Planting sprouting giant tree lily bulbs

msqingxiao

Hi all, I bought some giant tree lily bulbs at end-of-season sales, and they seem to be sprouting already. I've potted them up (apologise if they look a bit funny to you  ), but not sure it's the right depth? Shall I cover the sprouting bit or not please? Thanks!

Dovefromabove

They need to be planted with the base of the bulb about 12” below the surface of the soil. 

msqingxiao

Dovefromabove said:

They need to be planted with the base of the bulb about 12” below the surface of the soil. 

Doh! Will need to get deeper pots then... Thanks Dove!

Dovefromabove

Don't forget they'll need plenty of compost below the bulbs too ... for the roots.   I'd get the big pots that folk grow tomatoes in ... or even bigger ... and I'd use John Innes No 2 loam based compost ... they'll grow huge and need that sort of nourishment, as well as the pot needing to be heavy so they don't become top heavy and overbalance in the slightest breeze.  

BobTheGardener

Yes, they produce roots from the buried part of the flower stem above the bulb (as well as the normal roots below the bulb) when they grow, and these roots help stabilize it in the wind, as well as taking-in more food, resulting in more and larger flowers.

msqingxiao

Glad to report that my giant tree lilies are flowering now!

I planted three bulbs in a 25L paint pot which might be a bit crowded for them, so only one has grown big and flowered. Will plant them in separate pots next year 

Doghouse Riley

Very impressed.

Nice colour.

We've a dozen or so planted close to the side fence behind the rhodos and azaleas. They come up every year and we let them just get on with it. They grow to at least seven feet.

We never pick and bring any into the house, as if you get any of their pollen on the fabric of furniture, it's a hell of a job to remove the stain.

CostumedVole

Tip for removing pollen without staining: Wrap sellotape round your hand sticky side outwards, and dab at the pollen to lift it off. On no account rub. Just lift it off and it will leave no stain or mark.

msqingxiao

Doghouse Riley said:

Very impressed.

Nice colour.

We've a dozen or so planted close to the side fence behind the rhodos and azaleas. They come up every year and we let them just get on with it. They grow to at least seven feet.

We never pick and bring any into the house, as if you get any of their pollen on the fabric of furniture, it's a hell of a job to remove the stain.

Yours look amazing! And that looks like a very good location to plant them. Can I know how sunny that fence is please? @Doghouse Riley I've got a fence that's facing northwest so I'm a bit worried that the lilies won't get enough sunlight there. 

Doghouse Riley

Thanks for that.

They are only in full sun once they are above the height of the fence as the sun moves around the length of the fence and sets behind the back fence. But that doesn't doesn't seem to matter to them. Those are from single bulbs and have multiplied by themselves.