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Lilium oriental mix

coppersendcoppersend Posts: 52
edited March 2019 in Plants
just bought a large bag of these oriental lillies.
I want to plant them in my Garden.
I live on the Sussex Coast
the soil is primarily chalk base.
I have put 3 ton of soil on top with copious bags of compost.
I am in the process of buying a PH tester.
Subject to what the tester reads would the bulbs survive in this type of soil.
I think the PH has to be about 3.8 to 9
any help would be appreciated

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 9,570
    pH 3.8 would be very acidic, even more than you'd need for ericaceous plants like rhododendrons.   With a chalk base your soil will tend to revert back to alkaline whatever you add, so your lilies might be happier in pots of ericaceous compost.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 14,350
    I think you need to reconsider pH.
    3.8 is uninhabitably acid and 9.0 the same but alkaline.
    Oriental Lillies prefer a slightly acidic soil, pH 6ish, but will be fine if neutral. 
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Hampshire_HogHampshire_Hog Posts: 1,089
    https://www.sarahraven.com/articles/how_to_grow_lilies.htm 

    This is a good guide.

    "You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
  • LittlegrowerLittlegrower Posts: 80
    edited March 2019
    I have chalk soil too and my lilies all grow fine, never had a problem with any diseases or no blooms. I have asiatic, oriental and tree lilies. Some have divided happily on there own and others have a few stems per bulb. 
  • coppersendcoppersend Posts: 52
    Littlegrower said:
    I have chalk soil too and my lilies all grow fine, never had a problem with any diseases or no blooms. I have asiatic, oriental and tree lilies. Some have divided happily on there own and others have a few stems per bulb. 
    Many thanks for your post
    It's a relief to know I can put these bulbs in my garden
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