Troubled lilies

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This question was asked by
– James M

I planted some lilies couple years ago & I haven’t seen them show any flowers this year.
I can see the green stem on one, 12” approx with a type of singed tip. What can I do?

Your lilies may need dividing now and giving a feed. I would allow them to do their thing this year and then lift and divide them in the Autumn by breaking off the bulblets. Replant them straight away and when you see signs of growth in the Spring, give them a diluted tomato feed.

split lily bulbs

The Hart Family

Alliums bought in July

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This question was asked by
– Nigel Whiten

Hi, we were at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show yesterday & bought some Allium bulbs. The bulbs are great but I am wondering how to store them until September or can I plant them into the ground / pots now?

Hi there,
It’s fine to plant your alliums now. If you’re not ready to plant them straight away, you can keep the bulbs in the paper bag somewhere dry and cool until you’re ready to plant them. More information on planting and care instructions can be found on our website.

 

The Hart Family

Soil for planting the ‘Joop’ lily

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This question was asked by
– Paul K

I bought ‘Joop’ lily bulbs at Hampton Court FS. What type of soil should they be planted in?

Good afternoon,
Lilium Joop is an oriental lily so they prefer an acidic soil. If you do not know your soil type in your garden then we advise planting them in a pot or container using an ericaceous compost ensuring you have plenty of drainage.

The Hart Family

Lilies for cut flower

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This question was asked by
– Alistair H

Hi I am looking to plant some lilies for cut flowers. Could you advise on which are the best type for this purpose. I believe the ones my wife likes best are longiflorum type but are there other types that make good cut flowers ?

Thank you

Alistair

Hi Alistair

I would say they are all great for cut flower but maybe avoid the tree lilies are they are rather large with very thick stems.
All the roselilies are gorgeous, stamen-free and carry a beautiful perfume. These would be my first choice for cut flower.

The Hart Family

Lilies and Cats

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This question was asked by
– Rachel N

Hi there,
I was thinking about buying different sorts of lillies for my garden.
However, there is a neighbourhood cat that does sometimes come into my garden.
I love lillies but which ones are safe to plant in terms of cats. I read some are highly toxic but others may just cause irritation if ingested
Can you send me a list of which ones are safest/less toxic to plant?
Thanks
Rachel NEWMAN

Hi Rachel

I would advise trying the pollen-free lilies as this eliminates the risk of the cats brushing past the pollen and licking it off their fur, that’s where the problem can sometimes be. Mosts cats are clever enough not to eat anything from the garden as most plants can be poisonous to them if ingested.

Roselily Aisha

 

Roselilies

 

Pollen Free Lilies

The Hart Family

soil type for lilies

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This question was asked by
– Keith M

We bought some lilies at the show and did not check soil requirements. Some need ericaceous according to which website you use. i believe we got them from yourselves, Tribal dance, chardonnay and natalia will they be ok in general compost or do they need lime free.

Hi Keith

If you are planting your lilies in the garden, then your Asiatic Lily (Tribal Dance) prefers an alkaline soil and the Roselilies (Chardonnay and Natalia) prefer an acidic soil. However, if you are planting your lilies in pots then a good multipurpose compost would be absolutely fine for all of them.

 

 

The Hart Family

Planting advice on lilies

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This question was asked by
– Jemma

Hi, I bought Sabor and Snow peak double oriental bulbs from the gardeners world show yesterday, when should I plant these please? And if I can’t plant them now, how should I store them please?
Thank you!

Hi there,

You need to plant your lilies ASAP as they will be in flower in about 10 weeks time. You can store your lily bulbs for a week or two in a fridge but I would advise planting them as soon as you can.

Sabor Lilies

The Hart Family

Planting lilies in June

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This question was asked by
– Jenny M

Hi – we bought some lily bulbs (Roselily Isabella) at Chelsea Flower Show – I did not plant them immediately on coming back so is it too late to plant them now (in a pot because I have clay soil) for flowering this summer, or should I wait until next spring?

Kind regards
Jenny

Hi jenny

Please plant them ASAP as they need to flower this year. Your lilies will take about 10-12 weeks to flower from planting.

Roselily isabella

Roselily Isabella

Best wishes

Victoria

The Hart Family