Lily Cultivation Techniques: Open Field, Greenhouse, Pot and Cut Flower Growing Methods
The lily is a cold-hardy bulbous flower of the Liliaceae family that loves light and fertile sandy soil. It has unusual flower shapes and many bright, beautiful colors, and works both as a potted plant and a cut flower, giving a sense of wealth and elegance, and it is very appealing; it can be planted year-round, produces a large quantity of flowers, and has high economic returns, so in recent years its cultivation has developed quickly; but beginners often see poor growth, few flowers and disease; for this reason, the author, based on cultivation practice, briefly describes the following lily open field, greenhouse, pot and cut flower cultivation techniques.
1. Planting Methods and Time
Regardless of whether lilies are planted in the open field or in a greenhouse, you should choose fertile sandy loam with good aeration, apply sufficient high-quality farmyard manure at 3000 kg/667 sq m and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer at 25 kg each/667 sq m to the planting site, then deep-plow 30 cm, break the soil up fine and loose, and form planting beds 20-25 cm high and 80 cm wide, with 20 cm between beds; before planting, water once thoroughly by furrow irrigation or spraying.
1. Open Field Planting
Lilies should be planted in early spring in March-April, when the 15 cm soil temperature is 5-8°C. The planting depth for bulbs is 12-15 cm, but bulbs with a circumference S=8-10-12-14 cm can be planted 10 cm deep, with a plant spacing and row spacing of 10-15 cm x 20 cm, and new shoots can break through the soil in 3-4 weeks. If planted earlier, to prevent the new branches and leaves from freezing, straw can be used to cover them. From planting to flowering takes about 15 weeks; but how early or late they flower depends on the variety. When cutting flowers, leave 10-15 cm above ground, and the bulb can still develop and flower in the next season. Lily bulbs produce large flowers, but for bulbs used for propagation, bulbs with a circumference S=8-10-12 cm give good results.
2. Planting in a Greenhouse
Because lilies need ample light and air to flower, and a plastic greenhouse reduces light transmission by 20%-30%, only bulbs with a circumference of 12-16 cm or more can be planted. Before planting, spray 50% carboxin 1000x solution or thiophanate-methyl 1000x solution to disinfect the soil. The bulbs planted must be frozen bulbs, and the planting method is the same as in the open field. The greenhouse temperature should be controlled at around 15°C; if planted on January 15, they will flower around April 20. You can plant according to the time you need flowers, but flowering in a greenhouse in December, January and February is relatively difficult, because at that time light is insufficient, and darkness or lack of light will cause the flower buds to shrivel and dry up; it is best not to plant from October to December 15. If low-temperature conditions are available, the bulbs can be planted in trays to root and then moved into the greenhouse, and in this way they can flower in about 5 weeks. Pots can also be used in the greenhouse; the potting soil can be made up of 2 parts fertile soil, 1 part coarse sand and 1 part peat, with a pot diameter of 18-24 cm. Put 1-2 bulbs per pot, 5-6 cm deep, and water with 1‰ phosphate liquid fertilizer; they can sprout and break through the soil in 3-4 weeks.
2. Harvesting and Storage of Lily Bulbs
Lily bulbs should be harvested later in autumn, and must not be harvested after the ground freezes. Be careful when lifting the bulbs, and you must dig as deep as 30 cm, because the bulbs are buried at 12-15 cm; when lifting, the roots must be pulled out together with the bulbs, otherwise the bulbs are easily damaged and infected with disease, and also easily dry out. After lifting, the bulbs are dried; when digging, the roots carry a lot of soil, so wash them with water at 5-10°C, and protect the roots and bulbs while washing. After washing, sort the large and small bulbs and store them in boxes with some peat soil, place them in a well-ventilated room at 5°C, keep them for 4 weeks, then lower the temperature to 0°C, and after January 15 lower it to -2°C; if the bulbs sprout, they will have no strength left for growth. Use small boxes for transport, kept at 2°C; if kept at low temperature for a long time, they can remain dormant for 6-7 months; if after March 15 the temperature is lowered to -3 to -5°C, the bulbs can be kept for one year.