Thank you for answering. I am trying different method of growing since I live in a condo and not have a garden to plant. Trying to grow some lily for Mother's Day, but Mom does not like plant in soil since we do have some gnat (insects) problem in the past ,so she tends to like growing plant in water if possible and she find it cooler. I recently planted a Amaryllis Elvas with rock and water for her and she and her friends found it more elegant. May be I have asked a dump question, but I have not try to grow lily before indoor before . I have learned a lot asking dumb quesitons when I am learning how to grow orchids in my balcony The only problem I see with my orchids growings, 5+ years now, is that it takes too long for the orchids to blooms. I guess one get more impatients as one get older. I am switching to bulb looking for quick flower. I have just received my Asiatic lily bulb and finally know what it look like. Michele

Sorry I was unable to post sooner. We've been in the field digging dahlia tubers, and, trying to get that project done before we're blanketed with too much snow. And, Mr. Flower Farmer's middle name is Panic. Knowledge gained from our successes and failures would be considered experience. Sometimes we can learn from other people's experiences; but, our own successes and failures certainly would have a greater impact in the development of our own flower farming operations. Lilies are a high dollar crop; therefore, it is important to do some research before taking the plunge. And, so your original question, Sherry, is an important one, and shouldn't be overlooked. You asked, "Does anyone have any experience in growing lilies in crates in an unheated hoophouse". Here in the Midwest they can't be grown in an unheated hoophouse. Our nights are too cold during February, March, April, and sometimes May to successfully grow a crop of lilies with target dates of Mother's Day, Memorial Day, graduations, weddings, etc. Lily bulbs provided by such companies as Ednie's mentioned by Patty are for forcing in a controlled environment. We receive all of our lily bulbs that we plan to force for the months of May, June and July in one shipment. It takes a fair amount of experience (there's that word again) to schedule crop finishing time. From our experience (again, sorry), those early crops do finish (meaning start to bud) exactly as the "Weeks to Force Chart" in the catalog. And, sometimes we will have a bit of a crossover wherein a few of the crop for example from "Week 8" are continuing to provide harvestable buds just as the crop from "Week 10" begins. This isn't a bad thing. And, holding stems for market is where it's important to have some type of a cooler. The chart Patty mentioned is for suggested ship dates. Those aren't the planting dates. Our bulbs are usually shipped to us on a Monday; and, we receive them Wednesday or Thursday. We hold them in the barn for a couple of days. This gives them time to start to thaw. We begin planting in the crates Friday or Saturday. The crates are never held in the cooler. They are placed in the heated greenhouse where we maintain a temperature around 45 degrees for two weeks. This is important for the development of the feeder roots. Then, the temperature in the greenhouse is raised to 60 degrees for continued forcing. Your final comment, Sherry, "I'm not sure what the advantage would be to growing them in crates." It's all about marketing. Cut flower growers who can provide certain crops earlier in the season can also command higher dollars for their product. It's that old Supply and Demand theory. One final point on marketing; and, Paul touched on this briefly in the Newfarm article: lily bulbs are expensive, freight on these bulbs has increased drastically this past year. You really need to know your market before investing heavily in growing lilies. Trish

I know they were good bulbs from the Lily nook. We have had dry winters the last couple of years-dry summers too but that is over this year! I find my bulbs-including lilies, tulips etc all multiply like crazy when we have a mild dry winter. Bulbs don't like to be wet especially when they aren't growing. Most of mine are in raised beds. I have a few in what used to be my vegetable garden and that end of it sits in water some times. They have done nothing special and several are down to one bulb. So... good drainage seems to be the key around here-no sitting in wet soil. A few that get too much shade have also not multiplied as quickly. The martagons are good for shade but others just seem to reach and reach for the sun.

I have some stunted this year too. I think it was just the crazy weather in April with no rain and many frosts with the cool weather. Some don't have the bud count they usually do. On the other hand some seem to have divided like crazy over the winter. I have seen that before in a mild winter like we had this year both with lilies and tulips. BTW what are you spraying them with for red lily beetles?