Lily Raising By Scaling

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32233, 27 February 1970, Page 9

Lily Raising By Scaling

Lilies can be propagated vegetatively in quite a num- . ber of ways, some of which i provide considerable interest i ’ti method The most common method employed in the , garden is to grow them from . bulbs either purchased or split up from existing plants They can also be raised by splitting up the bulb clusters, or by scaling. Scaling is a more preferred ; method for lily propagation than raising from seed because it enables both species and named varieties to be raised. Seed raising, which is not a vegetative form of plant raising anyway, is restricted to species only. The first essential to vegetative propagation, and this applies to all plants including lilies, is to select healthy plants only. In

recent years lilies have been t found to be very prone to t virus infection and any plants t which have shown suspicious < symptoms should be dis- 1 carded—mottled or yellow- ’ streaked foliage is usually t indicative of virus. j After flowering has ceased 1 bulbs should be lifted and the outer scales removed 1 (This can be done almost i throughout the dormant sea- i son). The number removed s will be governed by bulb size ; but it is usual to remove two I or three rows. More can be i removed from larger bulbs-1 without harming them. Exces- < sive removal will impair flowering of the bulb in the 1 coming season. i As soon as the scales have t been removed the bulb should t be replanted without delay to i avoid drying out, j The propagating medium t should preferably consist of < equal parts of peat, leaf 1 mould or old sawdust, and i

sharp sand. This mixture should be well moistened—not saturated. Pots or boxes ; of suitable size can be used to hold the rooting medium. - Whatever is used (good drainage is a most necessary provision and should not be ovfiri looked. • To induce swifter and more numerous bulblet formation and in order to reduce the incidence of disease the scales should be dipped into an equal, mixture of a fungicide such as sulphur and a rooting hormone such as > that used for soft wood cuttings. Scales should be inserted to half their length in the rooting medium, taking care In put them in the right way up. After they have been planted cover them completely with sphagnum moss arid water thoroughly. A cool shady place is desirable for keeping the receptacle' until formation of the bulblets. > Direct sunlight must be avoided, also overwatering at all times. Variety and prevailing conditions will determine how long it will take before formation of the bulblets but they should become apparent in about six to eight weeks. When roots have formed on each bulblet they can be detached from the scale and potted: alternatively they can be lined out in the open in spring, utilising a shady area. Usually there are not less than two bulblets to each scale and flowering caff be expected in three years, though two years is possible.