Let the following two pictures be a reminder to always open your boxes and inspect bulbs immediately upon receipt. Over the years, I have become so accustom to everything going right that I sometimes put the whole sealed box into refrigeration for a short time until I plant. And this box was no different--it was from 'one of our very best' and was headed straight to the refrigerator when I decided to check bulb count on one. AND THERE IT WAS--the proverbial 'rotten apple in the basket' sandwiched right in the middle of a bag of three. Luckily, the other two are saved in time. Just goes to show--It can happen!

Thanks for a good reminder. I never do that. And I store a lot. I never recall having a lily come from a vendor looking like that, though. Thank goodness. I will check now.

Regarding placing things in the fridge:
Remember that cooler temperature air will mean less capacity to hold moisture. Consequently, if the bag/box is sealed, the air that at room temp has 30% humidity, put in the fridge at 40F, has a MUCH higher relative humidity. Often water condenses. Free (unbound) water like this is asking for rot problems.

Very true. I see condensation sometimes when I first introduce my scales (little bulblets) into refrigeration if I don't evaporate and precool enough beforehand, then I have open the bags a little and let things normalize. This box just came today tho, never frigded here, and the other two bulbs were in the bag were just fine--as were all the rest in the box. Five days in a fridge in a sealed box is a stretch even for me and I don't condon it even if I've gotten away with it.

I refrigerate mine for a long time. The first time happened because I got some bulbs from MAK in March, and we had two months to go before I could pot them. I asked Lisa for help, and she explained how to refrigerate them at just below freezing, and I've been doing it since.

i would think about 30F would be perfect for most lily bulbs. Free water would be tied up as ice, but it would never be cold enough for bulbs to freeze. You must have a separate icebox for them, eh Polly?

Have just finished bagging up Davidii cross bulbs, upon request of a member of the Sth Australian Lily And Bulb Society,..who attended our last show..The bulbs are absolutely perfect, almost resembling, cloves of garlic...At the same time ,i have just purchased 4 huge bulbs [within my state] of varied colour ,Davidii crosses,all with varied differences.,My seed cross return from my existing Davidii crosses this year has been excellent and there are plenty to share around.,.

Thanks for the tip.I am such an impatient person and dont handle as much plant life as many of you do,so when a box comes I open it right away. Its like crismiss.

Jo Ann I too open every box like it is Christmas Morning. It never gets old, the excitement of looking at those bulbs and the wonderful smell. There's never any waiting here

I appreciate the tip with pics and yesterday planted all the bulbs I got. All the ones I did last year seem to be peeking up when I surveyed planting areas.

Do you wait till the stem turns brown in the fall before you can transplant lilies to another location? I have some from last year I'd like to move but not till the fall.

I wait until all the leaves are dead but the stem isnt quite brown ,before I transplant.
I have also moved blooming lilies.Its not the best idea as there is a higher chance of loss.
Dont you just love seeing those wine colored artichokes comming up.?Now is the time to spray for Red Beetle if you havnt already.

Rick, I kinda have a fridge just for the lilies, and beer and soda, LOL. Lisa said to keep them at 28. So I keep them around 30, as you said. 28 kind of scared me. But who would know better than Lisa? 30 works well.

ge1836 said:I wait until all the leaves are dead but the stem isnt quite brown ,before I transplant.
I have also moved blooming lilies.Its not the best idea as there is a higher chance of loss.
Dont you just love seeing those wine colored artichokes comming up.?Now is the time to spray for Red Beetle if you havnt already.

What are you using for the red beetle? I haven't seen any so are you saying to spray as a preventive measure?

We have them here.They arent everywhere. I dont think Polly has them and she lives an hour away.
They are awful and once you see one you wont forget. They eat lily leaves and strip the stalk causing the lily to die.
Larve carry excrament on their backsand appear as dark spots on leaves.
Over the years ( 5 ) I have learned to spray with either Sevin or Bayer Advance. I spray in early spring when lilies are emerging. Beetle larve is active then too.Bayer Advance has a " soft skinned incest icide. Kills 'em good.

I also spot spray with Sevin when I see them on lilies.

But I think I don't have them, Jo, as all my lilies are in the beds with the irises that I spray with the Bayer Advance. Otherwise I bet I would.

Believe me, you will know them if you see them. Jo posted a picture and they are fire engine truck red.

That makes sense Polly. You get double action with one drenching.

Polly, I think the grower/sources drop their temperature gradually to 28/29 F during winter vernalization and storage, then at some point prior to shipping, they slowly begin raising the temperature in preparation for shipping. For short term--like the boxes I receive now, if I have to hold them, I do at 33-35F because if they've started a process of waking up, I try not to reverse it, just suspend it. The point that Leftwood made about condensation is one I completely overlooked and a very good one, indeed. Because even with opening the box for visual inspection and all looks OK in the individual bags, there may still be a hidden potential problem within ( a bulb--such as I got.) . I think individual bags should be opened some to vent during temporary short term storage.

I'm waiting on a single box from Canada (its always the last one), then the fun starts!

Lorn (Roosterlorn) "I'm waiting on a single box from Canada (its always the last one),"

Saving the best for last!

Makes sense Lorn. I've kept mine all winter at 30, with no problems at all. I let them thaw very gradually.