Rules for the care and cultivation of indoor lilies at home, the best varieties
The lily is an exotic green plant with a large, fragrant flower. Indoor varieties differ from garden varieties in their smaller height and short flowering period. Indoor lilies decorate and fill the room with fragrance. Florists collect rare varieties such as orchids. The main thing for caring for a water lily is to maintain a comfortable temperature and moderate humidity in the house.
Peculiarities of the flower
Lilies are herbaceous perennials of the Liliaceae family. Cultivars differ in stem and flower size. The smallest species reach 40 centimeters in height.Potted houses also grow giant lilies that can grow up to 2 meters tall.
The oblong lanceolate leaves without petioles are 20 centimeters long and 1.5-2 centimeters wide. The perianth trunks consist of 6 segments. Buds are located singly or are collected in inflorescences. The flowers are monochrome, with stripes in the center of the petals or with a border, spots. Lily fruits are pods. The seeds are triangular, light, wind-borne in nature.
The main varieties and varieties for growing at home
Lilies differ in the shape of the bud and the petals. Distinguish between bowl-shaped, fez-shaped, funnel-shaped, and outward-curving flowers. Hybrids are curly, snow-white, with long flowers. The varieties are more or less sensitive to the conditions of their keeping.
Dwarf
The homeland of the variety is the rocky slopes of Lake Baikal. Low stems reach 60 centimeters in height. The leaves are small, narrow and undecorative. The petals are bent to the sides. The diameter of the buds is 5 centimeters. The fragrant flowers appear 2 months after stem germination. Several buds bloom at once, and the plant turns into a variegated bouquet. The dwarf lily should be protected from direct sunlight. Flowers that bloom in fall and winter require fluorescent lighting in the evening.
Welcome
The variety is also known as Chinese or royal lily. It extends up to 120 centimeters in height. The maximum length is 2.5 meters. The flowers are gigantic in size, collect in inflorescences of 10-15 pieces, so the stems are powerful and straight.
The elongated buds open wide mottled and shiny petals.The house lily exudes a strong aroma, noticeable at a distance of 10 meters from the plant. Once every 5 years, it must be repotted, otherwise the flowers and stems diminish, and the bulb becomes exhausted.
Taiwanese
The natural habitat of the variety is the slopes of mountains, the sea coast, bamboo groves on the island of Taiwan. Therefore, the plant needs a humid and warm climate to grow. A container culture in a greenhouse grows without a dormant period. A young shoot appears next to the dead stem.
The height of the rod is 40 centimeters. The flowers are large, up to 10 centimeters in diameter. In the first year, the plant dissolves a flower. In subsequent years, the number of buds increases to five. The seeds of the variety have a high germination rate. Sprouts appear after 15 days when planted in moist sand at room temperature.
Miss Rio
The eastern variety is distinguished by a delicate pink color of the petals. Stripes and spots of a dark shade extend from the center of the cup-shaped bud. With weak stem growth, the flowers are very large - 16-18 centimeters in diameter.
garden party
The height of the eastern hybrid can reach 50 centimeters. The flowers are large, white, with central yellow stripes and spots. The wavy-edged petals are curled at the ends.
Asian
Asian varieties are less demanding in terms of conditions. Their differences are speckled colors, various shades of flowers and a long stem. "Asians" love the sun, moderate watering, are resistant to pests.
Beautiful
A variety of Chinese lily with a stem length of 30 centimeters. The length of the leaves is 18 centimeters.Large white flowers collect in inflorescences and hang in tassels.
gold plated
The star lily gives the largest flower - 25 centimeters in diameter with an average stem height of 1.5 meters. The petals are white, with central yellow stripes and dark spots.
empress of china
Fragrant white flowers with dark red dots in the center of the petals reach 20 centimeters in diameter. The stems of the variety grow up to 130 centimeters.
How to grow from seed
Professional florists and breeders grow lilies from seed. If you keep up with technology and have patience, you can grow your own breeding sample.
Time recommendations
The seeds germinate at a temperature of 20-25 degrees Celsius. They are planted in February, March. Seedlings are transplanted in late March, early June.
Preparation of seeds, containers and soil
The seeds remain viable for two years after harvest. Before planting, they do not need to be stratified, but only soaked for 15 hours for early germination. Then they must be disinfected for disease resistance. For processing, use a solution of bleach or zinc sulfate.
The seeds are germinated in pots about 10 centimeters deep. For seedlings, a flowerpot is selected based on the growth of the stems of adult plants. Tall flowers should be planted in deep containers. A pot with a height of 40 centimeters is chosen for a stem 60 centimeters long. For crops, they prepare a mixture of garden soil, sand, peat, humus, or buy a ready-made substrate.
Landing
How to plant lily seeds:
- pour soil into the pot;
- put the seeds to a depth of 0.5 centimeters;
- sprinkle earth on it;
- moisten from a spray bottle.
Cover the jar with plastic wrap or a glass jar.
Follow-up care rules
As soon as the shoot hatches, the shelter is removed for 2 hours a day and gradually removed completely. A developing seedling needs diffused light, 12 to 20 degrees Celsius and regular watering.
Growing from an onion
Like tulips, lilies are bulbous plants. A simpler and more traditional way to propagate them is with bulbs.
How to choose the right planting material
The bulbs are cooked in the fall. They are oval, round, bare and scaly. Tubers are examined and specimens with spots and wrinkles are removed. For planting, onions with an even surface are suitable. Small defects can be cut out and covered with wood ash. But these tubers will produce weak stems.
Preparation of containers and planting
Purchased bulbs must be stored in the refrigerator for 15 days. Before planting, they are kept in a pink solution of manganese for 2 hours or disinfected with Karbofos.
For planting lilies, use a ready-made soil mixture for bulbous plants.For indoor varieties, light nutrient soil that absorbs moisture well is suitable. You can prepare the soil yourself from garden soil and sand. Insects, larvae and viruses can live in nature. The collected components must be calcined in the furnace to destroy the parasites.
A suitable pot diameter is 8-10 centimeters. The average bulbous baby is 16 square centimeters. In a large pot, a single plant will direct growth to the root system, fill the space with bulbous babies, and fail to bloom. You can plant several bulbs in a large flowerpot.Drainage is laid out at the bottom of the pot - pebbles, pebbles, brick chips. The bulb is placed in the middle so that there remains a distance of about 3 centimeters from the walls. The tuber is buried in two. The plant will take root at a favorable air temperature.
Conditions of detention
The pot with the bulb is placed in the shade until the sprout appears. Then the plant is transferred to a sunny and airy place. Lilies need fresh air, but don't place the pot in a draught.
How to care during growth and flowering
Like the related hyperastrum and amaryllis, the indoor lily needs heat and light. Some varieties produce large, heavy flowers. To strengthen the rods, they are attached to pegs. You can use ice cream sticks to tie the lilies.
Watering and spraying
Lilies are watered with soft water. Hard water, the ground is covered with flowers. It is important to keep the soil moist, but avoid standing moisture. The soil should not be allowed to dry out, otherwise the leaves will wither. Plants should be watered daily, and leaves should be sprayed. It is useful to add a growth stimulant to the irrigation water.
Loosen and fertilize
Oxygen is supplied to the roots by loose soil. Since the bulbs are close to the surface, loosening should be done carefully and shallow.
Disease and pest control
Indoor plants are less likely to get sick and are affected by insects. Garden lilies are most affected by spider mites. In an apartment, in unfavorable conditions of detention, fungal diseases occur more often.
gray rot
The bulbs mold due to excess moisture. Dense soil retains water, which leads to the formation of fungi.
Sick bulbs are pruned:
- dug from the side of the damage;
- cut off the moldy part;
- crush the activated carbon tablet into powder;
- sprinkle the slice.
You can use a fungicide instead of charcoal. After 3 days of treatment, the plant is watered less to dry the bulb.
Stagonosporosis
Red burns or rotting are caused by fungal bacteria. Red spots appear on the leaves and the peduncles become soft. The disease reduces the intensity of flowering and affects the bulbs. In the final stage of the disease, fungal spores accumulate on the leaves and the bulb rots. The plant is dangerous for neighboring specimens, as the spores are carried through the air.
The reasons for the appearance of red rot are excess moisture in the soil and unstable room temperature. A diseased plant grows from an infected bulb. Signs of disease are often difficult to detect when buying. But don't buy bulbs with thin red stripes on the surface.
Preparations based on copper or copper sulphate help control red rot. For prophylaxis, the bulbs are dipped in the solution before planting. Infected adult plants are sprayed with systemic and contact fungicides.
Affected bulbs are also dug up, cut and treated with medication. The peduncles are removed. After processing, the flower is not watered for 2 hours. The bulbs are dried for 2 days and then planted. The soil should be loosened daily until new roots appear. Re-treatment, if necessary, is carried out after 2 weeks.
mushroom gnat
Sciarid larvae live in moist soil and gnaw roots.The plant does not bloom and dries up. Black insects appear on the leaves. They are collected with tape. The earth is treated with chemicals. Sciarids, or mushroom flies, thrive in moist soil. To prevent the water in the pot from stagnating, you need to put drainage at the bottom of the pot and plant the plants in loose soil.
scorms
Insects live in places where the leaves adhere to the stem. Winged bugs lay their eggs in the roots of plants. The pests feed on the sap of leaves and flowers. A sign of the presence of insects on lilies is the drying and dropping of leaves. Adult insects are removed by hand, then the plants are treated with insecticides.
Spider
The first sign of a tick infestation is the presence of white dots on the backs of leaves. Then the leaves dry up and the buds become deformed. A favorable environment for an insect is dry air. Ticks hide under dead leaves. For prophylaxis, the plant should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle, and loose leaves should be removed from the pot. Spider mites are fought with complex insecticides. Insects get used to a poison.
Mosaic
The virus leaves light streaks and spots on leaves and petals. The disease leads to deformation and stunting of the stem. Mosaic virus is usually a carrier of aphids. Affected leaves are removed and the plant is treated with a contact acaricide.
Features of care after flowering
During the dormant period, lilies need the opposite conditions to flowering - shade, coolness and moderate watering.After the leaves and stems fall off, the plant is not watered. Lilies that are well cared for during dormancy bloom longer. The bulb contains nutrients that stimulate growth and strengthen the plant.
How to transplant correctly
Lilies are prepared for transplanting after flowering, leaves and stems fall off. While the greens are drying, the flowers need to be watered less often, once a week is enough. No need to spray. Watering should be combined with top dressing. Bulbs need nutrients to form strong new buds.
The watering of the bulb is stopped after the fall of the stem. After 2 weeks she is ready for transplantation.
To maintain intensive flowering, it is recommended to change the land at the end of each lily growing season. In old impoverished soil, the roots do not develop well. How to transplant bulbs:
- remove a lump of soil from the pot;
- crumble the soil and remove the tubers;
- separate the children;
- Rinse large onions;
- cut off the high shoot, leaving 5 centimeters;
- hold in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour;
- let dry 2 hours.
Dried tubers are planted in fresh soil in the usual way.
Possible growth problems
The main difficulties in keeping indoor lilies are the lack of flowers and drying leaves.
Lack of flowering
Reasons:
- too little or too much light;
- large pot, the plant develops tubers;
- lack of nutrients, lack of food;
- the plant does not have enough air.
Temperature changes also slow flower development. For lilies to flower, they must be grown in stable conditions, close to a tropical climate.
dry leaves
The condition of the leaves indicates a lack or excess of moisture.If the plant is exposed to the sun, you can not limit it to watering. Otherwise, the leaves will turn pale. The leaves dry out if poorly sprayed. Watering and watering plants should be done in the morning or in the evening. At noon, under the rays of the sun, the water on the leaves heats up and burns them. From burns, they turn yellow and dry out. The leaves also dry without sprinkling. In order for the plant to retain its bright greenery, it is necessary to maintain air humidity.
Lilies dry out from lack of potassium and iron. Bulbs should be planted in new, nutrient-rich soil and fertilized after flowering.
Additional tips and tricks
What else is useful to know about growing domestic lilies:
- fall is the best season to buy bulbs;
- to prolong flowering, you need to spray the lilies at least once a day;
- for watering use a spray with small holes, large drops injure the leaves;
- tie the stems after opening the buds, otherwise the flower may be damaged and it will fall off;
- in summer, put the lilies out on the balcony or the veranda;
- nitrogen fertilizers promote stem growth, and fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus promotes bud development.
You cannot cut the stems of a faded plant, you have to wait for their natural abscission.