Root rot in Stargazer lilies

Hi,
Although I generally grow plants from seed, I decided to buy some lily bulbs to give me patio tubs some class this year. 15 bulbs bought nine put in one large tub which I filled with three layers of compost. Drainage grit in the base - tested, works fine. Then two 4" layers of 4:3:2:1 Peat: sand:grit: vermicompost with added wood ash. Bulbs planted on lower layer, then top layer of mainly peat-based compost with added fertiliser about 3". Planted nine bulbs in a 30" x 18" tub and the other 6 in two adjacent tubs. That was about five weeks ago.

Six of the first lot have come up well. The rest are nowhere to be seen. I, gingerly, investigated a couple of the no-show bulbs and find that they have root rot. There is no sign of water-logging in the compost. But most of their roots have turned to mush. Both investigated bulbs have started to sprout the main stem, but seem to have been stopped in their tracks.

I have never encountered this before. Is there a treatment?

Do your tubs have drainage holes???

Oriental lilies are a bit more picky compared to asiatics. Try just phosphorus based fertilizer like you would give tulips or iris to discourage the root rot and replant the whole tub. They do not like wet feet.

THere is no drainage problem in the tubs.

It's hard to tell from just one picture, but this bulb looks fine to me. As long as the basil is not mushy, it will sprout new anchor roots. It's not unsual for newly planted bulbs to shed some of their old anchor roots in favor of growing new ones. Have patience. not all bulbs come up at the same time.

A couple suggestions here. Do not add fertilizer to your mix when planting. Wait until the stem appears, then work a low nitrogen fertilizer into the soil at the surface. And do not overwater. Water in well when you plant and that's all until the stem appears--then water to keep moist only.

Another thing. You DO need drain/aeriation holes in the bottom of you container whether you use a gravel/grit base or not. Since you probably can't put holes in the bottom now, you can still drill plenty of drain holes along the outside near the bottom to prevent a 'dead zone sump'. And putting a gavel or grit base in a tub or large pot is an old myth that's been handed down in culture for generations that results in a 'perched water table' which will result in root root or at the very least smaller inferior anchor roots. I used to be one of those who used gravel base too--just like my great grand parents, grand parents and parents did--until someone showed me the difference.

Now, then, if the basil on your Stargazers is still solid, you should replant them. I would dust the bulbs first with a fungicide powder made by Bonide (a company based in Germany). If the basil is rotted, there is nothing you can do--except try your hand at scaling. The scales still look healthy.

I have had much worse looking bulbs produce beautiful blooms. If you spoke to your lilies, they would say "leave me alone."

In the future, I would use a plain (purchased) potting mix cut with a little perlite or vermiculite. Put them in a container with lots of drainage holes. I am assuming they are growing outdoors. Plant and water once, then leave them alone. Let Mother Nature water them. Do not bother watering unless you are in a drought. These juicy, firm bulbs have plenty of storage juice and nutrition. Like I said, leave them alone. They like to be ignored and as others have stated, they hate wet feet.

Thanks... but the gravel was there to keep the drainage 'holes' clear of falling compost that might make like a blockage. If I didn't need it, fine, but I don't think it should do any harm. The base of the tub is of seasoned 4" oak planks with about half an inch gap between each. That makes for a lot of drainage: ~ 36 sq inches of drainage in a base of 500 sq inches. Certainly no need for holes in the sides.

Thank you all for your attention and yes, I tend to be a bit impatient for a gardener. I thought that perhaps there was some chemical treatment that I should use. Maybe the fungicide... Anyway, will leave them. A few more have come up since the first post. Will return with photos of the results in the summer...

Best to all.
Mike