Growing lilies from seed?

[mothhawk]

I've had some yellow lilies in a tub for several years. No idea what sort they are, but they are similar to this -


This year one of the flowers developed a seed pod which duly ripened and I gathered the seeds last month. Now, having a goggle to find out how to grow them, but not sure what lily I had, conflicting advice said they could take from 6 months to 18 months to germinate, and some seeds needed to be covered with soil as they make bulbils first, and some need the light as they grow stems first.

Well, thought I, if they're going to take 18 months, the sooner they're sown the better! So I set them in a seed tray, some covered with compost, some on the top of the compost, put a propagator top over as protection from too much rain and so I wouldn't forget them, and left them outside in the garden.

The entire seed tray full has germinated and the shoots are about 2 inches high

So I need advice - should I leave them as they are outside? Or will the winter weather kill them off?
Should I make them a little cold frame to give some protection?
Should I bring them indoors? But if they keep growing indoors, I won't have room to pot on 50+ baby lilies.

(I'll post a pic when it's light enough to take one)

[Bigmallly]

Nice one Mothhawk...........the RHS recommends putting them in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse as you suggested...........Good luck.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=101

[mothhawk]

I'll have to get a sheet of polystyrene or some kingspan and make them a box then, BM



Just as a matter of interest, the compost I used was orchid compost. The stuff you buy in bags for orchids has too much fine stuff in it for my liking, so I sieve it out and just use the bark bits for re-potting my orchids. So the lily seeds went in the fine stuff that was sieved out. I wonder if that made a difference to the germination rate? Probably not, I expect they are dead easy to grow.

If anyone can identify the lily type I have, I'd be pleased, too.

[noviceveggrower]

This is a great thread for me mothhawk. My sister visited me yesterday and handed a small plastic bag with kitchen towel in. I just looked at her a bit puzzled and she told me there were lily heads in the bag with seeds in. Her son wants to know if I can grow some lilies for him from his seeds.
Did tell her it could take some time and she said that's fine.
Interesting what you said about using orchid compost. Will have to see if my mom has any.

[Kristen]

not sure what lily I had, conflicting advice said they could take from 6 months to 18 months to germinate, and some seeds needed to be covered with soil as they make bulbils first, and some need the light as they grow stems first.

Some Lilies are Epigeal - they are probably what you would think of as "normal" Up comes a leaf, and the plant makes a bulb under the surface. The other type are "Hypogeal" - when they germinate they send a root downwards and make a bulb underground, but nothing appears above ground the first season. The only Hypogeal type that I know of in the UK is the Martegon lily - different to your picture

The entire seed tray full has germinated and the shoots are about 2 inches high

I saved a Lilium Regale seed head (or rather "missed one when dead heading"!) a couple of years ago, sowed it and got two seed trays stuffed with seedlings. Potted them up into 3" pots during their first winter - they had little bulbs - they sprouted the following spring, some tried to flower but I cut their flowers off so they could build up, and I planted them out the following Autumn.

If yours were sown this Autumn, after flowering? (rather than in the Spring) I think I would leave them in the seed tray, although they will be a bit crowded next year I think they will be on the small side if you prick them out now. I wouldn't prick them out to small modules as I think they wil benefit for their roots spreading sideways in the seed tray.

should I leave them as they are outside? Or will the winter weather kill them off?
Should I make them a little cold frame to give some protection?
Should I bring them indoors? But if they keep growing indoors, I won't have room to pot on 50+ baby lilies.

I'd leave them in a cold greenhouse or cold frame. Too warm in the house (and not enough light in winter to keep them growing), plus I think they do want a dormancy period.

But ... I don't know what you will get (maybe you don't mind?) as I expect your original was a hybrid. Likelihood is that they will be Heinz 57 ...

If you want more like the parents then dig up a bulb, strip 4 or 5 outer fleshy scales off, put them in a zip-lock bag with only-just-moist Vermiculite, leave them somewhere warm-ish until little bulbils form at the base of the scales, and then pot them up - and pot on as they grow. Should have bulbs worth planting out in a couple of years - some of the ones I have done have made plants strong enough to flower (still in 1L pots) in year 2.

My Lily seedlings, sown in Spring:

April


June

[Kristen]

Lily Scaling:

April


May


June

[Guest]

I just know them as tiger lilies, but am guessing you wanted something a bit more specific

[roitelet]

I think that the lilies are Asiatic Hybrids. It will be interesting to see what you get from the seedlings.

[Alicante]

I think that the lilies are Asiatic Hybrids. It will be interesting to see what you get from the seedlings.

I think it is an asiatic lily too. Possibly Yellow Pixie?

[Bigmallly]

If they have a strong scent then they will be Oriental. If no scent then Asiatic as has been suggested.

[mothhawk]

Thanks for all the replies, peeps.
Kristen, I don't have a greenhouse so I'll have to mackle up a cold frame for them. I didn't particularly want any more lilies, since the only place I could put them will be in another tub as there is no space in the garden, but you know how it is, you find yourself with a pod full of seeds, and try as you might, you can't resist sowing them, just to see what happens.

They have absolutely no scent, so I guess you're all spot on with Asiatic lily.

[Kristen]

Thanks for all the replies, peeps.
I didn't particularly want any more lilies, since the only place I could put them will be in another tub as there is no space in the garden

From seed the outcome may be variable, as I'm sure you know If you have an allotment I wonder whether worth planting in a row there until they flower and then the best ones can be put in containers?

[Gillbill]

Gillbill

This is a slight deviation an the original post from mothhawk, but along the same lines. My lilies have developed seedpods and look like they have started sprouting growth already, while attached to the parent plant. I have 3 and 2 are quite busy withese them. Complete novice here, help! What do i do? I will post a pic as soon as i navigate the site a bit more.

[Gillbill]

Gillbill

Oh, i can’t post attachments, sorry. I still need your help though, thanks

[burnie]

Oh, i can’t post attachments, sorry. I still need your help though, thanks

Morning and welcome, you need to make some more posts before you can post pictures, this is a safety feature to prevent spammers etc, posting images we might not want to see.