Maintenance

Some of my Asiatics and Trumpets are finishing. I would like to cut the tall stems (some up to 6') back - will that do any harm?

You should leave about 2/3 of the stem;the remaining
foliage is needed to produce 'food' for next years' growth.
Perhaps the 6 footer could be cut to 3 feet...?

Thanks Moby :)

That would have been my guess, too. I accidentally broke off one asiatic at the base just as the flowers were opening. I don't expect anything from that bulb next year. :(

One of mine broke off early, so the plant spent all it's energy making bulbils. I should have a least 6 new bulbs from it.

Oh darius! I just did that. :( Except I broke this one off juuuuust when it was coming out of the ground. I am bummed that I won't see any flowers on that one till next season... I ordered the 100 bulb special from Michigan bulb and the Lilium bulbs started growing like gangbusters as soon as I put them in 1 week ago.

Anyway.....thanks for the replies folks. I do want to cut the stems on the finished ones down (or back).

Definitely leave the foliage to give the bulb energy for next year or you'll see reduced bloom/performance in future years.

Also, Lily should be fertilized in spring just as growth is breaking ground and then again in early fall after blooming.

So Brenda - can I cut it back a little - say half way or would you just leave them be?

I started to cut some of mine back part of the way too. But then noticed that the hummers like to land on them to rest. So guess that means they stay. lol

The experts (and I am not one by any means) say that if you are going to cut flowers from your lily you should leave as much as possible of the stem/leaves for bulb energy. So, if you can stand to leave the foliage intact I would. If it really bugs you then I'd say you could probably cut up to 24" off but no more. So for a really mature 8-foot plant I'd still suggest leaving 6feet or so as those size plants usually have very large and very many bulbs which require a lot of energy to maintain vigor for the following bloom season. Just my $.02 -- whatever that's worth.

Okay I understand. Will have to cut off a bit to satisfy my neatnik side but will basically leave them alone. It would be great if they multiplied too.

I have grown oriental lilies for years and I always leave the stems as long as I can stand it, but last year I decided to cut my Stargazers in containers right after they'd bloomed down to about a foot from the soil. I underplant the Stargazers with bronze-leafed pink begonias, and the stem was hidden in them.
I didn't expect the lilies to do as well this year because of that, but I have had more lilies on each stem than I've ever had, so I'm going to do the same this year. Of course that means next year I won't have one bloom!!???lol I am trying to make myself leave the stems in the main garden for the Casa Blancas, Mona Lisas, and Star Gazers. We have had so much rain this year that I thought they'd all rot in the ground, but they have been spectacular. I still have Mona Lisa'a and Casa Blanca's blooming.

Sue - you will definitely see an increase in blooms next year unless you've recently divided these bulbs. Lilies increase by bulb offsets and stem roots that in turn generate new bulbets. Furthermore if they are recently planted bulbs this year you will just naturally see more blooms because they've had a year to mature (unless they are just really unhappy in the spot they are in). You really can't go too wrong with lily bulbs - that's one of the reason I love them so much. Many folks increase their qty by removing the outer layers of bulb scales and then either replant them or start them in a potting medium. They will develop new baby bulbs - blooming will take a couple of years from these new starts.

I've definitely had mishaps with my lily (hail storms, careless son dragging a garden hose over them, etc) that ends up in broken stems at the soil level. The lilies always come back the next year blooming away. I think accidental things like that don't really have a negative affect on future blooms. What the experts are trying to warn against is annual pruning back of the foliage after bloom which if done every year will eventually result in decline and loss of the bulb.

Hope that helps a bit.

Brenda

i agree with all brenda has said.
lgw728, i am afraid if you continue to cut back your stargazers you will find an eventual loss of blooms. the plant is constantly in photosynthesis adding energy to the bulb and expending energy into life and bloom. when you take away the stem, you cut back drastically on that source and thus the availability of the excess energy to store in that bulb, for the following year.
suew, the more stem, the more energy and the bigger the bulbs. just think of the big flowers you'll have next year and that should satisfy your neatnikness. :-)

I was looking at the stems and they are kind of 'structural'. Not too too bad on the eye, and I can ignore them. LOL. I guess I've got plenty other things I can prune, or weed, or water, or feed, or......you know!

I have a question about Gladiolus now - but I'll start a new thread.

Thanks for the info. Ladies!