Chinese edible bulbs.

info@auchgourishbotanicgarden.org info@auchgourishbotanicgarden.org
Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:00:57 PDT
Lea your note is interesting and I have a suggestion which might alleviate the lack of 'happiness' which hopefully might improve outcomes. By now the lilies should be going into rest mode, tip them out of their pot and see what is in their. Assuming no nasty creepy crawlies look to see it there are any underground bulbs on a part of the under ground stem, also see if there are any bulbils between the nose of the bulbs on the underground portion of the stem before it breaks through the surface of the soil. If you find either pot them up separately and renew potting mix for the original two bulbs. Put them into a pot which is smaller than another which you could try to get, put the bulb pot into the larger pot and insulate all around between the two pots using peat or anything else which would not rot down e.g vermiculite or polystyrene chips. This will insulate or buffer the bulb's roots from excessive heat and can be wetted during very not weather. 

Most lily species need a dormant phase, if this doesn't happen naturally for other plants in your area then the lilies will be stressing. In that case put each bulb in a wrapper of sorts and place it in a fridge for 2-3 months at around 0 C to 5 C [sorry I can't help with F temps] In due course when what passes for your winter type period nears its end, put the bulbs back into pots as above and see what happens. It is important, certainly with Old World species e.g. Chinese, not to damage all roots especially those that they start producing, the new contractile roots from autumn [fall] onwards and these should not be damaged if at all possible. When in the fridge make sure the container can breathe, a plastic bag with holes punched in it may be one way and include moist peat or moist vermiculite beads in with them, they MUST NOT dry out.

You didn't say what the flower colour or type was, anyway best of luck, I'd be interested to know how you get on next year. Remember to feed them ideally with a liquid feed during the first part of the year but stop that once the flowers drop off or the bulbs will get very flabby, just like us humans when we eat too much, {not me of course - I wish}

Regards, Iain

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