My first year experimenting with propagating lilies. Unfortunately my dog has ripped the top of one of my lilies (seed pods) off of the rest of the plant and I was wondering if there were any steps I can take to save them? Additionally, must I wait for the rest of the pods I have to burst open to collect seeds or can they be snipped just short of that?

The short answer, No. The pods need to remain attached to the plant in order for the seeds to ripen. The pods will split open when the seeds are ready/ripe. This link has quite a bit of information on propagating lilies. I hope it helps answer your question.

http://www.mikesbackyardgarden...

Thank you.... All that time playing matchmaker all for nothing.... I do have a few more... However not in that color(s). Darn dog!

You are most welcome, Alyson. It can be so disappointing when that happens.

Welcome to ATP.

Jean

I don't know about lilies specifically, but you can harvest the seeds of most plants well before the pods burst open. Seed viability may be somewhat reduced, but you can get reasonable germination. I've harvested iris pods that were several weeks short of maturity (snapped off courtesy of neighbor's dog, kids' balls, wife's cat, my own clumsiness, etc.) and still gotten seedlings. The key is how far along the seeds are at the time. If they've reached the "hard dough" stage (where you can squeeze the seed and no liquid comes out), it's worth it to keep and try to germinate them.

Thanks for the welcome, MoonHowl! And Kent... I have the seed pods hanging in my house... I'm not too sure how far along they are... If I had to guess I'd say about 4-5 weeks. I figured I'd let them hang out and dry out... It's worth a shot, even if it's the smallest chance. I highly doubt they're ready. But, we'll see! I'll keep you updated!

Probably anyone propagating lilies by seed already knows this, but I'll say it again.

For plants like poppies that are likely to be fully ripe on Thursday then split open and drop on Friday, organza bags are a great invention.

The fine mesh fabric lets rain evaporate and air circulate.
The drawstring-neck keeps every seed inside the bag.
You can re-use organza bags.
They come in all sizes and colors - even large enough to hold a bottle of wine!
They are easy to find in the "Wedding Supplies" Isle of a craft store or Wal-Mart.
They can be had cheaply on-line.

http://www.yourorganzabag.com/...
3x4" - - - 7 cents each, bag of 30
4"x6" - - - 14 cents each, bag of 30
6.5"x 15" - - 33 cents each - - Wine Bags, bag of 10


http://www.giftsintl.com/organ...
eBay
probably Etsy
http://www.uline.com/BL_5517/O... (more expensive and bigger bundle sizes)

Thank you!