In many parts of the United States, the lovely, fragrant auratum lily, the goldband lily of Japan, usually lasts only one year. Why?
This is one of the two finest hardy garden lilies; the other is Lilium speciosum rubrum, so the experts claim.
Other lilies are touchy, such as Lilium speciosum album, Lilium marlagon, even Lilium cernuum.
This last-mentioned lily is closely allied to Lilium pumilum (tenuifolium), the Siberian coral lily, which ought to be hardy.
Lilium pumilum is said to be short-lived, but that is not so in east central Iowa.
A giant strain grows 5’ feet tall, with flowers highly proportion to its height, but the same size bloom as the type, which is about 18” inches tall.
Lilium cernuum is a rosy lilac, and fragrant; the coral lily has a delightfully rich honey-like fragrance.
Trace Elements
If you have difficulty with auratum lilies in that they are too brief in their stay with you, there may be a way to keep them longer — try using trace elements, which are now offered in balanced preparations by at least two firms.
These trace elements contain such trace or rare soil elements as copper, manganese, zinc, boron, cobalt, and others.
Here auratus of both Japanese-grown and British Columbia-grown bulbs formerly lasted only one year; with the use of trace elements, they are now three years old and look very well.
Remarkable Results
Trace elements have done remarkable things in many places. In Australia, they have changed 10,000 square miles of desert into fertile farmland.
In Florida, they make grass grow lush, and cattle are fat and happy where previously their every rib could be easily seen, and they were sad-eyed and sick.
In the eastern parts of Oregon and Washington state, a little sulfur was the missing link in the chain.
Low Ground Lilies
A few pounds per acre of that yellow mineral made alfalfa grow; without it, alfalfa failed.
Much more could be told of this, even as vitally affecting people; so why not with auratum lilies which, for some unknown reason, last only one year? Yet other requirements should not be neglected.
Lilies on Low Ground Lilies are not supposed to do well on low ground, but the best lilies I ever had were grown on ground that was so low that it had been filled in with cinders.
Planting Lily Bulbs
Over these was a layer of good soil, only about 8” or 10” inches deep. But the lilies loved it and grew twice as tall and with many more flowers than on high, naturally, well-drained soil.
If I were making a lily garden anywhere, I would dig down a couple of feet, fill in a layer of cinders a foot thick and then put a foot of good soil on top.
A job, but worth it in results, I believe. In addition to drainage, when planted in clean soil, lily bulbs must be healthy and disease-free.
Bulbs grown from seed are claimed to be disease-free if grown in disease-free soil; that is, the seeds do not carry disease infections.
Care in Planting
Imported lily bulbs may be infected with the disease. Therefore, it is a good plan to soak the bulbs just before planting in a new mercury preparation.
It will kill even Collectotrichum lili, a black or brown scale disease known as Bermuda lily disease.
It is not very serious in the North, where there is cold weather to keep it in check,
But, in Bermuda, it came very near to destroying the important Easter lily industry there. It is also serious in Florida, Louisiana, and the South as a whole.
Disinfecting Bulbs
Another good practice is to dust lily bulbs just before planting with a fungicide. Some of this can also be worked into the soil where the bulbs are planted.
Auratums should not be planted too deep. 5” inches from the top of the bulb to the surface of the tile soil is deep enough; with small bulbs, less than that depth.
A little sulfur is applied dry with a duster, or in liquid form, according to directions on the package or container.
Spraying Lilies
For spraying lilies, a copper spray made in Portland, Oregon, is the best I have found.
It should be applied several times a season, especially on the more “fussy” lilies, such as auratums, speciosums, and some others.
Most lilies do not require it, such as Lilium regale, Lilium, umbellatum, Lilium tigrinum, Lilium henryi, and others kinds; but spraying does no harm.
I have not found Bordeaux effective as a spray for lilies.
Mulching the Plants
There is one more practice that helps with lilies — mulching — with leaves, lawn clippings, or coarse-ground com cobs.
If applied thickly enough, weeds are kept down; the soil is kept cool and moist, and the work of earthworms is encouraged.
Cobs also have some sugar in them. This reaches into the soil and encourages the increase of bacteria in the soil.
Heavily-Flowered Plants
In summing up, I may say that more hardiness, vigor, and disease resistance are being developed in lilies by using such kinds as Lilium tigrinum and Lilium umbellatum in breeding new varieties.
The gold-band lily of Japan, Lilium auratum, is as fragrant as it is spectacular.
Heavily-flowered plants like this fine specimen, grown in Oregon, need staking to prevent wind and rain damage.
44659 by H. Roy Mosnat