Well, we kinda geeked out here, Lorn and I, and although we find this quite energizing we hope that not too many of you all became bored.
So a summary is in order:
Cold hardy plants (including lilies) always have some kind of anti-freeze mechanism(s) to deal with below freezing temperatures so that they themselves are not harmed. But to what degree of cold hardiness is the question, and this can vary greatly between species and even between kinds of lilies. In addition, the degree of cold hardiness depends on the phase of growth a lily is in:
In the summer, a growing lily will have almost no freezing temperature tolerance, but as fall progresses (and even into winter), anti-freezing mechanisms build in the plant and increase as colder and colder temps approach. Then as spring arrives (or as the lily thinks spring arrives as it sprouts in Mary’s garage) cold tolerance begins to wain. That’s why you can’t put those sprouting lilies outside. They have lost a lot of the anti-freeze that they had during their winter phase.
The proof is in the pudding, but we both think pots in the ground and mulched well over the winter will be fine in Anchorage. Inside the garage, keeping bulbs barely hydrated is an insurance to help prevent premature sprouting. But as most of us have experienced dry bulbs sprouting In the fridge, it’s not the end all answer. Lack of excess moisture and temperature work together to keep lilies in their most restful winter phase.
