These are my Longiflorum-Asiatics & this is the second year in a row that they have not bloomed. I am ready to yank them. I have close to 20 of them & there is not a bud among them. The small clump next to them which I just planted last fall look the very same. I hate wasting valuable garden space to something that isn't going to bloom.
I know the brown on this one is frost damage, but would it also cause there to be no buds at all?
Yup, frost damage. GRRRRRRRRR!! I've got a few looking funky like that and they don't have buds either. Funny how some didn't mind the frost at all and others are goofy looking. I'm hoping for blooms next year. :)
Thanks for the reply kooger. I was seriously thinking of digging them all up as I was sure something was wrong, with it being the second year with no blooms. You wait all year for those gorgeous lilies to bloom & then this. Guess I will wait another year.
It is probably frost damage. the curled up leaves are typical signs of draught which can also look like that if frosted (a plant which is frosted often die from dehydration) ... I unfortunately have a few lilies like this, too. Not because of frost, but because of draught.
kdjoergensen, thanks for replying. So would you dig these up & get rid of them or what? I never even thought of drought, but they are on the south side of the house. We get a LOT of snow up here & when I shovel my path into the back yard, that is where the snow goes. I have some salvia guaranitica B&B waiting to be planted but want to see if I am digging up the lilies first. You probably think I am really late planting but our last frost date is usually June 15.
I have a hard time believing it is because of drought - lilies prefer soil on the drier side, and too little water is better than too much. I have never had that happen to lilies even here in hot Texas, much less in Ontario, especially with snow runoff, etc. I tend to lean towards frost damage.
Broots, you might want to put some sort of protective cover over them if they consistently emerge before danger of last frost. Do you grow other lilies with success in your area?
Steve, yes I do grow other lilies. Have quite a few asiatics & tigers & a couple of orientals that only show up every couple of years. It was both of my longiflorum-asiatics that got bit by the frost. The L.A. hybrids in the pix above have been around for about 5 years & never had a frost damage problem til last year. I think you're right, I am going to have to cover them when frost threatens.
If you do decide to dig them up - don't get rid of them - trade them off. There isn't anything wrong with them, they just got a little frost damage. But there isn't anything wrong with the actual bulb. You may want to dig them up and put them in pots and bring them inside for the winter and take the pots out once danger of frost is past.
mvespa, I decided to leave them in for one more year. Actually I have run out of time. Still have a couple of flats of plants to get planted. Going to be all in containers, have the beds finished finally. If I have time I might dig them up come fall.
Actually taking a look at the lilies now it appear to be boytris which can be damaging the the lilies but which is seldom fatal. It correct itself next year, so no need to dig and discard. Kenneth
kdj, seeing as this is the second year they have looked like this, do you think they will bloom next year or would I just be better off getting rid of them? If I dig them up, should I remove some of the soil too & would I be correct in assuming that I shouldn't plant lilies back in the same spot? Will botrytis spread to my other lilies that are in the same bed? Sorry for all the questions but in 20 years of growing lilies I have never had this problem.
