20 cm), low light requirements, flat flower shape, broad leaves, flamboyant and gorgeous blooms

Disadvantages: some varieties are spindly and prone to falling over, not very heat-tolerant, relatively slow to propagate, late flowering, and lower leaves yellow more severely

Representative varieties: Sorbonne (the light pink flowers in flower shops), Siberia (the white flowers in flower shops)

Potted Oriental lily effect (famous variety Stargazer), very beautiful; note that the leaves are fewer and broader and thicker than those of Asiatic lilies

Sorbonne

3. Trumpet/Longiflorum lilies (Longiflorum), also called Easter lily

Advantages: elegant and graceful flower shape, very easy to grow, moisture-tolerant, fast propagation, relatively poor cold hardiness, native to the subtropics, does not require low-temperature dormancy

Disadvantages: only white (all pink and yellow series are LO hybrids; online stores all labeled them incorrectly this year), pollen easily stains the petals

Representative variety: everyone has heard of the famous White Heaven, right?

4. LO hybrids - recommended

Advantages: inherits the flower shape and ease of cultivation of Longiflorum, and the flower color and fragrance of Oriental lilies; very easy to grow and propagate, large flowers (18-25 cm), fast development, no need for low-temperature dormancy

Disadvantages: under high temperatures the flowering period of a single flower is not long, buds are somewhat few, color fades under insufficient light, and there are relatively few domestic varieties

Representative variety: Triumphator is a standout representative. It is especially recommended, one of the lilies that any beginner can keep alive (often sold out...)

Potted effect of Little Triumph; note that it is relatively tall with large flowers

Under strong light and low temperature the flower color is very intense

5. OT hybrids - recommended

Advantages: inherits the excellent genes of Trumpet lilies (whose parents include Lilium regale from Sichuan, etc.), richer flower colors than Oriental lilies, heat-tolerant and easy to grow, robust plants, no need for low-temperature dormancy. The stems are very thick, flowers are large (20-25 cm), fragrance is rich, suitable for courtyards and large containers; commonly called Tree lily abroad

Disadvantages: often not many flowers in the first year, some varieties have flowers so large they are deformed, and flowers easily droop

Representative varieties: Conca D'or, Yelloween, Nymph, with wide color coverage, especially the yellow series that Oriental lilies lack

Note: except for Yelloween, yellow varieties generally have relatively few buds; even a 16-18 cm bulb has only two to three buds

Perennial Conca D'or; note the height and flower count

Yelloween, large flowers, with a rich fruity sweet fragrance

6. LA hybrids - recommended

Advantages: propagate even more crazily than Asiatic lilies, large flowers, some varieties have a light fragrance; this type likes to divide bulbs madly, and is not as prone to bud abortion as Asiatic lilies

Disadvantages: like Asiatic lilies, the flower shape is relatively stiff, flowers are easily deformed, and the flower count is often lower than that of Asiatic lilies

Representative varieties: Red Alert, Diamond Party, etc.; basically you can choose freely, with no taboos

Potted effect of Red Alert; compared with Asiatic lilies, the flowers are larger and the leaves broader, the Longiflorum flower shape was not inherited, and the fragrance comes and goes

Red Alert

7. Edible lilies

The most common is often the Chinese native species Lilium lancifolium, with tall, slender plants and recurved petals; easy to grow, but not suitable for indoors

Its ornamental value may not be as good as Dutch hybrids; it is one of the parents of Asiatic lilies

Very distinctive recurved, drooping flowers

Sometimes used by unscrupulous sellers to pass it off as fragrant lilies

8. Double-flowered lilies

Divided into Asiatic and Oriental types, with characteristics and care the same as above; they are more like double Hippeastrum, while the distinctive features of lilies are not strong, and they are prone to deformities and incomplete petalization

III. Indoor care

1. Light

Not very demanding; an enclosed balcony is also fine, and east, west, and south sides are all no problem

At least 3 hours of direct light, with 4-6 hours better

The intense sun from the west may scorch Oriental lily leaves, so moderate protection should be used

Note that when Asiatic lily buds are the size of peanuts, they must not lack light, otherwise the buds will abort

2. Soil quality; this is the most important. Drainage and air permeability are the first principles

I use peat and perlite, but the materials are actually not limited; as long as it is loose, airy, and lightweight, and prevents bulb rot

Peat (peat moss, sterilized potting soil, compost soil, coconut coir): perlite (or various granular substrates) = 2:1 to 1:1

The soil near the bulb can have more perlite added, which makes it safer

When mixing soil, controlled-release fertilizer/organic fertilizer can be evenly incorporated; do not pile it all at the bottom of the bulb, as it will not be absorbed and can easily cause bulb rot

3. Water

Except that Oriental lilies are best kept evenly moist, the other varieties are very drought-tolerant (especially when planted in the ground), so better to err on the side of less than too much. It is fine to wait until the pot soil becomes lighter or the surface soil dries out before watering

For each watering, you can rely on the weight of the pot; water thoroughly again when it becomes lighter

The signs of overwatering are bulb rot, a large number of lower leaves turning yellow and dropping, withered and scorched flower buds, and scorched yellow top leaves. If any one of these appears, be on guard

Underwatering rarely occurs, because the bulb and fleshy stem can both store water, so if wilting occurs, first suspect bulb rot rather than lack of water

4. Fertilizer and bulb maintenance

Lilies like fertilizer, but apply light fertilizer frequently; heavy fertilizer will cause leaf burn (scorched leaf tips, dead flower buds)

If growing them only once, no need to fertilize

If you want them to bloom again year after year, then fertilizing after flowering is very important, mainly with nitrogen and potassium fertilizer

The nutrient absorption ratio of lilies: nitrogen: phosphorus: potassium = 10:1:12, but phosphorus fertilizer is easily fixed and not easily absorbed, so using a ratio of 1:1:1 or 1:1:1.5 is fine

Remember to apply light fertilizer frequently; just add a little with each watering. There is no need for heavy fertilizer; its fertilizer requirement is lower than that of other bulbs

Do not fertilize at sprouting; during rapid growth, mainly nitrogen fertilizer; when buds appear, mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; do not fertilize during the flowering period; start bulb maintenance immediately after flowering, with the fertilizer ratio as stated above

5.pH

For Oriental lilies, slightly acidic soil (5.5-6) is best; peat itself is acidic enough

Other varieties have no special requirement

6. Temperature

Lilies are actually spring-planted bulbs: plant in spring, flower in summer, nourish in autumn, store in winter (for most parts of the country)

For the Guangdong and Guangxi regions, which are very hot and humid in summer, as well as Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, China, you can consider cold storage in summer, planting in autumn, and viewing flowers in winter and spring

When rooting in spring, maintain the temperature at about 12 degrees, which is most favorable for stem root growth

In summer, take care to protect against high-temperature damage; low temperatures can prolong the flowering period. OT is very heat-tolerant, so it can bloom under the blazing sun, while Oriental lily flowers often wither rapidly when the sunlight is strongest

7. Dormancy

When winter temperatures are low (0-10 degrees), they will go dormant (leaves drop and stems yellow; at this point cut off the withered stems)

Ordinary Asiatic and Oriental lilies need a cold period of at least 1.5-3 months (4-5 degrees) before they can begin the next year's growth

Lilies with Longiflorum (LO, LA, L) and Trumpet (T) genes can be planted year-round, without deliberately creating a cold period; it is only necessary for winter temperatures to be below 20 degrees

Natural low temperatures can be replaced by refrigeration in a refrigerator at 4 degrees

Heat-intolerant varieties may go dormant 1-2 months after flowering, but early dormancy is unfavorable for bulb maintenance and reblooming; moreover, do not cut off the stems and leaves as soon as flowering ends

Leaves dropping early and going dormant often means bulb rot or severely unfavorable conditions

8. How to plant

No need for a disinfecting soak

For basal roots (the old roots at the bottom of the bulb), keep as many as possible; severely rotted parts can be cut off

There should be at least 5 cm of soil above the top of the lily bulb to the soil surface, and bulbs should be spaced more than 2-3 cm apart; the sprout tip should lean slightly toward the pot wall rather than the center of the pot

9. Planting depth

Lilies have two layers of roots. The ones at the bottom of the bulb are basal roots (they can remain functional for several years), but their absorption capacity is weak. The bulbs you receive often have basal roots that are rotten and broken beyond recognition, so there is no need to worry.

The base of a newly sprouted shoot produces several layers of dense, pure white roots called stem roots (annual). These are the main force for absorbing nutrients, which is why you must not place the top of the bulb at the soil surface.

Planting at a moderate depth helps avoid heat damage and builds up the bulb.

So the formula is drainage layer + 3-5cm of base soil + bulb + 5-10cm of covering soil. Pretty simple, right~ The pot should be at least 15cm tall.

Water thoroughly to settle the roots, then wait patiently. Do not dig around. Once the shoot breaks through the soil, resume normal care.

As shown in the picture.

Here is an updated planting method for beginners, "adding soil in stages - different from the old method of adding all the soil at once."

I forgot to mention this earlier.

When planting lilies for the first time, you can let the soil cover only the lily bulb and not add more soil on top at first, leaving 8-10cm of space above the soil surface for adding more soil later. Water thoroughly, and once the shoot emerges from the top of the bulb, gradually add soil up to the normal depth (5-10cm from the top of the bulb to the soil surface).

The advantage is that it satisfies everyone's curious and impatient mindset, avoiding the agony of being afraid the bulb will not sprout and wanting to dig it up but not daring to. At the same time, when the shoot grows out you can adjust its direction, so that the shoot does not emerge crookedly and unattractively from deep in the soil. The first watering is also easier to do thoroughly. (For reference only; this method will not interfere with stem root growth.)

10. After flowering and dormancy

After opening, they can be cut for vase arrangements; they generally fade in 5-7 days. You can also just enjoy them on the plant. Do not cut off more than 1/3 of the plant's height (leave at least 2/3; the more you leave the better, otherwise what will you use to build up the bulb?). You can remove the stamens to prevent them from staining the petals.

After flowering, remove the spent flowers to prevent seed formation.

Try not to force dormancy; following the lily's own will in this way best achieves good reblooming results and a good multiplication rate.

During dormancy, keep them in the original pot, with almost no watering. Give a little water each month just to keep the peat slightly damp.

In hot summer regions, you can dig up the bulbs in spring, put them in the refrigerator, and plant them in autumn.

Asiatic lilies and Oriental lilies will send up new shoots around February-March of the following year when temperatures rise.

Trumpet lilies may also sprout in autumn; just let them grow and bloom naturally.

IV. Garden cultivation

This is very simple.

Planting depth in the north is 15cm-20cm; in the south, plant shallower as appropriate.

Asiatic lilies can be grown throughout China.

Oriental lilies can be safely planted in the ground except in South China and Northeast China.

OT, LO, and LA can be planted in the ground south of Liaoning.

Pure trumpet lilies can be planted in the ground south of the Yellow River.

In particularly cold areas without snow cover, you can cover them with 5cm of branches, straw, compost, etc. If there is snow, you do not need to worry about them getting frostbitten.

Cold hardiness: A > LA >> LO = OT > O >> L

A spring cold snap can damage newly sprouted lilies, so some covering protection is needed.

Be sure to dig deep. Heavy clay soil should be formed into ridges, and add more organic matter to facilitate drainage (the key of keys). In hot, dry summers, water occasionally.

V. Lily propagation methods

1. Bulb division

When the main bulb grows to a certain size, the growing points naturally split into two to several joined bulbs (basically all of flowering size). This process begins after flowering and occurs every year. It is the simplest propagation method.

The propagation speed mentioned when introducing varieties refers to the speed of bulb division.

L=LA=A>LO=OT>>O

Oriental lilies may or may not divide each year, depending on cultivation and care. The first five types all divide very readily.

When the number of divided bulbs is too large and the shoots are crowded, you can pull them apart by hand during winter dormancy. It is very simple and will not damage the bulbs.

Asiatic lilies very likely send up multiple shoots in the first year. Such bulbs often bloom poorly, but after one year of growing you have several plants.

The growing point splits in two, with the remains of that year's old stem in the middle.

2. Stem bulbs

These are actually small daughter bulbs produced on the stem roots. Their number and quality are greatly related to the quality of the stem roots and how well they were cultivated that year. After 1-3 years they can reach flowering size.

They develop faster than bulbils, equivalent to starting from the second growth stage of a bulbil (basal leaves --- stem --- flower).

Asiatic lilies, trumpet lilies, LA, and LO are likewise outstanding at this type of propagation.

Especially LA: the stem bulbs from the first year are very likely to reach flowering bulb size.

The picture shows the small bulbs around the stem roots.

3. Bulbils

In Asiatic lilies and tiger lilies, after flowering, especially after bud drop, small bulbs form at the base of the plant's leaves, called bulbils. When mature they often develop roots and fall off.

They develop in the soil. In the first year they only produce a single grass-like leaf, then go dormant in winter. In the second year they produce a daughter bulb and clustered leaves.

Then they go dormant again, and in the third year they send up a stem and bloom. Although slow, they are numerous.

When mature they are purplish-black.

4. Scales

Very similar to scale propagation of amaryllis. Remove healthy scales (or scales that have accidentally fallen off), insert them diagonally in sterilized, moist peat or vermiculite, and refrigerate. After one month they produce small bulbs, which can be planted separately. The multiplication rate is high but it is slow.

The development process is the same as for bulbils.

5. Seeds - not recommended

Not recommended unless you are an enthusiast. Apart from species such as trumpet lilies and Lilium regale, which can be tried, most hybrids either have empty seed shells or grow slowly, and self-pollinated offspring will vary.

6. Cuttings - not recommended

Only applicable to Taiwan lily (Lilium formosanum) hybrids, which can root.

If the cut flower stems of LO and LA are kept moist, they can produce small bulbils that can be separated and planted, but the stems themselves are difficult to root.

It is basically useless for Oriental lilies and the like, so cut flowers from florists cannot be grown.

Lilies are monopodial monocots. Once the apical bud is damaged, that year's reproductive growth (flowering) stops. Therefore, never attempt tip pruning or cuttings.

VI. Common problems

Basically, growers' problems are concentrated in the first two items.

1. Bulb rot - control watering well; better dry than wet.

Caused by fungi, with waterlogging as the main trigger. By the time you notice it, it is often too late. If the basal plate is intact, you can peel off the rotten scales and store them after disinfection.

Symptoms vary: yellowing leaf edges, dropping lower leaves, wilting that does not recover with watering, blackening buds on OT, LO, LA, etc., and obvious growth stagnation. All of these very likely indicate bulb rot.

2. Bud drop

Common in Asiatic lilies, caused by insufficient light (continuous rain, being kept indoors). The sign is small buds turning from green to brown and then withering. They will not bloom that year, so keep building up the bulb. In lilies without Asiatic blood, the main cause of bud drop is bulb rot.

3. Leaf scorch

Strong fertilizer or unrotted fertilizer can damage the roots, causing severe scorching of leaf tips and withering of buds. At this point, flush the potting soil with plenty of water, and repot and change the soil if necessary. Oriental lilies are relatively prone to leaf scorch. Watch out for chloride and fluoride ions in water and fertilizer; keep them low (phosphorus fertilizers such as superphosphate contain more of them, so use with caution).

4. Breakage

Treat the same as bud drop: keep building up the bulb. Lilies do not produce side branches, so a broken apical bud means no flowering that year.

5. Lower leaves turning yellow and dropping

A common problem in lilies, especially severe in Oriental lilies and some Asiatic lilies. In LA, LO, and OT this phenomenon is not obvious. If it is not serious, it basically does not affect the display value and can serve as an indicator of the plant's health.

5. Pests

Not common. Occasionally scale insects, Japanese beetles, aphids, and the like cause damage. Snails may gnaw on buds, so pay attention to protection when planting in the ground.

6. Gray mold

Common in greenhouses with especially high humidity, and during hot, rainy periods. Mold-like lesions appear on the leaves; spray with fungicide to eliminate them.

7. Out-of-season sprouting

For especially vigorous varieties such as trumpet lilies, new shoots may emerge in winter as dormancy approaches. Let them grow.

8. No sprouting

This is what beginners fear most. Fortunately, unless it is caused by rotten bulbs or rotten shoots, this situation is rare. It is often because the bulb has not experienced enough cold to break dormancy.

In this case you can put it in the refrigerator; plant it once there are signs of sprouting.

9. Deformed shoots, double flowers

Often appear in cold-treated autumn bulbs and are related to excessively long cold treatment. Generally they do not affect planting.

VII. Selecting, purchasing, and storing

Each year suppliers have spring and autumn group orders.

Spring is a good season to buy lilies. Now all places are taking pre-orders, with shipping periods in February-April.

The bulbs you buy are often fresh bulbs with very short shoots or no shoots.

In autumn, cold-treated bulbs (with dormancy broken for autumn flowering) and pre-rooted bulbs (given suitable temperatures in summer for stem root growth) are available, with shipping periods in August-September. Fewer varieties are available. Recommended for indoor growing in the north and for the Guangdong-Guangxi region. When grown outdoors in the north, they often dry up in the north wind before they can bloom.

When you receive these bulbs, the shoots are already very long and break easily. Never handle them roughly.

Lily bulbs do not store well, because they have no protective outer skin; once they dehydrate, they die.

During winter dormancy you can leave them in the original pot without taking them out. Water once a month just to keep the potting soil slightly moist.

Those who must take them out of the pot can put moist peat in a plastic bag, remove the stems from the dug-up bulbs and bury them in it, and store them in the refrigerator's crisper (not the freezer!), then take them out and plant once dormancy is broken and they sprout.

VIII. Other

Pots:

The bigger and deeper the pot, the better, as long as drainage is smooth.

For home use

With 14-16cm bulbs, a 18cm pot can hold three.

With 16-18cm bulbs, a 20cm pot can hold three.

You can also use a 15cm-18cm pot to plant a single one.

This is the minimum for pot use. You can increase the pot diameter as appropriate. Do not use shallow pots; the reason was explained earlier.

Bulb size:

14-16cm bulbs are mainly L, A, LA, and LO varieties.

For Oriental lilies and OT, you generally need to buy 16-18cm bulbs to guarantee the flower count.

Bulb circumference is greatly related to the number of flowers. Generally, flowering starts at 12-14cm, and 18-20cm is exhibition grade. Trumpet lilies and OT types can be grown to a circumference of 25cm.

Plant height:

When you first grow lilies, seeing figures of 90, 100, 110, 120, or even 130cm seems terrifying.

But that is the mature plant height reached after about two years of ground planting.

The height of potted plants falls far short of the listed figures, and modern hybrids have very thick stems, so even with large flowers and many flowers they will not lodge or break.

(In the first year, potted plants are about 1/2 to 2/3 of the standard height.)

Theoretically, strong light and moderately high temperatures make plants shorter and flower earlier, while weak light and low temperatures make stems elongate and delay flowering.

Asiatic lilies take 70-90 days from planting to flowering, Oriental lilies 90-120 days, and the remaining varieties are in the order starting with early A.
Please learn to grow lilies with a relaxed approach.

There are now many lily-growing threads on forums, but growers still treat them as too delicate, going into exhaustive detail about how to mix soil, how to disinfect, how to plant, how to water, whether to shade or sun them. Studying carefully is certainly good, but I think growing flowers should be a kind of leisure, about a calm and unhurried state of mind, rather than being filled with anxiety and worry. What meaning is there in growing flowers then?

Being overly meticulous makes it especially easy to become overly industrious, wishing you could dig them up to look every day, water a little every day, and move them around constantly. The result is often too much water, rotten roots, and no flowers.

In fact, under natural conditions there is often a lack of water and fertilizer, pests and diseases run rampant, heavy rain pours down, and fierce winds blow, yet lilies still bloom and set seed year after year, growing and multiplying. If you ignore them, they can bloom very well.

★How to grow potted lilies

Growth habits: They like moisture and light, and require fertile, humus-rich, deep, sandy soil with extremely good drainage. Most varieties are suited to slightly acidic to neutral soil. Specifically, there are the following points:

Lilies like cool, moist environments. Places with ample sunlight and slightly shaded environments are more suitable for lilies. They dislike drought and severe heat, and their cold hardiness is somewhat weaker.

The temperature for growth and flowering is 16-24°C. Below 5°C or above 30°C, growth almost stops. Plants grow normally only above 10°C. Above 25°C, growth stalls again. If winter nighttime temperatures stay below 5°C for 5-7 days, flower bud differentiation and bud development will be severely affected, delaying flowering or even causing blind flowers and split flowers.

They like fertile, deep soil rich in humus, and most dislike hard clay; slightly acidic soil with good drainage is best, with a soil pH of 5.5-6.5.

How do you grow potted lilies? Potted lily cultivation methods:

1. Planting time: Potted lilies are best planted in September to October.

2. Soil: The growing medium should be a mix of leaf mold, sandy soil and garden soil in a 1:1:1 ratio, with plenty of fully decomposed compost and a small amount of bone meal added at the bottom of the pot as a base fertilizer. The planting depth is generally about 2 to 3 times the diameter of the bulb.

The potting soil should not be too wet, otherwise the bulb rots easily. Potted lilies should be repotted once a year, with fresh growing medium and base fertilizer.

3. Fertilizing: Lilies do not have very high fertilizer requirements; usually it is enough to apply fertilizer sparingly when growth begins in spring and at the start of flowering. Some growers abroad believe that lilies need relatively large amounts of nitrogen and potassium fertilizer and should be fertilized 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. To make the bulb plump, spent flowers should be cut off 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 a little more frequently, and often sprinkle water around the pot to raise air humidity.

4. Temperature: The suitable growing temperature for lilies is 12 to 18°C. In winter, even if the temperature drops to 3 to 5°C, they will not die of cold.

5. Light: Lilies are cold-resistant, light-loving, fertilizer-tolerant and moisture-shy. Lack of sunlight and long-term shading will affect normal flowering. However, they adapt to a wide range of regions, and can be planted in the ground or in pots in both the north and the south.

Since lilies are bulbous plants, they can also be planted directly from the bulb. Plant them deep, to six or seven cm, so that the lateral roots can penetrate deeply and absorb as many nutrients as possible. The growing medium should preferably be sandy loam; clay and lime soil are not suitable. If pond mud is used for planting, some river sand and crushed charcoal should also be mixed in, so that the medium is loose and airy and the plants can flower on time.

In addition, during the growing period of lilies, the pot should be turned once a week. Otherwise the plant tends to grow lopsided, which spoils its appearance.

★Lily cultivation methods

Lilies are undoubtedly a flower that many gardening enthusiasts love very much. Many of them want to grow lilies at home to beautify their rooms, but do not know how to grow them. Here is a brief introduction:

Lilies prefer a cool, humid environment; places with ample sunlight and slightly shaded environments suit lilies better. They are averse to drought and to extreme heat, and their cold tolerance is somewhat weaker. The growing and flowering temperature is 16-24°C. If the winter nighttime temperature stays below 5°C for 5-7 days, flower bud differentiation and flower bud development will be seriously affected, delaying flowering and even causing blind flowers and split flowers. Lilies prefer fertile, deep soil rich in humus, and are most averse to hard clay; well-drained, slightly acidic soil is best. Lily propagation methods include bulb division, scale cuttings, seed propagation and tissue culture.

I. Growth habits of lilies

Lilies are bulb flowers belonging to the genus Lilium in the family Liliaceae. They prefer an environment with ample sunlight and are long-day plants. Day length not only affects flower bud differentiation but also affects flower growth and development. Lilies dislike high temperatures and prefer a cool, humid climate. The optimum growing temperature is 20-25°C during the day for Asiatic lilies and Oriental lilies, and 25-28°C for Lilium candidum, with nighttime temperatures above 14°C. Temperatures above 30°C seriously affect the growth and development of lilies, causing bud abortion, and the flowering rate also drops markedly; below 10°C, growth nearly stops.

II. Soil requirements for lilies

Lilies do best in sandy loam rich in humus, with a deep, loose soil layer that retains appropriate moisture while draining well. Clay must absolutely not be used to grow lilies.

Lilies prefer slightly acidic soil. The suitable soil pH is 6-7 for Asiatic lilies and Lilium candidum, and 5.5-6.5 for Oriental lilies. Lilies are generally not salt-tolerant; the fluorine and chlorine content in the soil should both be below 50 mg/L, and the total soil salinity should not exceed 1.5 ms/cm.

III. Preparatory work before planting

1. Soil disinfection: Before planting lilies, the soil must be disinfected. The commonly used methods are steam disinfection and chemical disinfection. Steam disinfection is rarely used now because it consumes a lot of energy and is troublesome to operate. Chemical disinfection uses

40% formalin diluted to a 1:50 or 1:100 solution and sprinkled over the soil at 2.5 kg per sq m; after sprinkling, cover with plastic film for 5-7 days, then uncover and let it air for 10-15 days before planting. Alternatively, carbendazim powder can be spread into the soil at 8-10 g/sq m for disinfection.

2. Thawing and disinfecting the bulbs: As soon as the bulbs arrive, open the packaging and place them at 10-15°C to thaw. Disinfect them after they have thawed completely. Disinfection method: soak the bulbs for 30 minutes in a one-thousandth aqueous solution of captan, chlorothalonil, carbendazim or potassium permanganate, or soak them for 30 minutes in an 80-fold solution of 40% formalin. After removing them, rinse off the residual solution on the bulbs with clean water, then dry them in a shady place before planting. Some growing bases in China cut off the original basal roots before planting, which helps promote new basal roots.

3. Storage of bulbs: If thawed bulbs cannot all be planted immediately, they must not be frozen again, otherwise there is a risk of cold damage. They can be stored at 0-2°C, but for no more than two weeks; they can also be stored at 2-5°C for up to one week, and the plastic film packaging must be opened.

IV. Planting depth and density

For spring and summer planting, the planting depth should leave the top of the bulb 8-10 cm below the soil surface; in winter, 6-8 cm. Planting density varies with variety, bulb size and season. In spring and summer, plant more densely; in winter, when sunlight is weaker, plant more sparsely.

The planting densities for different groups and sizes of lily bulbs (expressed as the number of bulbs per sq m) are listed below for reference:

V. Management after planting

1. Temperature: To obtain high-quality lily cut flowers, temperature control in the greenhouse is very important. Within 3-4 weeks after planting, the soil temperature must be kept at a low 9-13°C to promote rooting. Too low a temperature will unnecessarily prolong the growing period, while a temperature above 15°C will lead to poor development of stem roots. These stem roots will soon replace the basal roots in supplying the plant with 90% of its water and nutrients, so the development of stem roots is crucial to obtaining high-quality lilies. After the rooting period, the ambient temperature should be controlled at 15-25°C for Oriental lilies and 14-23°C for Asiatic lilies and Lilium candidum. If the daytime temperature is too high, lower it by ventilating and shading; if the nighttime temperature reaches 15-25°C, lily cut flower stems will be short and buds few, reducing quality. At this time, (some growers in China) spray the plants with a gibberellin solution to increase stem length; the specific amount varies with the growing stage and ambient temperature, generally less in the early growing stage and more later. In China, the winter temperatures in solar greenhouses generally prolong the growing period of lilies and seriously affect cut flower quality, so means of temperature regulation should be added.

2. Humidity: Before planting, the soil moisture should be such that it forms a ball when squeezed and crumbles when dropped. In hotter seasons, if conditions permit, water once with cold water before planting to lower the soil temperature. After planting, water again so that the soil and bulbs are in full contact, creating good conditions for the development of stem roots. After that, water to keep the soil moist, that is, a handful of soil forms a ball but does not drip water. Watering is generally done in the morning on sunny days. The relative humidity should preferably be 80%-85%, and large fluctuations in relative humidity should be avoided, otherwise leaf scorch may occur.

3. Fertilizer: In the early stage, flowering lily bulbs mainly consume the nutrients stored in their own scales, so no excessive base fertilizer is needed before planting. One month after planting, apply some fertilizer as a top dressing according to soil fertility. Lilies have a very large demand for potassium, so a compound fertilizer can be prepared in the ratio N-

P2O5-K2O = 14:7:21. Apply 10 kg per mu each time, once every 10-15 days, until 3 weeks before harvest. Attention should also be paid to supplementing trace elements such as iron, boron and zinc.

4. Light: Light is an important condition for controlling quality, and lily flower bud development especially requires ample light. Insufficient light causes poor plant growth and bud drop in lilies, paler leaf and flower colors, and a shorter vase life. When growing lilies in winter in northern China, about 25-30% of sunlight is blocked by insulation materials such as glass or plastic film, so besides keeping the surface of the glass and plastic film clean for good light transmission, some varieties also need supplemental lighting, which can be provided with incandescent lamps. In good modern greenhouses, horticultural high-pressure sodium lamps should be used. When producing lilies in summer, strong direct sunlight must also be avoided, generally by shading with shade nets: 40% shading for Asiatic lilies and Lilium candidum, and 50% shading for Oriental lilies.

5. Carbon dioxide: Carbon dioxide is beneficial to the growth and flowering of lilies. On sunny days between 8 and 10 in the morning, in an unventilated greenhouse, apply carbon dioxide gas tablets to increase the carbon dioxide content in the greenhouse. Other methods can also be used, for example: hang a plastic bucket every 15-20 m (with the bucket 1 m above the ground), fill the bucket with a 20% sodium bicarbonate solution (the baking soda commonly used at home is sodium bicarbonate), then gradually pour the prepared 10% dilute sulfuric acid solution into each plastic bucket in 3-4 portions; the sodium bicarbonate reacts with the sulfuric acid to produce carbon dioxide gas. A solar greenhouse 60 m long and 7 m wide requires 1.7 kg of pure sodium bicarbonate and 1 kg of concentrated sulfuric acid (98% concentration).

VI. Harvesting and storage of lily cut flowers

1. Harvesting: Harvest after at least 2-3 buds have shown color. Harvesting too early affects flower color; the flowers look pale and unattractive, and some buds will not open. Harvesting too late makes post-harvest handling and packaging difficult, the petals get soiled by pollen, and already opened flowers release ethylene, greatly shortening the vase life of the flowers.

2. Handling: After harvesting, remove the lower 10 cm of leaves, then grade and bundle. Grading in 10 cm increments is advisable. In a bundle of lilies, the longest and shortest stems should preferably differ by no more than 5 cm, with the flower tops aligned.

3. Storage: After bundling, lilies should be placed immediately in clean, pre-cooled water and then put into a cold room; the temperature of the water and the cold room should preferably be 2-3°C.

VII. Common diseases and pests of lilies and their control methods

1. Lily fungal diseases

(1) Penicillium rot

Symptoms: During storage, white spots grow on the rotting patches of the scales, and then fuzzy greenish-blue patches develop. Once infected, the rot will gradually increase even at a low temperature of -2°C. The pathogen will eventually invade the basal plate of the bulb, making the bulb worthless or causing the plant to grow slowly. Although infected bulbs look unhealthy, as long as the basal plate of the bulb is intact, the plant's growth during planting will not be affected. After planting, the infection will not spread to the stems, nor will it infect the plant from the soil.

Control: Store the bulbs at the recommended minimum temperature; do not plant bulbs whose basal plate has already been damaged; diseased bulbs must be soaked for 30 minutes in a one-thousandth aqueous solution of fungicides such as captan, chlorothalonil or carbendazim before planting. After planting, maintain a suitable soil temperature.

(2) Bulb and scale rot and stem diseases caused by Fusarium

Symptoms: Plants with bulb and scale rot grow very slowly, and the leaves are pale green. Underground, brown spots appear at the top of the scales and on the sides or where the scales join the basal plate; these spots gradually begin to rot. If the basal plate stem is infected, the whole bulb will rot. The stem disease caused by Fusarium is a disease that infects the aboveground parts. The identifying sign is that the basal leaves turn yellow before maturity, and the yellowed leaves turn brown and fall off. On the underground part of the stem, orange to dark brown spots appear, which later enlarge, eventually extending into the interior of the stem. The stem then rots, and finally the plant dies before maturity:

Control: a. Disinfect infected soil; b. Plant mildly or moderately infected bulbs as quickly as possible, and keep the soil temperature low.

(3) Rhizoctonia

Symptoms: If the infection is mild, it only harms the leaves in the soil and the green leaves below the young shoots, with sunken light brown spots appearing on the leaves. Generally, although plant growth is somewhat affected, the plant can still continue to grow. In severely infected plants, the growth of the upper part is hindered, and the white leaves underground as well as the lowest leaves of the aboveground part will rot or wilt and fall off, leaving only brown scars on the stem:

Control: Disinfect soil suspected of being infected with a soil disinfectant. After disinfection, make sure the soil is no longer infected; if the previous crop has already shown infection, ordinary soil disinfectants cannot be used, so before planting, pre-treat the soil with a fungicide for controlling Rhizoctonia (fully incorporated into the soil to a depth of 10 cm).

(4) Phytophthora

Symptoms: Foot rot of the plant (Phytophthora) hinders growth or causes sudden wilting. Soft rot occurs at the infected part of the stem base, becoming dark green to dark brown and spreading upward; the leaves turn yellow, and discoloration begins at the stem base. Similar soft rot infections often also occur on the aboveground stem, causing the stem to collapse or bend.

Control: Disinfect infected soil with an ordinary soil disinfectant; during cultivation, fungicides that control Pythium can also effectively control foot rot; ensure the soil has good drainage; prevent the crop from remaining wet for long periods after watering; keep the soil temperature as low as possible in summer.

(5) Pythium

Symptoms: These fungi attack both individual plants and plants within an area. The plants are stunted, the lower leaves turn yellow, the upper leaves narrow, the leaf color is paler, and the plants often wilt. In plants affected by root rot, the flower buds shrivel. When the plant is pulled up, transparent, light brown rotting spots can be seen on the bulb and root crown, or they have completely softened and rotted.

Control: Disinfect infected or suspected infected soil with an ordinary soil disinfectant; keep the soil temperature low in the early cultivation period, and follow correct cultivation procedures throughout the growing period; cultivation in boxes containing potting soil and peat can keep Pythium under control.

After the crop has emerged, or where Pythium infection may have occurred, a fungicide for controlling Pythium that can be easily sprayed onto the crop may be used, preferably in the evening. Spraying water for a few minutes (about three minutes) before applying the fungicide will markedly enhance its effect, and it can also rinse the crop clean.

2. Abnormal phenomena

(1) Leaf scorch

Symptoms: First, the young leaves curl slightly inward, and a few days later yellow to white spots appear on the scorched leaves. If the leaf scorch is mild, the plant can still continue to grow normally, but if the leaf scorch is very severe, the white spots can turn brown, and the leaves bend at the damaged spots. In very severe cases, all the leaves and young shoots fall off and the plant will not develop further; this is called the most severe scorch. Control: The soil should be kept moist before planting; it is best not to use susceptible varieties; the planting depth should be suitable, with 6-10 cm of soil above the bulb; during periods of increased sensitivity, avoid large differences in temperature and relative humidity in the greenhouse, and try to keep the relative humidity at around 75%.

(2) Bud drop and bud shriveling

Symptoms: Bud drop occurs when the flower buds have grown to 1-2 cm. The color of the buds turns pale green, and at the same time the pedicel connecting to the stem shortens, after which the buds fall off. In spring, the lower buds are affected first, while in autumn the upper buds drop first.

Control: Do not grow varieties prone to bud drop in poorly lit environments. To prevent bud shriveling, the bulbs must not dry out during cultivation. Ensure the bulbs have a good root system and let them grow under conditions as suitable as possible, with particular attention to light and transpiration.

★How should potted lilies be grown

How potted lilies should be grown is what many gardening enthusiasts who want to grow lilies themselves want to know. Many articles online are very theoretical, leaving enthusiasts uncertain, so let us use a practical case to explain in detail how to grow potted lilies.

First, a brief introduction: Lilies are perennial herbaceous bulbous plants of the genus Lilium in the family Liliaceae, mainly distributed in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere such as eastern Asia, Europe and North America. More than a hundred varieties have been discovered worldwide. China is their most important place of origin, with more than fifty native species, and is the natural distribution center of the genus Lilium.

I. The materials needed for planting lilies are as follows:

1. Soil: Lilies are not very strict about soil; as long as it does not waterlog, ordinary garden soil will do, and of course nutrient soil is even better. For the fussy, peat is also perfectly fine.

2. Pot: This needs attention. Lilies have fairly developed roots, so a relatively deep and large pot suits them; small pots are not suitable! The case below uses a 2-gallon pot.

3. Location choice: Some enthusiasts may ask whether a balcony with no light at home will do, or whether they can grow them on a rooftop terrace. Here it should be said that lilies prefer a cool, humid environment; places with ample sunlight and slightly shaded environments suit lilies better. They are averse to drought and to extreme heat, and their cold tolerance is somewhat weaker. The growing and flowering temperature of lilies is 16-24°C; below 5°C or above 30°C, growth almost stops, and plants only grow normally above 10°C; above 25°C growth stalls again. If the winter nighttime temperature stays below 5°C for 5-7 days, flower bud differentiation and flower bud development will be seriously affected, delaying flowering and even causing blind flowers and split flowers.

II. A feast for the eyes first

The bulbs in the photo below are lily bulbs just received a few days ago; they look pretty good, right! Five were bought in total, and they will not all be posted one by one. Hundreds of gardening enthusiasts on the forum joined the group buy!

III. Planting process

First: I planned to plant my 5 bulbs in 2 flower pots. I first checked the colors of the bulb varieties. There are 2 Siberia (this is because another variety was seized by customs and replaced) which are white, and Marlon which is pink. Yelloween is yellow, and Tiber is also pink. I plan to plant Siberia and Marlon in white flower pots, and the other three varieties in 2+ pots, so they will look splendid when they bloom.

Second: First clean the flower pots thoroughly, lay breathable coarse coal cinder at the bottom, and cover with soil.

Third: Sprinkle some phosphorus fertilizer on the soil (bone meal can also be used instead); if there is no bone meal, chicken manure can also be used instead, to ensure nutrition for flowering.

Fourth: Cover with soil again; after covering, sprinkle carbendazim (I carefully checked the root bulbs and found no mold. Enthusiasts who receive diseased root bulbs can soak the root bulbs in carbendazim before planting).

Fifth: Cover with soil again and place the root bulbs in. You can use scissors to cut off the dried root systems, then cover with soil. Generally the soil can be level with the upper shoot of the root bulb, and a distance should be left between the soil surface and the rim of the pot for filling in soil later; this depth is not enough.

Sixth: Water thoroughly, then just place it in a cool, shady spot outdoors.

IV. Answers to questions during the planting process

Overall, lilies are very easy to grow. As long as the bulbs are bought correctly, the flowering and survival rate is almost 100%. The growing period generally lasts about 90-150 days depending on the variety;

1. How many lilies can be planted in one pot

It depends on the size of the pot. For a 2-gallon pot with a diameter of about 25 cm, planting 1-3 is fine!

2. Can lilies rebloom

Whether lilies rebloom depends mainly on the first year of growing. If they are grown well in the first year, reblooming in the second year is no problem.

3. Are lilies very fragrant

Different lily varieties have different intensities of fragrance. Whether a particular one is fragrant can be determined from the variety description at the time of purchase.

★Lily cultivation techniques

Authors: Zhu Yunyi, Yang Ming

The lily is a bulbous herbaceous plant of the genus Lilium in the family Liliaceae. Lily stems are upright and elegant, the leaves are emerald green, the flower shape is unique, the flowers are large and brightly colored, and the colors are elegant. Lilies carry the meaning of a harmonious union lasting a hundred years, and are very endearing. They are one of the bulb flowers widely cultivated at home and abroad today. The introduction and cultivation of lilies in China is gradually expanding, and market sales are increasingly active.

I. Morphological characteristics

The lily is a perennial herbaceous plant. The bulb is a non-tunicate bulb, globe-shaped and pale white, formed by the aggregation of several fleshy, thick, egg-spoon-shaped scales; the stem is upright, with stem roots at the underground nodes, the stem cylindrical or rhombic-prismatic, the aboveground stem upright and sturdy, green and smooth, with a stem diameter of 3-10 mm and a plant height of 70-200 cm; the leaves are scattered or alternate, sessile, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, entire, with a total of more than 100 leaves; the flowers are solitary in several leaf axils at the top of the stem, with 1-10 flowers, large, trumpet-shaped, with different flower colors and fragrances depending on the variety.

II. Requirements for environmental conditions

1. Temperature. Lilies prefer a warm environment with ample sunlight, are relatively cold-tolerant, and fear high temperatures, strong light and high humidity. The optimum growing temperature for lilies is 15-25°C; below 10°C, growth is slow, and above 30°C, growth is poor and leaf scorch occurs. During growth, daytime temperatures of 21-23°C and nighttime temperatures of 15-17°C are best. However, the bulbs have a dormant period and must be stored at a low temperature of 3-7°C for 4-6 weeks to break the dormancy of the bulbs; only then will they sprout when planted.

2. Light. Lilies prefer soft light and also tolerate strong light and semi-shade. Insufficient light causes flower buds to drop; with ample light, the plants are sturdy and short with vivid flowers. Lilies are long-day plants; longer light means earlier flowering, and shorter light delays flowering.

3. Water. When planting lily bulbs, the furrows should be filled to 3/4 with water so that the water fully penetrates the bed surface. After that, when water is lacking, irrigate with running water, and simply keep the soil moist for a long time. This can increase the bulb sprouting rate and make sprouting uniform, which is good for stem and leaf growth.

4. Nutrients. Lilies are bulbous cut flower plants that prefer phosphorus and potassium and are averse to excess nitrogen. Sufficient phosphorus and potassium help improve flower quality and the formation and plumpness of the bulbs. Excess nitrogen is unfavorable for flower and bulb formation, and flower quality is poor and weak. Fertilization should be based mainly on organic fertilizer, mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, with nitrogen fertilizer as a supplement.

III. Cultivation techniques

1. Arrange the planting period reasonably. At present, lilies are grown in Hunan, Sichuan, Henan, Jiangsu, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Guangdong and other places in China. We should make full use of the climate conditions unique to our southern winters and schedule the harvest period within the period from late December to May 1, trying to avoid competing for the market with lilies grown in other provinces, striving to sell at a good price and obtain greater income and better economic returns. Lilies generally take 80-130 days from planting to harvesting and marketing. Early planting (such as before the Autumn Equinox) means high temperatures, long days and strong light, shortening the time from planting to harvest; late planting (such as after Cold Dew) means low temperatures, short days and weak light, extending the time from planting to harvest. If they are to be marketed at Christmas, they should be planted in mid-to-late September; for the Spring Festival market, plant in mid-to-late October.

2. Choose the site, prepare the land finely, and apply sufficient base fertilizer. Choose plots with deep soil, loose and fertile texture, high terrain and good drainage for planting. Planting lilies in semi-shady, semi-sunny plots with slightly acidic soil is even better. Lilies are averse to continuous cropping, so plots previously planted with peppers, eggplants and similar crops should not be chosen; leguminous or grass crops are better.

3. Build frames and cover with shade nets for shading. To meet the light, temperature and humidity requirements of lilies during growth--lilies prefer soft light (semi-shade) and fear high temperatures and strong light--frames should be built and shade nets covered before the bulbs sprout, after the land is prepared and the beds are made. Shade nets with 70-80% shading are best. For planting from April to August, add an extra layer of shade net to lower the field temperature and light intensity, raise field humidity, avoid or reduce high-temperature and strong-light damage to the leaves, and promote leaf growth. But when the maximum daytime temperature drops to 26°C (generally in early December), the shade nets should be uncovered to increase light intensity and promote leaf growth. When the average temperature falls below 10°C, cover with nylon film again to increase temperature and retain moisture, ensuring normal growth of lilies and harvest and flowering as expected.

4. Plant reasonably densely. Since lilies tolerate semi-shade, on the basis of sufficient base fertilizer they can be planted more densely. Generally, 12,000-18,000 bulbs can be planted per mu, with a plant-to-row spacing of 15-20 x 10-15 cm, and a planting depth of 10 cm (at least the height of 3 bulbs), so that the sun does not burn the root system. After planting, spray butachlor immediately to control early weeds in the field.

5. Field management. After the seedlings emerge fully, before the seedlings reach 20 cm, in conjunction with intertillage and weeding, apply a top dressing of 500 kg of human and animal manure and 10 kg of superphosphate per mu, or apply 10-15 kg of high-quality compound fertilizer (containing 15% each of nitrogen, P2O5 and K2O) plus 5 kg of urea. The fertilizer solution should be dilute rather than concentrated; too high a concentration easily damages the roots and inhibits growth, so apply frequently and lightly, drenching once every 8-10 days. When applying top dressing, avoid the fertilizer solution directly touching the bulbs and stems, to prevent the bulbs and stems from rotting. If the fertilizer solution gets on the leaves, spray clean water immediately after applying the fertilizer solution to wash off the fertilizer solution on the leaves, so as not to damage the leaves and plants. But when the winter temperature drops below 8°C, fertilization should be stopped and resumed when the temperature rises again. After lily seedlings emerge, deep tillage for weeding is no longer suitable, to avoid damaging the root system; weeds should be pulled as soon as they appear to prevent weed damage.

6. Water management. Since lilies prefer moisture, fear waterlogging and are averse to drought, on rainy days the ditches should be cleared frequently to drain accumulated water, and in drought they should be irrigated to keep them moist, ensuring that footprints remain after walking through the bed ditches (but the feet do not sink), that the surface soil of the bed does not turn white, that the surface soil between beds forms a ball when grasped by hand, and that when the mud ball is released from a height of one meter above the ground it falls apart loosely.

7. Timely control of diseases and pests. Lilies have relatively few diseases and pests. The main diseases are anthracnose, gray mold, damping-off, root rot and bulb rot. Anthracnose can be controlled with chlorothalonil, Score, Rovral, anthracnose Tuzumei and the like; gray mold can be controlled with mancozeb, Sumilex, 50% iprodione, chlorothalonil or 1% Bordeaux mixture; for damping-off, first remove the diseased plants, then control with 1% Bordeaux mixture, chlorothalonil, Tuzet and the like; for root rot and bulb rot, dress the seeds with 0.5% quintozene before planting to prevent disease occurrence, and in the early stage of disease, drench with or spray a 300-500 fold solution of 50% amobam. For disease control in lilies, spray once every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive sprays. The main pests are aphids and grubs. Aphids and grubs often gather on tender leaves and flower buds to suck sap, causing the plants to shrivel and grow poorly; they can be controlled with fenvalerate, omethoate, imidacloprid, Dagongshen and the like. When controlling diseases and pests, it is best to add some foliar fertilizer, which both controls diseases and pests and promotes leaf growth.

8. Harvest the bulbs at the right time. When the underground bulbs have swollen, are plump and full, and the aboveground leaves have yellowed or even dried up and fallen off, the bulbs can be harvested. Keep the root system on the harvested bulbs, clean off the loose soil, pile them by grade, and later pack them into cold storage for low-temperature treatment.

★Cultivation techniques for Oriental lilies

With the improvement of people's living standards, the sales of fresh flowers are increasing day by day. In 2007 we introduced Oriental lilies on a small scale and succeeded in cultivating them. The cultivation techniques are introduced below:

1 Land preparation

Deeply plow the soil 30 cm, and apply 2-3 cubic m of peat or rotted larch pine needles, 3-5 kg of ferrous sulfate, and 500-1000 kg of organic fertilizer such as expanded chicken manure per 667 sq m, so that the soil pH is slightly acidic at 6-6.5; also add 1.5-2.5 kg of thiram or 2000-3000 ml of soil fungicide for disinfection.

2 Bed making

Make raised beds 20 cm high and 80-100 cm wide, with a 40 cm walkway between two beds, and the length depending on the land.

3 Planting

The planting time should be determined by two indicators: the flower supply time and the growth cycle of the variety. Be sure to use bulbs whose dormancy has already ended. The dormancy period varies with variety; generally, after the leaves yellow and the bulbs are lifted, dormancy can be broken in 80-120 days in an environment of 0-4°C. For bulb disinfection, dress with 5-10 g of carbendazim per kg of bulbs, or soak the bulbs in a 2% potassium permanganate aqueous solution for 10 minutes before planting. When planting, first scrape the soil layer about 8 cm on the bed surface to one side, then use a nail board or tree root cut to the measured size to make holes at set distances. Generally, for medium-sized bulbs the density in spring and autumn is 13 cm x 13 cm; for large bulbs increase by 1 cm, and for small bulbs decrease by 1 cm. In winter the spacing is slightly larger, and in summer it is denser. Generally about 20,000 bulbs are planted per 667 sq m. After making the holes, place the bulbs on the holes, then fill the bed soil that was scraped to one side back, and rake it level.

4 Water management

After planting, water thoroughly with drip irrigation or sprinkler irrigation. Except in summer, flood irrigation is prohibited. After that, water the seedbed whenever it dries, until it connects with the moist lower soil. Avoid waterlogging to prevent root rot. In very dry weather, spray water on the leaves to keep the relative air humidity at around 70%.

5 Temperature management

It takes 20-30 days from planting the bulbs to emergence. During this period, a temperature of around 12°C is suitable to favor rooting. After emergence, raise the temperature; otherwise, the plants are prone to infection by various diseases. Therefore, in winter production, heating with oil furnaces or small boilers, etc. is needed, and in summer, cooling by pulling shade nets or covering the ground with grass, etc. is needed.

6 Light management

When planting lilies in winter, choose day-neutral lilies as far as possible; do not choose long-day lilies, while in spring, summer and autumn, long-day varieties are also acceptable. Lilies prefer light and do not tolerate shade; supplemental lighting in winter gives even better growth. If not supplementing light, open the straw curtains as early as possible and cover them late, to extend the lighting time. In summer, if a shade net with 30% shading can be used to block part of the strong light, it helps lilies grow faster and enlarge their flowers.

7 Nutrition management

Start top dressing after the seedlings grow stems and the leaves unfold, applying chemical fertilizer once every 10-15 days, mixing and applying 4-5 kg each of diammonium phosphate and potassium nitrate per 667 sq m. When the plants are 60 cm tall, spray the leaves with 2%-3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate every 7-10 days. If the leaves as a whole turn yellow, spray 0.5% urea; if the small leaves turn yellow, spray 0.1% ferrous sulfate, while adding trace fertilizers such as copper and zinc. When the flower buds are 6 cm long, stop top dressing.

8 Pest and disease control

The main diseases of lilies are leaf spot, gray mold and rust, which can be controlled by spraying a 500-fold dilution of 25% carbendazim wettable powder; pests include white grubs and aphids, which can be controlled by spraying a 1000-fold dilution of 25% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate.

★Open-field cultivation techniques for lilies

Open-field cultivation is also a commonly used production method for cut-flower lilies. It has the advantages of low production cost and simple cultivation management, but its drawbacks are also obvious: the flowering period is not easy to control, and low product quality is the main factor affecting open-field production of cut-flower lilies.

1. Land selection

For open-field lily cultivation, land with a high, well-drained position and loose soil should be chosen. Cool high-altitude mountain areas, or areas beside lakes and rivers and peninsulas, are ideal sites for growing lilies. Northwest Yunnan Province, Xichang in Sichuan, the Qinba Mountains in Shaanxi, Anshan in Liaoning, and Lanzhou in Gansu, China can all serve as bases for open-field production of cut-flower lilies.

Soil improvement

Generally speaking, the soil used for producing lilies does not occupy as vast an area as that used for grain crops. If the soil texture is unsuitable, the method of partial soil replacement can be used to create a suitable soil environment. When partially replacing the soil for a lily plot, first dig out the original soil in the rows where lilies are to be planted, and add soft, good soil media. So-called soil media refer to artificially prepared materials used to replace soil; commonly used soil media include pine-needle soil, peat, fermented sawdust, vermiculite, perlite and so on. Mix these materials with soil in a certain proportion and fill them into the planting furrows for lilies, then plant the lilies. In addition, attention should also be paid to measuring the soil pH of the cultivation site.

How to improve soil pH: 6 weeks before planting, take soil samples for analysis, measuring salt and oxide content, pH and nutrient content. If the salt content and chloride content exceed the standard, a large amount of irrigation water must be used to dilute the salts in the soil. Maintaining the correct acidity and alkalinity helps the lily root system absorb nutrients from the soil. Applying peat mixed with topsoil can lower pH, and using ammonium fertilizer and urea can also lower pH. In addition, mixing a small amount of sulfur powder or ferrous sulfate into the soil can also help lower soil pH. If the soil pH is too low, mix lime-containing compounds or magnesium-containing lime with the soil before planting. After using lime, at least 1 week must pass before planting. During the growth stage, it is best to use nitrate nitrogen fertilizer, which can raise pH.

2. Crop rotation

In order to prevent large outbreaks of lily pests and diseases, crop rotation should be practiced. Before planting, the land use should be planned as a whole, and every plot used for growing cut-flower lilies should be rotated each year. During rotation, the previous crop should not be bulbous flowers of the Liliaceae or Amaryllidaceae families; planting leguminous plants is most suitable.

Base fertilizer

The fertilizer applied before planting lilies includes base fertilizer, generally organic fertilizer with long-lasting effects. There are two ways to prepare base fertilizer: one is to mix 1/3 various humus fertilizers (organic fertilizer made by mixing decomposed leaf mold, compost, peat, cake fertilizer, etc.) into the soil to form a 30 cm deep furrow, first spread the above mixed soil in the furrow, then plant the lilies. Lilies planted in this mixed soil generally grow better. The mixed soil not only improves the soil but also achieves the purpose of applying base fertilizer.

3. Planting

Planting period: open-field lilies are mostly planted in autumn, while spring planting is used in cold regions.

Taking Beijing's climatic conditions as an example, the lowest temperature in January in winter is generally 8-15°C, and most cut-flower lilies can overwinter in the open field. Summer is relatively hot, and the highest temperature in July can reach 33-36°C. Therefore, lilies are in a semi-dormant period during this time. According to Beijing's climatic characteristics, lilies can be planted in autumn or spring. Autumn planting is generally carried out in September-October, when the temperature drops noticeably. Autumn-planted lilies develop a good root system and grow robustly, with more flowers the following year. Spring planting is generally carried out in March-April, when the temperature begins to rise. They sprout in April-May and bolt and form buds in May-June. Mid-June to the end of July is the peak flowering season for open-field cut-flower lilies.

The flowering periods of autumn-planted and spring-planted lilies differ little, but the stem height and number of flowers of spring-planted lilies are inferior to those of autumn-planted lilies.

Topdressing

For open-field lily cultivation, topdressing should be carried out in the early growth stage, late growth stage and bud stage respectively. In the early growth stage, apply 37.5 kg of diammonium phosphate and 75 kg of urea per hectare; in the late growth stage, apply 75 kg of diammonium phosphate and 22.5 kg of monopotassium phosphate per hectare. The fertilization method is to dissolve the above fertilizers in water and pour the solution on the plants. In the bud stage, apply 22.5 kg of potassium sulfate, 30 kg of monopotassium phosphate and 0.3 kg of boric acid per hectare, sprayed on the leaves at 0.1%.

Irrigation

Open-field lilies can obtain part of their water from natural rainfall, but because it is often untimely, it is far from enough to meet the needs of normal plant growth and development, especially in dry seasons, when timely irrigation is even more important. For open-field lily cultivation, methods such as flood irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation can be chosen according to local conditions. Flood irrigation is to introduce water directly onto the bed surface, causing soil compaction. Sprinkler irrigation distributes water evenly and can increase air humidity. Drip irrigation uses a low-pressure pipeline system to make irrigation water form droplets that slowly and continuously moisten the soil within the range of the plant root activity. Modern cut-flower cultivation often combines sprinkler and drip irrigation: sprinkler irrigation creates a suitable air humidity environment for plant growth, while drip irrigation supplies the water needed for root activity. The amount, frequency and timing of irrigation often vary with the season, soil texture and cultivar. As for the amount of water each time, the principle should be thorough watering and moderation. In summer, temperatures are high and evaporation is great, so irrigation should be more frequent; in autumn and early [season], water demand is small, so watering should be minimized as much as possible, and one freezing-water irrigation should be given before the soil freezes. Clay soil should be watered less frequently, while sandy soil should be watered more frequently. During the day, in summer, irrigation should be done in the morning and evening, when the difference between water temperature and soil temperature is relatively small and will not affect root activity.

4. Cultivation and weeding

In open-field lily cultivation, the soil tends to compact after rain or watering, which is unfavorable for root growth. In addition, because weeds have strong reproductive capacity, they will grow together with lily plants and compete for water, nutrients, sunlight and space, and can also lead to pest and disease problems in lily plants. Therefore, timely cultivation and weeding must be carried out to create a good living environment for lily plant growth.

Cultivation should be combined with loosening the soil after irrigation. The depth of cultivation should be: shallow hoeing at the seedling stage to prevent root damage; shallow hoeing near the plants; deep hoeing in the rows away from the plants. When the lilies grow luxuriantly and the field rows close over, there is no need to loosen the soil further.

Weeding should be carried out early, at the initial stage of weed occurrence, and weeds must be completely cleared before they set seed. As for weeding methods, manual weeding is mainly used in small areas, while mechanical or chemical weeding can be used in large areas.

5. Netting and staking

Open-field lilies are often vulnerable to adverse weather such as wind, rain and hail, so netting and staking must be done in time to prevent the plants from lodging.

6. Topdressing

Lilies are potassium-loving crops. According to nutrient analysis of Yixing lily plants at various growth stages, K2O content was the highest in all cases. The average content in aboveground stems and leaves at various growth stages was 3.76%, which is 5.55 times the K2O5 content and 1.59 times the N content. The average K2O content in underground bulbs at various growth stages was 2.16%, which is 4.48 times the K20 content and 1.59 times the N content. The seedling stage is the period with the highest K2O content among all growth stages, with 4.70% in stems and leaves and 2.88% in bulbs. Regarding the proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in lily plants at various growth stages, the periods with the highest K2O proportions in aboveground stems and leaves and in bulbs are both the middle and late growth stages of lilies. That is, the bulbil harvest stage and the full flowering stage (the beginning of decline of aboveground stems and leaves). The proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in aboveground stems and leaves were 1:0.20:1.98 and 1:0.22:2.22 respectively; the proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in bulbs were 1:0.41:1.79 and 1:0.34:1.66. Traditional Yixing lily cultivation uses straw mulching and applies organic fertilizers such as pig manure and cake fertilizer, which can supply large amounts of potassium. Generally, about 450 kg of dry straw is spread per mu. Experiments have shown that if straw is not spread, yield decreases by 14.48%. Applying more potassium fertilizer to lilies can promote root development during overwintering and growth at the seedling stage, and meet the potassium peak demand of lily plants in the middle and late stages. Potassium can promote the synthesis and transport of carbohydrates in crops. When potassium supply is sufficient, the content of lignin, cellulose and starch in lily plants increases, and the carbohydrates formed by photosynthesis are quickly transported to the bulbs, promoting bulb expansion. Experiments show that applying 15 kg, 10 kg of potassium sulfate and 75 kg of plant ash per mu generally increases yield by 10% compared with the control. Among them, plant ash gave the highest yield. In potassium-deficient fields, applying potassium fertilizer increases yield even more significantly, with the highest increase reaching 54.29%; each kilogram of potassium sulfate can increase lily yield by 32.76 kg. While lilies emerge, new daughter bulbs also differentiate and develop in the heart buds of the seed bulbs, so it is necessary to promote strong seedlings and early growth in the early stage. After repeated experiments, lily fertilizer management should adhere to the principle of "heavy at the front, controlled in the middle, supplemented at the end" and the two "mainly" fertilization methods, that is, mainly organic fertilizer, applied at planting time and before emergence, accounting for more than 70% of the total fertilization amount. Generally, base fertilizer per mu includes about 450 kg of dry straw spread, 2.5 tons of high-quality pig manure, 50-75 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer, 30 kg of standard nitrogen fertilizer, 20-30 kg of phosphate fertilizer, and 15-20 kg of potassium fertilizer. When hilling soil before emergence, apply 50 kg of cake fertilizer, 15 kg of standard nitrogen fertilizer, 10 kg of phosphate fertilizer and 15 kg of potassium fertilizer per mu (or 30-40 kg of three-element compound fertilizer alone). If there is no potassium fertilizer, 100 kg of plant ash can be applied instead. For Yixing lilies with a yield of more than 1000 kg per mu, the total fertilization amount is 42.7 kg of pure nitrogen, 514.1 kg of K2O and 56.2 kg of K2O, with a nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ratio of 1:0.33:1.32. Trials with different amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers show that the optimal application rate of chemical nitrogen fertilizer is 5.6 kg of K2O5 per mu, and chemical potassium K2O 7.5-22.5 kg. The suitable soil acidity and alkalinity for lily growth is pH 5.7-6.3. Soils around the Taihu Lake area are generally neutral to slightly acidic, with pH between 6.5 and 5.0. The results of trials on phosphate fertilizer types show that fused calcium magnesium phosphate is more effective than superphosphate. Lily bulbs are tender; affected by the free acid in superphosphate, the rate of rot and missing plants in lilies increases, disease is severe, the disease incidence reaches 60%, and the disease index reaches 52.5%, reducing yield by 4.6% compared with applying fused calcium magnesium phosphate, and the bulb color is also poor. On alkaline soil with pH above 7.5, applying superphosphate can appropriately regulate soil acidity and alkalinity, which is beneficial to lily growth.

★Cultivation of Oriental lilies

Oriental lilies, also known as perfume lilies, are one of the ten most popular flowers in the world today. Because of their beautiful flower shape, bright colors and rich fragrance, they are ideal materials for gift bouquets, flower baskets and artistic flower arrangements. Since China's reform and opening up, they have developed rapidly. Especially in recent years, due to the sharp increase in flower consumption in China, their planting area has continued to expand, and Oriental lilies have become an indispensable type of fresh flower. Their cultivation techniques are introduced as follows:

I. Site selection, bed preparation and disinfection

(1) Site selection. Because Oriental lily bulbs degenerate quickly and have strict requirements for the cultivation environment, suitable growing areas are hard to find, so the choice of planting site is also of paramount importance. Oriental lilies prefer cool, humid climates and semi-shaded environments. The soil should be deep, loose, well-drained, rich in humus and slightly acidic.

(2) Bed preparation. The bed surface is generally prepared to 1-1.2 m wide and 25-30 cm high, with furrows 40 cm wide between beds. Before preparing the beds, apply 1-1.3 tons of humus soil or pig manure to each simple greenhouse (30 m €?.5 m), sprinkle 2 kg of carbofuran or phoxim (used to kill underground pests), water to loosen the soil and mix it thoroughly.

(3) Disinfection. Because Oriental lilies are extremely susceptible to stem rot, phytophthora blight, leaf blight and gray mold, prevention should be the priority, starting with soil control. Commonly used methods include steam disinfection and chemical disinfection. a. Steam disinfection: bury heat-resistant plastic pipes with small holes 30 cm below the bed surface, cover the bed surface with film, then introduce steam and continue fumigating for 1 hour. b. Chemical disinfection: generally use 40% formalin made into a 1:50 solution and splash it on the bed surface at a rate of 25-30 kg/M, then cover with plastic film for 2 days, then uncover the film and air-dry for 10 days, and planting can only be done after the chemical vapor has completely dissipated.

II. Cultivation management

(1) Bulb treatment. Before planting, take the bulbs out of the bulb boxes, handling them gently to prevent breaking the buds. At the same time, check bulb quality and remove unqualified bulbs such as those with broken buds or rot, or with rotten scales or basal plates. Soak the bulbs in a 500-800-fold solution of fungicides such as thiophanate-methyl, chlorothalonil or carbendazim for 15-20 minutes.

(2) Planting time. In order to bloom at Spring Festival and Valentine's Day, planting should generally be done in mid-October and early November. It is best to plant before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m.

(3) Planting density and depth. The plant spacing is generally 10-15 cm and the row spacing is 15-18 cm; for depth, planting depth is about 6-8 cm above the bud point. After planting, a layer of sawdust and fallen leaves should also be spread on the surface, and a shade net should be put in place, while watering thoroughly.

(4) Make labels and records. After planting, labels should also be made, noting specifications and planting date. Hang two thermohygrometers in each greenhouse, one at the front and one in the middle, and keep a record book. Observe the thermohygrometers three times a day and keep records.

(5) Precautions

1. The sprouting point of the planted bulb should point vertically upward from the ground.

2. The soil temperature should be lowered before planting.

3. The Oriental lilies we plant in Guangxi are generally shipped by air from Kunming and have already thawed, so they should be planted as soon as possible, minimizing the time left in the open field, and preferably planted within two days.

4. After the seedlings grow 2 cm above the ground, small seedlings growing crooked should be straightened in time. This critical period must be strictly grasped. If this opportunity is missed, straightening the seedlings later can easily damage the root system, and not straightening them will seriously affect the survival quality of Oriental lilies.

(6) Water and fertilizer management. When planting Oriental lilies, sprinkle 5 kg of superphosphate in each greenhouse. Then, from planting until emergence, generally no fertilizer is applied, but the soil should be kept moist, with the degree that no water seeps out when the soil is held in the hand, avoiding excessive dryness or waterlogging. Especially during the rooting period and harvest period, water demand is relatively high, and the soil must not be too dry. When the seedlings grow to 10-15 cm, apply the first fertilizer, then apply once a week, adhering to the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently. At the same time, in each greenhouse and for each specification, select several representative plants and measure their height, leaf length and width, and number of leaves every three days, and keep records, so as to adjust and determine the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer for the next application. Generally, in the early and middle stages, apply more compound fertilizer based on nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium, with a ratio of 10:15:8, to promote seedling growth and rooting; in the middle and late stages, focus on compound fertilizer based on nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, with a ratio of 8:10:20, to help increase stem hardness; spray monopotassium phosphate once every 10 days at a concentration of 0.1%. At the same time, pay attention to watering, avoid excessive dryness or waterlogging, and maintain air humidity at 50%-80%.

Precautions: It is strictly forbidden to pour fertilizer onto the leaves. If fertilizer is accidentally poured onto the leaves, rinse quickly with clean water to avoid burning the leaves and affecting quality.

(7) Temperature management. The maximum temperature must not exceed 30°C and the minimum must not be lower than 5°C. The most suitable soil temperature is 12°C-15°C. If it exceeds 18°C or is lower than 10°C, it is unfavorable for roots. After rooting, the temperature can be increased, maintaining 18-25°C during the day and 12-18°C at night. If it is too high during the day, it will reduce plant height, decrease the number of flower buds per stem, and produce large numbers of blind flowers. If the nighttime temperature is lower than 12°C, it will cause bud drop or leaf yellowing, reducing ornamental value.

(8) Light management. The flower bud development of Oriental lilies especially requires sufficient light conditions, but excessively high temperatures will burn the leaves and reduce the ornamental effect.

(9) Netting and staking. In addition to the color, shape and petal texture of the flowers themselves, the height standard of Oriental lilies also requires the stems to stand upright and straight. Oriental lilies have strong phototropism, and those cultivated in winter often lean southward and lodge, so netting and staking must be done in time. According to bulb specifications, for large bulbs, the first staking and netting is done when they grow to 20 cm, and the second when they grow to 45-50 cm; for small bulbs, the first staking and netting is done when they grow to 15 cm, and the second when they grow to 40-45 cm.

(10) Pest and disease control. Oriental lilies are prone to phytophthora blight, gray mold and stem blight. a. Pay attention to ventilation in the greenhouse and keep it clean; b. At the early stage of disease, immediately remove diseased plants, spray 1% Bordeaux mixture and a 600-fold solution of 65% zineb, or use an 800-1000-fold solution of bactericidal agents (such as thiophanate-methyl, chlorothalonil, agricultural streptomycin for bacteria, etc.) to drench the roots or spray; c. Usually focus on prevention, spraying a bactericidal agent once every 10-15 days. D. Pests are generally aphids, prevented with omethoate and derris extract, and after onset, spraying should be continued two or three times. Special attention should be paid to not using dichlorvos during the flowering period, otherwise it will damage the petals. Therefore, when aphids appear on the corolla, deltamethrin or pyrethrum should be used for control.

III. Harvesting

For stems with 5-10 flower heads, 2 buds must be colored, and for stems with fewer than 5 flower heads, at least one bud must be colored before harvesting. Harvesting is best done in the morning, which can reduce water loss and prevent the buds from wilting easily. After harvesting, they should be inserted into clean water containing preservative as soon as possible to absorb water.

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