nothing but disaster

I planted several oriental lilies in one of my terraces last fall. I did a really good job of preparing the soil. Not one has come up. While I had some trouble with voles a month or so ago, there were no signs of them in that particular bed. I took a digging fork down there today and dug down but found nothing. What do you suppose is going on?

They may not have had time to set roots. Although in your zone I wouldn't think that is a problem. I had some oriental bulbs go missing last year and dug for them and couldn't find them. They came up this year. Bulbs have a tendency to move down if they are not happy where they are. Did you plant them fairly shallow? If so, they may have used all their energy to move. They may come up next year. On the other hand, they could have been a mid-winter dinner for the voles. I would expect you wouldn't find them if eaten.

I had heard that they may not come up sometimes. They were not planted shallowly but it has been dry here for an area normally has plentiful rain. Perhaps that has affected them?
It is not as warm here as the rest of the south as we are up in the Appalachians, but it is still a mild winter by your standards.

Does the planted area get or hold too much water?

Moby, it was a steep hillside area that my spousal unit terraced. I think the drainage is pretty serious.

LOL Sounds like that ought to do the job.

They certainly would go deeper if looking for water. It's hard to say. I'd give them another year. In fact, I've heard of them not showing for two years and then, bang, there they are. If you can wait, leave that area undisturbed. You could plant some annuals or something for the time being. If you want to plant more orientals, plant them in another area

Hey I had this happen last year. Planted the lily bulbs, in the spring did not see anything. Just planted annuals in that bed, trying not to disturb where the lilies were planted. The annuals did great last year. Well this year, I see all this green poking up, and my first thought was weeds, but I left them alone until I could identify them. Lo and behold all of the lilies I had planted the year before came up, and are now blooming. The moral of this story is DON'T GIVE UP ON THEM.

Thanks so much folks. I did plant some annuals (zinnias) above them yesterday afternoon. Wouldn't it be funny if they came up because I am watering that space daily now?