Lily question

This spring I planted Asiatic and Oriental lilies for the first time. They are beautiful, but I need to know if I need to dig the bulbs this fall. I am in zone 6.

No. They are perennial and winter hardy. Next year they will be even bigger and better. The Asiatics will multiply faster than the Orientals, but the Orientals will have a nice fragrance. :)

Diann

Thanks, in zone 6 I have to dig the glads and dahlias, just didn't know if I needed to dig these also.

Yeah, I have to dig the tender stuff too, that's why I don't plant a lot of them. I try to only plant stuff that will pretty much take care of it's self. Glad, Dahlias and Cannas are beautiful, but they are just doomed to be a throw away plant if they end up with me.. Poor babies.

Diann

Pot them,that's what I do. I have glads, cannas, dahlias and callas all in pots. Come late summer, I move them wherever color is needed. Geraniums too. All can be overwintered in your basement.

Beaker, do you leave them in the pots all winter? I had dahlias and cannas and just got tired of dealing with them. They are beautiful, but, by the time fall comes around I'm tired and the last thing I want to do is to dig cannas or dahlias..

Diann

I have one bed that is for "tenders only". This way I don't accidently dig up something that is winter hardy. I put my glads, dahlia's, peacock orchids, mexican shell flowers, ect... in it. In the fall I just go to that bed and dig and pack everything in it and put it in the basement until next spring! It makes things soooooooo much easier for me and eliminates mistakes.

Ticker, try storing in pots. In the spring you can just give the pots a new top layer of soil, or if they need deviding, take that opportunity to give it all new soil. Glads, I'll be removing from the pots to take the old corms off, but then repotting again. Just keep very dry and maybe wrap in screen to keep the mice at bay.

Geraniums will be taken from pot, let dry good and stored in paper bag. Once a month soak roots in water, let dry and store again. In spring pot up, bring into light and water lightly. Let plant dry out between waterings. I'd also remove any flower buds that begin to set until ready to place outside again.

Beaker, I want to start seeing garden shots of your gardens, not just a lily shot here and there, I want to see your gardens in their full glory! Someone as dedicated as you must have gardens to die for. :) Come on, get out there and get me some pictures! :) My gardens are good, but I start getting lazy once fall sets in and so, tender bulbs probably won't happen again for me unless I find a garden grunt to help me weed. :)

Diann

Not sure what you want to see. I'm not really happy with it (so far) this year. It's been slow to fill in. There was a picture I posted last night that shows it pretty well.

This one I was taking a picture of my Red Tangos

This is why I need lotz of plants and flowers. My view as a walk out the back door each morning.

And if you think that's bad, it use to be bright yellow. That's the back of the VFW.

Here's another view. I was taking a picture of the White Glitter Geraniums. Ther's a pot of Alstroemeria there also. My Jolly Bee Hardy Geranium is that huge plant behind the pots.

beaker_ch, nice gardens.

Very nice. :) I knew it had to be! :) I weeded the North side of the split rail hosta bed last night and tonight.. What a freaking mess.... Oh well, I have the North side done. Need to dig one little hosta and then I can move to the South side of it... This is why I haven't been posting any lily pictures.... This is the mess I've been dealing with....

Diann

There is hope, this is what it looks like when I'm done....

Diann

LOL, I've had messes like that before. I've got burmuda or quack grass in my spiderwort and I know the only way I'm going to get rid of it is to dig it all out. I'm really avoiding that task. I've been using Preen for several years now and it has helped immensely with the weed problem. I don't have it licked yet, but it's been getting better and better each year.

What a difference, that's beautiful.

don't you just love that Preen? I use it every year, and the weed problem seems to be getting better. I do have one bed this year, (first year for it) that didn't get preen, and boy does it keep me busy. For sure, that will be the first one I do next spring.

That area got so bad because it was a huge patch of oriental poppy. I have some grass killer that I'll spray that area of the split rail garden. I took a garden fork and basically scooped down under and pulled ever freakiing piece of grass I could fine out. I know that it will be back in spades, but the grass killer I have won't hurt broadleaf plants aka hosta, poppy, peony, etc. So, now that the poppy has died down in that bed I'll be after it a bit more. I have the other side of that fence to do the rest of the week and then I'll move on to the next six or seven beds. This is the only one where the grass got a hold on things. Everywhere else it's violets and misc. weeds..... Here is a picture of some lilies that are in a bed that is at the East end of the largest hosta garden I have... It too, needs weeded and edged and it will get it, it just has to wait it's turn. ;)

Diann

Most of that split rail fence garden wasn't terrible, it was just the end with the patch of oriental poppy. Yes, it was really weedy, but they pull without a problem. I had been dreading that poppy patch for quite some time and just had to tackle it. The South side of the fence isn't any better, so I'll start at the West end and work my way East to the final mess..... This side might take three days... This is where I quit with that weed patch last night on the North side, it's all cleared out now.... And, what is more, it's all picked up and hauled off to the weed pile. :)

Diann

And yes, I will be putting preen down on that bed. I have a terrible infestation of catch weed and I'm going to preen everything.... The cats get the little burrs in their fur and spread it through the gardens. I should also use it in the back perennial bed to help cut down on chickweed... Oh well, weeding keeps me out of the bars. :) LOL

Diann

beaker_ch -- Love your use of color and the idea of potting glads. I'll probably give it a try next year. It's got to be a lot easier than digging all those holes! When do you bring them out in the spring?

With glads, not until after last frost. Also plant deep, at least 8 inches so they don't get top heavy. 5 corms to a 10 or 12 inch pot depending on size of corms. With glads, you should plant at intervals to extend the show. For me, I potted some up June 1, Jun15 and I'll pot the last of them this weekend. I should have glads blooming by mid August up until October. And with pots, if the weather turns cold, you can bring them in the house to finish blooming. You could probably still plant where you are. It takes approximately 80 days to bloom.

Ticker, it looks like you have a lot of garden space. I don't. I have a really small yard, but I cram it as full as I can get it. Sometimes I wish I had more space, but I can hardly keep up with what I have and my gardening interests keep expanding. I'm very much into lilies, but I've also added a number of clematis this year and now I'm expanding into geraniums. Does it ever stop? I'm going on vacation next week for two weeks and digging two new beds. One is going to be to showcase Cematis Fujimusume on a pillar trellis with rose campion and various daylilies. My Fujimusume is just a little guy right now.

One of the daylilies waiting to be planted, Creative Art.

beaker, I know the feeling of acquiring new addictions!! I am just getting into daylilies, and boy do I love them. But have new perenniel beds, and have some really interesting stuff there too.

Well, that's the problem isn't it? All these plants are just so darn interesting. Have to call it a night. Til next time.

Beaker, yes, we have an old farmstead with about ten acres. Eight of those acres are in pasture, but since I sent the horses off to live with a friend of mine we ripped out the fences and are slowly but surely mowing more of the pasture for lawn. The husband likes his green space and that's fine, it means that the original part of the lawns are mine. :) *evil laff* There was a pond on the property several years ago, but the rains of '89 and '93 blew the dam out and I'm not sure we want to put it back since we are right next to town. When it was there it was a kid magnet, we don't need that, I would be terrified that someone would drown in it. We finally got most of the kids to stay out of it when we told them that it was full of bull snakes. (partially true, we did see a snake down there.) :)

Diann

Translation required. VFW????

Will have to look up Columbia Heights to see where you are.

I used to have a map showing where my internet friends lived. Think it went with my last computer.
inanda

Edited out as put a comment on wrong thread.

This message was edited Jun 29, 2006 1:36 PM

VFW - Veterans of Foreign Wars. It's a club for veterans of the military...

dp

Edited - blushing.

Thank you Ticker


This message was edited Jun 29, 2006 1:38 PM

Yes, isn't that a lovely view of the VFW? If I were smart, I'd join the Auxiliary there so I could have some say in the color of the paint. But no, I have to belong to the American Legion Auxiliary that I have to drive 10 miles to. I would just love to do something with that wall.

I've seen some of those sad blank walls turned into nice murals. Got any artists in the family?

Inanda, I'm in Minnesota. If you ever lurk in the Upper Midwest forum, I'm on the map. It's adjacent to Minneapolis.

Merci, Beaker ch. Why doesn't ANY MN liliarian live near the border.

Answer: Because it is far warmer in the south near/in Minneapolis.

inanda

Truly. T'wouldn't it be grand to have a member up in International Falls...

Ticker, have you used that grass killer before? I assume you mean some brand of Ornamec, or Grass B Gon. I just ordered some. Kind of scared to use it. Polly

If I were independently wealthy, I'd gladly live up north. I even went job hunting one summer. Prospects were fairly dismal. One must support one's habits after all.

Polly, it was last year when I bought it. I don't remember what it was, I'll have to look. And no, I've not used it as a concentrate you have to mix and spray. But before I do that I have to take out the grass on the other side of the fence. It may be next weekend before I get around to spraying anything.

I think I found my "bored" teenager. My 13 year old grand-niece is looking to make some cash and I asked her if she wanted to come weed for money and she's chomping at the bit. Now we just have to fit it in to her busy schedule. She plays softball and is either at practice or a game.... Her season should just about be done soon and then she's all mine. ;)

Diann