Brian, I've had lilies get frosted to mush quite a few times and always come back. I let them grow and cut the mush off the top, so they don't try to set a flower, but so they get sun on their leaves.

Today is the 1st of April The nurseries start to list their lily bulbs over the next 2 months and for a pathetic lilium obsessed like 'me', of course im going to buy more

Brian, there could very well be a positive outcome even after a freeze. Lots of times, if the freeze hasn't penetrated deep enough into the 'core' of the main stem, a good healthy bulb will continue to grow right on up and thru the frost bit section and recover fully. The frost bitten leaves would then simply dry up in time. The other positive scenario even if it has sustantial damage and you get at least some growth; your bulb is still healthy with lots of energy reserve, it will want to expend that energy in survival mode some way--usually by generating more offsets. So, don't panic or do anything drastic just yet--wait a couple two or three weeks and see what happens. Like Polly says, they generally always come back and at some point you might want to top it before blooming.

I've never had a heathly bulb totally 'shut down' from a hard freeze. Like Leftwood, I mulch late and try to hold my stuff back as long as possible. But like you say Brian, this last winter was a real challenge and this way above normal spring just made it even more worrisome. By some lucky sequence of weather events we did not frost here during the last cold spell; my lowest was 36.4 F. but it will freeze here yet, I'm pretty sure.

Hi Anthony--got a couple in mind? Which ones? I try hard to limit myself to just a couple new commercials every season--buts its tough! Its the non commercial stuff where I go overboard. How are your seed pods developing? Does It look like they 'filled out' pretty good? How's your farmer friend doing with his lilies?

Hi Lorn Dunno!-until they are dangled in front of me....Plenty of select Davidi seed crosses bagged up..an interesting one im waiting on -Rubrum x Black Beauty-Im not counting my chickens yet, 'i've been there before'...Not sure who you mean, Rod at Glenbrook or Doug up at West Pine?

Anthony, it's the one who stopped cattle farming. Must be Doug I'm thinking of--he was at your lily show.

Thats the man!They did an ABC report on Dougs[change in farming].,,.Where do you know him from?[yahoo lily society maybe]He and his wife do well at our show,,and i can always revv up a good stirring and a little bite..very decent people indeed

Regarding winter mulching:

Years ago, before climate changing, mulching was done the week of Thanksgiving. Since then, it has been in the first part of December. Last winter, much was spread just after Christmas!

I usually do mine around Chrismas, too. This year I had to pull it back off when January warmed and it rethawed from the bottom up. This spring my two peach trees were flowering the last week of March and the left over glads that didn't get dug last fall are coming up.

I might be premature in my observation here, but strangely enough my Trumpets seem not to have responded very much to the warm spell in March--their internal time clock must be more a controling factor; more so than other Divisions. All my other Divisons are way advanced, especially LAs and LOs. But my Trumpets are pretty much on course--maybe just a little bit ahead of normal--just peeking thru.

Mag--are you seeing this also?

I only choose the ones I love, that are in full bud. They're not to expensive here that way, $4 to $5 and up per pot of 3 or 4. All of mine didn't make it, but they may still come up. I'm not looking for fancy names, just beautiful colors!

Awesome (I think); awesome even breaking through...

I think so too. Nothing like a sign of spring to warm the heart. Awesome is awesome!

After walking around quickly through the garden today, I am just starting to see some noses coming up. Not a good thing as we have a freeze warning posted for this evening.

I am not all the way to completely depressed about the frosts but hope I will be pleasently sur[rised when june comes.

When do lilies normally start "nosing" up? Are they not capable of withstanding a freeze?

For me it's mid-April, and all the way into May for the later blooming types. My earliest is an asiatic, near the house with a southern exposure, is 2 ft. tall already. This last week has been in the high 80's, low 90's ~ horrible! The coming week will be in the 60's which should slow things down a bit. At this time of year I should be starting seeds, not doing yard work and fighting weeds, for pete's sake.

Tridex lilies popping up in the front yard. I love these as they are great bloomers and just perfect short lilies for the front of the border.

It's been cool, here, but not cold enough to hurt anything. I bought some bulbs at W*M and planted them in a big pot on my front porch. Two had already sprouted. Maybe later I can put them in the ground permanently. Can't wait till all these bloom!

Hard to se the lilies popping up here in back of some tulips that are late coming up also.

Be glad they're late to pop--this weather with its wild swings up and down to freezing means a lot of extra work for me here in WI. Whats the name of those in your pic?