In the world of lilies, it can be hard to keep track. The number of varieties is incredibly large. Discovering them all takes time and money. So how about growing lilies yourself?
How can you grow lilies yourself?
To grow lilies yourself, use tweezers to remove pollen from one lily during the flowering period (June-July) and apply it to the flowers of another variety. Harvest the ripe seeds in autumn, store them in the refrigerator and sow them between January and February. Plant out young plants from May.
The seeds bring diversity
If you propagate lilies from their seeds, you will end up with plants that usually have different properties than the mother plant. Whether in terms of flowering ability, disease resistance, flower size, flower color, etc. - this propagation method is exciting, but not for the impatient. Impatient gardeners should propagate lilies using their bulb scales instead.
When are the seeds ripe and what do they look like?
The seeds of lilies usually ripen in autumn. When they are ripe, the elongated capsule fruits burst open and are lined up like rolls of money. The seeds are:
- numerous in the fruits (more than 20 pieces)
- plump
- light brown
- flat
- smooth
Intervene specifically during the flowering period
You can use lily seeds to grow new varieties. But real breeders intervene during the flowering period of lilies. Lily lovers can 'play God' when it comes to pollination.
It is ideal if two varieties are in bloom at the same time. Most lily varieties bloom between June and July. Use tweezers (€9.00 on Amazon) to remove pollen from the flowers of a lily. If the other variety blooms at the same time, add this pollen to the flowers of the other variety. Otherwise, save the pollen until the other variety is in flower.
It continues as follows:
- wait until seeds are ripe, then harvest
- Seeds=dark germinators, cold germinators
- keep in the fridge during the winter
- sow at home between January and February
- soak in water for 12 hours beforehand
- Cover seeds with soil, keep moist
- Plant out young plants from May
Tips & Tricks
You should mark varieties that you have already pollinated with a sign. It is also advisable to write down which variety you crossed with which.