Oriental lily help needed.

[robmarston]

I've bought a couple of oriental lily bulbs from b&q (call me crazy). Limited info on the packet so I've been trawling the net for info ...... as you do. However I've found contrasting information regarding the best soil for them to grow in. Some say it must be ericacious whereas others say any neutral soil is fine. I'd planned to put them in my borders but we have neutral clay. Does this wonderful forum have any lily experts who can tell me whether I should put them in a pot or just bung them in the ground? Much appreciated.


Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum

[Bigmallly]

I've grown Orientals in the past and although they prefer acid soil I just used bog standard compost (avoid lime).........some can be very fragrant so plant them near the door if poss.

[Kristen]

I grow lots of Lilies, but no Orientals as I am on somewhat alkaline soil and I do my level best not to grow anything that dislikes my soil - and I figure there are plenty of Lilies that are happy on my soil and stick to them

Could you grow your lilies in a pot (of Ericaceous compost) - plunged into the border if you like

I don't know "how acid" they want their soil to be, but I get my bulbs from H W Hyde, as their quality is fabulous (and they win Gold at Chelsea most years), and they aren't particularly expensive; FWIW their page doesn't mention "neutral" only "acid"

Growing Tips :: H.W.Hyde & Son

[Scarlet]

I grow orientals, planted about 10 years ago. I have a fab patch that has grown year on year. I tried to do a search on my photos on here to no avail! mine grow straight in the ground. It may be just luck.?!

[robmarston]

Scarlet do you get good scent from them? What soil type do you have?


Sent from my iPhone using Grow Your Own Forum

[noviceveggrower]

Hi, I don't personally grow them but my mom has loads. She usually pick them up from a supermarket that she works at beginning with M. So don't worry about not buying from a garden centre as she buys a lot of things from there.
Anyway she has them in pots with normal compost like Bigmally and again avoiding lime. She also has them off the ground to make sure they have free drainage. She treats them like she would if they were 'in the ground' but in winter she covers them with fleece. She then recovers them for a short time when they are shooting to keep birds off them. She had some nibbled years ago and was convinced it was pigeons.
She says the secret with any bulb is not to get it to wet or to dry and keep your eye out for pests. Pests loved her plants last year.
Hope this helps

[Scarlet]

Scarlet do you get good scent from them? What soil type do you have?

My OH hates the smell of them but I can honestly say I've never really noticed the smell of them in the garden, nothing like the smell of a rose or honeysuckle.
We have clay soil, but I have lived here for nearly 15years and put a lot of compost back into my flower beds every year which has made a difference.