Hey! Don't be using those tractor roots to be pulling ME into this! Just for that I hope your Audrey II bites you on the butt.

That wasn't a senior moment, just a Wanda moment. Happens all the time (still love ya, wanda!)

Hello Moby,

My plan succeeded.

BuAHH HA HA HA . .

Evil. Pure evil....

Speaking of little machines in the garden ~ anybody see that commercial with those yellow, single-armed creatures plucking weeds out of the field? Gotta get me some of those!

Oh yeah, I want them to come to my gardens too. If they would just take care of the veggie gardens I'd be happy.

I received some Lily seeds labeled 'White Trumpet Lilies' in a swap, and as an experiment wintersowed them. Sure enough, those babies are germinating!

Cool!

If this works out, I may just really get into stating them from seed!

Once you start, it's all over for you Neal ;)

Oh goodie! Another convert in the making.

The main ones I'd want to raise from seed would be Aurelians, OTs, and recurved, down facing Asiatics- particularly L.langkongense hybrids. Do y'all think the wintersowing method would be appropriate for all of those?

I wintersowed once and was unsuccessful. Perhaps it's my zone. I grow them in baggies inside, transplant into pots, then grow in pots for a year before transferring outside into garden soil. I summer all the pots outside on my deck.

I have been attempting different methods to see what results and how fast. If you know anything about my patience, well, uh, I lack it, so the faster they grow up, the better.

Let us keep up with your progress Neal. We have a nice lily from seed area here for you to show off too.

The Aurelians and Lankgonese are both easy and suitable for winter sowing. The OT hybrids may have to be started like orientals, start them in a baggie with moist media (I prefer builders sand, a coarse gray sand-easy to see roots in) keep them warm for 6-8 weeks and see what happens, if a small bulb forms they need to go in the fridge for 6-8 weeks then sow in deep pots and they will form a leaf. If they start to grow a leaf right away they need to be sown in the light. so OT's would be suitable for winter sowing too, they just may take awhile. Keep in mind that the seedling will not put up much top growth the first year, they are busy making a bulb and need a deep container for that, and they are very picky about moisture and can rot easily. Lily seedlings seem to do very well the more crowded they are when young so deep, rather narrow pots are best. They prefer cool soil but bright light, warm, wet soil promotes rot so do not be tempted to over water during periods of high heat. If you want to move them outdoors later in the season putting the pots inside of a slightly bigger pot helps shade the bulbs and roots and keep them cooler.
Trumpet and Aurelian seedlings can grow very fast and may reach bloom size in 1 year. Different species have different rates of growth, some are slower than a dead slug. There are other methods that others use I think I have seen various posts on DG forums.
WARNING-the thrill of seeing your own seedling bloom for the first time is VERY addictive!

Oh, Buggy, we miss your creations already. *sigh* But we still have your wisdom to guide us!

"WARNING-the thrill of seeing your own seedling bloom for the first time is VERY addictive!"

I'll second that

How to grow lilies... DON'T LEAVE AT HOUSE WHEN YOU MOVE!

This bed was tilled under and grass planted :*( I didn't leave all the lilies, but some nice ones.

The truly sad part is that this was ripped up without them even waiting for it to bloom in 3 weeks... R.I.P

A bit off topic, but I had to morn somewhere.

I saw the same thing happen with the house I sold- everything mowed, blooming shrubs removed. Never expect someone to be a gardener I suppose.

Ouch, that hurts. What a waste of beautiful plants.

One of the old neighbors told me about a dozen times how he enjoyed the flowers. I said maybe the new owners would take care of them. He paused and just said "maybe", in a kind of don't count on it fashion. I didn't have high hopes when I left a hose and reel and they didn't even water the annuals in the flower boxes. Aghhh.

Aw, Mr. Mom, that must have broken your heart! I've often wondered, if we ever sell our house, whether I am supposed to leave everything planted here, and maybe just take starts of the perennials, or if I should dig up all my precious bulbs and take them with me. I've invested a lot of money (not to mention time and love) into my flowers, and would just cry if someone tilled them all under!