When take out winter emergency potted lilies?

15 years ago

I dug up some lilies last fall to move to a new garden location. The lilies were waiting in my garage, and stayed firm and healthy looking. Then we got hit with rain for weeks and I never got the new location dug out. Then it got too cold. It was a weird fall: way too much rain and then a cold snap that stayed. In December I realized this was not going to happen but I didnÂt want to lose all those bulbs. The ground was frozen so I couldnÂt even plant them temporarily. I bought some bagged topsoil and put each variety in a pot (as many as I could get in, with maybe an inch between) and filled it with dirt. I put the filled pots together behind a stone wall, L-shaped, in my garden and put closed bags of topsoil over the lot.

When should I take them out? Since I STILL have to dig out the new garden, and get the background perennials planted (which are sleeping-and-I-hope-not-dead in my pot ghetto) should I let them sleep until I am ready? Move them in their pots to a reliably cool, and no sun, spot? The stone wall where they are now is going to warm up that nook

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Comments (5)

lila888
15 years ago
Linnea,
I also have emergency potted bulbs. I ordered from VanEngelen in December and I thought they'll send it in spring. They sent my order mid December. I potted them up, put them in the garage and now they are already planted. You are in IL just like me, we already had some nice "gardening weather".
to make this short, now is the time and plant them deep.
BTW, I lost a lot of them from freeze and thaw.

lila
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
15 years ago
Lila, you lost some? How sad. The ones you potted up or ones you already had in the ground?

This was the worst winter since I started with lilies maybe 4-5 years ago. I am finding bulbs exposed, and was wondering if that was freeze-thaw. But they are asiatics and I know some of them grow bulbs on top anyway. I am also finding small mini-bulbs, like babies, lying on the surface, some attached to the ground by a single root. Not sure what to do with those other than stuff them in.
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Thank you everyone. What an interesting conversation this has become! tomt226 and stevie: I am definitely going to practice with a cutting during the summer to see what its all about. Lot of healthy new growth around the garden now. Thank you so much! Its a great idea. I have been thinking about it, the only draw back, if at all, is to make sure the cuttings root and stay alive through the winter. Just like making sure the dug out plants make it. Seems like the cuttings would take less room and are less work. But the important question was, the whole point of overwintering for me was to get a significant head start on the season and get more peppers (for those peppers that take a long time to form and ripen). Starting from seed means, no matter how early, having to go through the maturation process. I was hoping overwintering a mature plant would take off one or two months of the maturation time the next season. That would be the reason to go trough all the trouble. That isn't all that true then? Does one get better head start with cuttings? esox07: thank you so much for taking the time to post such an illustrative and explanatory post. It answers many of the questions that are swirling in my mind. You know many years ago I was in love with fragrant tropical plants and did this whole dance of taking in all those plants. The insects and cleaning. I felt exactly as you are describing. But in my current excitement I am forgetting all that. Are you saying then, that there really isn't that much to be gained by overwintering? The tropical plants were my pets, they were not for fruit production. Pepper plants are different, at least at this time. Thank you! K.
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lila888
15 years ago
Linnea,
I lost some of the emergency potted lilies. I lost 10 Orienpet Garden Pleasure which I really like and half of the Naturalizing Mix. The potting mix that I bought was moisture retentive and that's what I think is the cause. The other lilies, Elodie and Centerfold, looked fresh, just like when I got them. I potted them with a fast draining potting mix.
I agree this is the worst winter. I did not divide my lilies last fall so I did it this spring and yesterday, I checked them and they're coming up. Big fat noses!
I do the same, I stuff the bulblets back in and last year one of them bore 1 small flower.

lila
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
Original Author
15 years ago
Oh no! ThatÂs terrible! Garden Pleasure, too. ThatÂs one IÂve wanted so I know how beautiful it is.

When you bought at Van Engelen: was it their fall sale (which always comes too late for me) or their regular catalog? The fall sale stuff they ship right away.

I bought in fall once and it was really too late for me to plant: they arrived mid-November and I had to plant them temporarily in a holding bed. Then in spring I had to move them. Some did not make it (Album and some rubrum) so I called and they gave me credit for them, which I used in regular season. Since then, I have looked at their fall sale offerings but never bought because it was really too late for my zone. They give half credit, but itÂs better than nothing.

But if it was NOT the sale, there was no way they should have shipped so late. I would definitely make a fuss and insist on replacementÂto arrive at the RIGHT time.
lila888
15 years ago
It was their fall sale. I was doing my bulb shopping. Ordered at a couple of places and they will ship in the spring. I thought it is going to be like that at VE since it is winter. It was my first time ordering from them. I have learned my lesson. Anyways, sale or not, they have good price and I can not complain about the size of their bulbs.

When take out winter emergency potted lilies?

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linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
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When take out winter emergency potted lilies?

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