Hi all,
It has been a while since I have posted here since things in my neck of the woods have been crazy busy but I do check in periodically to see what is happening in the lily world :-)
I am proud and happy to say that a lot of my new lilies planted last fall are emerging. Some of them, like Lilium regale, are now 2'+ with tiny buds developing deep in the center of the stem tip. Others Like L. pumilum already have candelabras of buds forming which already have 1" buds at the bottom of the scape. And OTs and LOs are rocketing out of the ground with thick stems and luscious foliage. Some of these are already nearing the 2' mark as well. Even L. speciosum (rubrum and album) have had a nearly 100% sprout rate and are several inches tall. Certainly not something I would have expected to write at the end of April. So far, because of my proximity to Lake Michigan, I have been able to avoid the freezes and frosts that have plagued so many gardeners this year. I am still keeping my fingers crossed that disaster doesn't strike.
However, I find that my Asiatics are only sprouting weakly at best. Very few of the L. lankongense hybrids like 'Ariadne' and 'Karen North' have pushed up noses yet, while there is absolutely no trace of supposed stalwarts like 'Red Velvet' or 'Tiger Babies'. Are these bulbs just late spouters, or are they casualties of the strange winter and strange spring we have had? Some of these were planted fairly late, in early to mid November, so I am hoping they are merely wandering around underground waiting for their moment to pop out of the soil. Any ideas?
