CULTURAL NOTES 
When lilies are healthy and find a place in the garden that they 
like, they thrive. 
Most lilies like partial shade at some point during the day. A very 
few of them actually prefer full sun and an even smaller number like 
heavy shade. These are noted in the text. Almost all like a ground 
cover of some sort that will shade the ground in which they are grow- 
ing but will leave the stems free to rise up into the sun. 
Good locations are various. The perennial border offers excellent 
growing conditions for most species. Lilies are happy when interplant- 
ed with peonies, iris and other plants. Almost all of them are effective 
and do exceptionally well when planted in isolated groups against the 
shrubbery. The taller ones are happy and effective within light shrub- 
bery. A rather large group lend themselves to naturalization and the 
woodland garden. All are happy with ferns. 
A good friable loam with plenty of humus is the best soil. Do not 
be afraid to feed. Bonemeal, well rotted manure or compost can be 
worked into the beds. A mulch of manure and commercial fertilizer 
is excellent if applied in fall so that the food will work down into the 
ground during the winter. Manure can also be applied as a summer 
mulch if desired and is best if used either at or after the time of flow- 
ering. Manure should not be used on those varieties of lilies labeled 
capricious or those highly subject to basal rot. 
The majority of species are best if fall planted, so we strongly 
urge purchasing at that time. Bulbs are lifted and shipped as soon as 
they are ready. Some mature early in August, others not till mid-No- 
vember. If the bulbs are going to arrive late in the season and there 
is danger that the ground might be frozen at the time, it is recom- 
monded that it be mulched with leaves, straw or boughs to keep it 
open. After the bulbs are planted the mulch should be replaced so the 
ground temperature will reach freezing gradually. 
Planting depth for lilies should be three times the vertical diame- 
ter of the bulb. This distance is measured from the bottom of the bulb. 
There are five exceptions to the general rule: the two European lilies, 
L. candidum and L. testaceum, which have no stem roots, are planted 
a few inches below the surface; and the three Indian, lilies, L. cathay- 
anum, L. giganteum and L. cordatum are planted with the tip of the 
bulb at the surface. In the rare situations where the ground water 
level is very close to the surface more shallow planting is indicated. 
However, it is also true that lilies have a tendency to find their own 
depth and that the depth varies from location to location; consequent- 
ly, the depth at which the bulbs are placed is somewhat flexible. We 
have seen an entire bed of L. pardalinum work itself up from ten to 
twelve inches to three or four inches from the surface, because the 
bed where they were growing was periodically flooded and the shal- 
lower planting met their requirements. Likewise, in another bed of 
L. auratum, where the bulbs were set only six or seven inches below 
the surface, we found on digging that they had pulled themselves down 
to from eighteen to twenty-four inches. 
Good drainage is essential. Do not attempt to plant lilies where 
they must stand in water for any length of time as this will be con- 
ducive to rot. 
There are certain problems connected with the growing of all 
garden plants and lilies naturally have their share. The following 
Sevag tat deals with these and with the means by which they can be 
controlled. 
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