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Many countries in Europe, especially in Holland and Sweden, the liliums and other bulbous flowering plants like licianthus are signs of new beginnings.

In fact, most are associated to spring, a season when life starts anew with the awakening of plants from winter dormancy.

Lilium bulbs are considered as perennial plants, meaning they continue living and growing for years after the seed turns into a bulb and then planted on the ground or in a pot. After having fed the ground-planted bulb with fertilizer for about two to four months, it will have to be allowed to sleep or it must hibernate, just like what some animals do during winter. It will use the food stored in the bulbous part while in its dormant period.

When preparing the plant for its sleeping period or dormancy, the following steps should be observed. Uproot the bulbs and cut the remaining leaves. Clean thoroughly and treat with fungicide, then air-dry for a day. Then wrap or pack in a dry, clean plastic bag or container and store in a freezer with a temperature of 5°C for two months.

In waking up the plant or bulb, transfer it into the ref compartment where the temperature is +5°C. At this point, the bulb will soon show signs of coming out of its dormant period. A leaf will begin to sprout and roots will again form. After about 4-6 weeks, you can plant the bulb again on the ground to continue growing until it gives out a tubular stem bearing flower buds at its tip. They will open in 2-3 weeks.

After the flowers have wilted, you can cut the tubular stem up to its base and allow the bulb to stay on the soil for feeding hence the cycle is repeated. But if you wish to propagate the bulb, leave it on the ground longer to produce side bulbs which will eventually bear flowers.

The lilium and licianthus bulbs are semi-tropical or sub-tropical plants. They can be grown well in beds in cool, but if left in the hands of Mother Nature, they bloom less and give smaller flowers. So if you want to get more and better blooms, you must replicate the seasonal changes of temperatures in cooler countries like Holland through the above mentioned method of forcing out flowers from the bulbs.

Although in most cold countries, the liliums and licianthus bloom during the end of summer from July up to the start of fall in November. There are some things to follow or to be observed when if you wish to plant these bulbs in your garden. Look for a semi-shaded area where drainage is good and the soil is very rich in organic materials. Plant the bulb 6″ deep and 6-8″ apart. The leaves and flower stalk grow up to 48″ in height. Feed the bulb with organic fertilizer or plant food rich in nitrogen such as urea or ammonium sulfate during its growing stage and then after two months, give it phosphate rich fertilizer for another two months to store food before dormancy.

When harvesting blooms, it is best to cut the stalk down to its base when the first pair of flower buds are about to burst open or when they show color.

Liliums, licianthus and other blooms from bulbs are florists’ favorites because they last longer on the stems. The flowers are usually large waxy and shiny-smooth in texture and bright-colored with beautiful shapes that are quite versatile in flower arrangements, bouquets or corsages.

People love to give liliums as birthday presents, gifts for inaugurations and anniversaries and get-well wishes. They make a church altar, banquet table, school streets or a corner in the home more beautiful especially during Easter, graduation and other important occasions symbolizing a fresh and new beginning in our lives.

Tags: blooms, fertilizer, flower arrangements, flower buds, flowering plants, fungicide, leaves, perennial plants, tropical plants, winter dormancy

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 12:58 am and is filed under Flower Gardens, Garden Design, Garden Ideas, Gardening Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.