Easter Lilies are Perennials

Easter is almost upon us and many of you will be receiving or purchasing these beauties as a potted plant almost in bloom. You might think they are a permanent indoor plant and after blooming discard it. Well, they are not a plant for permanent indoor use and don't throw it away after blooming!

Easter lilies are a Trumpet lily (lillium longiflorum) normally blooming in June or July. Like other gift plants, they are grown under extremely controlled greenhouse conditions (a process called "forcing") and sold in full bloom by florists or garden centers to bloom for the Easter weekend. This process is quite extensive, starting the previous Fall (usually September or October) with bulbs that are grown for three to four years outdoors. They are removed from the outdoor location, sold as bulbs, cooled, then potted and transferred into a green house and grown there with extreme care for three to four months for blooming in time for the Easter holiday. Easter lilies are a perennial bulb and if cared for properly during their bloom period indoors, will produce flowers for years to come.

Once an Easter lily bulb has been forced to bloom indoors, it is very difficult or almost impossible to force the same Easter lily bulb into bloom a second time indoors. An alternative is to plant them outdoors after blooming, where they may bloom again in late summer or fall. The plants will need a site with bright light but some shelter from extreme heat and wind. They are not hardy enough to survive severe winters outside (extreme cold and wet conditions), so don't expect to see them next summer if you leave them out all winter under these conditions. Instead, plant them in a pot and move them inside to a cool, somewhat dark location for the winter. Keep the planted bulb from freezing over an extended period of time.
Read more about Easter Lilies and lily care...

Vinegar as a Weed Killer?

The focus of this blog is not to debate organic versus man-made weed killers but to possibly enlighten you on just exactly what vinegar can and cannot do. I have used vinegar as a non-selective weed control method (and still use it today) but it does have its' limitations.

After over 30 years in the pesticide business, I have seen a lot of changes happen and used theories that do and do not work, and made use of a lot of home brew, organic pesticides and weed killers. I still use some to this day and have discarded others. I have absolutely nothing against organic methods of gardening or farming and I have been using those methods for the last twenty years, long before it became fashionable.

The lack of weed control options has and will continue to be very frustrating for organic farmers, gardeners and homeowners who do not want to use synthetic pesticides. The idea of using household vinegar as a herbicide is very appealing, it's natural, inexpensive and readily available.

How Vinegar Works as a Weed Killer

The acetic acid in vinegar is the active ingredient. When applied to plant foliage, the acetic acid destroys cell membranes causing plant tissues to dry out. Acetic acid does not translocate (move through the plant and into the root system) so only the foliage of treated weeds are killed, not the roots. Re-treatment will be necessary.

Vinegar-based herbicides are contact and non-selective, which means any plant foliage that is sprayed will be damaged. So, be very careful that you only apply to your target weed or grass, any surrounding plants will be damaged. Consider adding vegetable oil in your mix. It serves as a drift control agent.

Tips for best results: Apply vinegar on hot, sunny days. It works best on young (less than 3 weeks old) and rapidly growing weeds.

Why Homemade Weed Killers Are Sometimes Not a Great Idea

Yes, vinegar is an environmentally friendly, natural weed control option, but mixing up a home brew of vinegar weed killer may not the best idea.

• The higher the concentration of acetic acid, the better it will work. Kitchen grade vinegar is only 5% acetic acid and is not a very good weed killer. Horticultural vinegar is much stronger -- 15 to 20% acetic acid -- and a much more effective herbicide.

• "Yeah, but I have a recipe that includes salt, dish soap and citric acid". Oh, my. Never use salt unless you want nothing else to grow! The only additive that will increase weed control is dish soap. Dish soap will help the mixture penetrate the target weed, especially through a waxy coated leaf, such as dandelion. Other additives are just a waste of time and money and do not increase weed control. The percentage of acetic acid and volume applied to weeds determined effectiveness.

• WARNING: Handle with care! The acetic acid in vinegar is an acid and acid is corrosive. Any acetic solution above 5% must be handled with care, it can burn skin and cause eye damage.

• Weed Pharm is a vinegar weed killer that is labeled for organic use.

Although not organic, glyphosate (Roundup) is a more suitable and safer choice for non-selective weed control. Contrary to popular belief, it is safe to handle and is bio-degradable, when used according to the label directions and will kill grasses and weeds to their roots. Re-treatment is normally not necessary.

• Horticultural vinegar products carry the Danger signal word on the label, while Caution is found on glyphosate. 20% acetic acid is not something I want to handle, glyphosate is much safer for the applicator.

• A single application of horticultural vinegar will kill many annual weeds but perennial weeds need to be retreated frequently. A single application of glyphosate will eliminate most weeds, killing them down to the roots.

• When used according to the label, glyphosate will not harm the soil or pollute water supplies. It cannot leach into and contaminate ground waters because it forms a strong chemical bond with soil particles where it quickly breaks down into harmless elements.

Organic gardening is a very noble pursuit and I'm very much in favor of reducing or even eliminating chemical usage. Vinegar weed killer home brews made from food grade products are not very effective. Glyphosate is safer to handle than horticultural vinegar and a much more efficient herbicide. If used according to the label, glyphosate is safe to use around homes and will not harm the environment.

Dry Bulbs from "Box Stores"

Well, I was in a national "box store" a few days ago getting supplies for our venue site and checked out the lily bulbs. Nice display and the bulbs were certainly affordable. I wish I would have had my camera.

Here's the problem...most of them were dried out, half grown (even the few orientals they had) with stems and leaves, and small (the size of a golf ball and smaller)! When you buy lily bulbs or any other bulbs, there can be some growth but not that much! Here is what happens: The bulbs are shipped in plastic bags with sawdust or wood chips (that's perfectly ok), displayed under florescent lights, and the store is usually kept at or above 65 degrees to keep everyone warm, especially customers . This creates a greenhouse effect and they begin to grow, not stopping until they bloom! You might say "is that so bad, at least you know they are alive." Yes it is. 1.) When you purchase a bulb from the environment I just described, the bulbs are usually dry and will die soon after planting. There is not enough sugar in the plant to sustain itself. 2.) The stem will not grow and perform normally. After growing inside, they need to be "hardened off" before planting outside. After receiving some rain or irrigation, the stem will become weak, droop to the ground, and die. You might say to yourself, "Ok, I'll give them some water and place them in the fridge for awhile". That sometimes works but not normally. When the bulbs receive water in a dried out state (especially with saw dust in the bag), the scales take up too much water at once and they will rot. The rotting may not show immediately, but it will happen.

Typically Asiatic lilies, tulips, and daffodils are the earliest to grow and bloom indoor or outdoor. Asiatic and most Tiger lilies are the most hardiest and easier to grow than all other lilies, should be "hardened off" before planting, planted in the fall or winter (September to February), and be the same size or larger than a golf ball (12 to 14 centimeters or larger).

Day lilies (not a true lily) are extremely hardy and can be planted any time during the year before or after bloom as long as the ground is not frozen.

Orientals, Orienpets, Trumpets, and some Tiger lilies are normally the latest to bloom and can be planted Fall in to Spring (September to May). They also should be "hardened off" before planting outdoors with plenty of water and sugar within the bulb. With the exception of Tiger and Oriental Lilies, this group is somewhat temperamental. Therefore, purchasing these bulbs that are healthy and one & a half times larger than a golf ball (14 to 16 centimeters or larger) is best and will provide the plant with plenty of water and sugar in the scales to produce and stay healthy for many years to come.

Oriental, Trumpet, and Orienpets:

Ever wonder what happens to the "mother" bulb each year after the first real strong blooming season? Well, here it is...as a commercial grower, we will not sell a bulb in this class smaller than 14 centimeters (about one and a half to two times the size of a golf ball) and in healthy condition. Here's why: the outer scales serve as support to the inner scales in the form of providing water and nutrients for the stem, leaves, and blooms. They are also the scales that become infected with diseases first. Although the inner scales also provide nutrients for the whole plant too, they are the main producer of the plant's growth and blooms. After a few seasons (sometimes the first year), the outer scales become used up and will stop or slow down their production of nutrients. If the bulb is too small or the outer scales are diseased, no support. However, you might see the lily bulb develop stems, leaves, and blooms the first year and nothing the following season. This happens because the outer scales are either infected with a disease and die (which in one season eventually spread to the rest of the lily bulb), or they are too small to give support to the inner scales. The lily bulb cannot sustain itself and passes into the great flowering land.

However, if all the "mother" bulb scales are healthy and there are enough nutrients remaining, it may develop new bulblits over the next few years from the outer and inner scales and start producing again. This happens frequently so don't give up on them.

Bottom line? Purchase bulbs that are healthy and large. If the bulb is not large enough, containing the proper amount of nutrients when you plant it, you may not see it produce after the first year or it could be a few more years if any new bulblits develop in size to sustain themselves into a new flowering lily bulb.

Asiatics and Tigers

The lily bulbs in these classes are typically the most hardiest and bloom early, usually from May to the first of July which means they will start to grow and emerge from the ground sometime in late February to the middle of March. They are, in most cases, resistant to diseases. If purchased and planted with too much growth (showing leaves and stems) without properly being "hardened off", the stem breaks or will fall to the ground (appearing to wilt) and will not bloom again until the following season. The bulb's scales will also fall apart when slightly touched. In most cases the bulb will survive, unless it was too dry when planted causing it to absorb too much water, then rot develops and the bulb dies.

However, if the "mother" bulb is healthy, it may develop new bulblits over the next few years from the outer and inner scales (if they are healthy and there is the smallest amount of nutrients remaining) and start producing again. This happens frequently so don't give up on them.

Bottom line? Purchase bulbs that are healthy and large. If the bulb is not large enough, containing the proper amount of nutrients when you plant it, you may not see it produce after the first year or it could be a few more years if any new bulblits develop in size to sustain themselves into a new flowering lily bulb.

Meanwhile, back at the farm...