Growing Lilies from Seed 
Much of the following is taken from a news 
Ieiter of the North American Lily Society 
and writen by S. L. Emsweller and G. L. Slate 
and which we acknowledge with thanks. 
The easiest and least expensive way to build 
up a collection of lilies is to grow them from 
seed. This method also has the added advant- 
age of assuring virus-free plants. 
As regards seed germination Lilies come 
in two types. In one the ceed germinates 
rapidly and the seedlings reach flowering size 
the first or second year at most. The oth- 
er class require more time to germinate and 
thus receive a- different treatment. 
The following Lilies, if planted in the fail 
will appear the next spring or if planted in 
the spring they will appear above ground in 
a short time: 
. amabile 
. callosum 
. candidum 
. cernuum 
. concolor 
Davidi 
dauricum 
elegans and its varieties 
formosanum 
Henryi — 
. Leichtlinii var. 
.leucanthum var. 
. longifiorum 
. myriophyllum 
neilgherrense 
nepalense 
pumilum 
.Tegale and 
. Sargentiae 
. taliense 
.umbellatum and 
. Wallichianum 
. Willmottiae varisty of Davidi 
Lilies Requiring Two Years to Start 
The following, the two year class if plant- 
ed in the fall will not appear above ground 
until the second spring following unless given 
special treatment: 
. auratum 
L. Backhouse hybrids 
Maximowiczii 
chloraster 
its hybrids 
its varieties 
fsa asl col al sa. gl out calls cul cgi ll ccs SEN mel gs all a coll wall ol 
Loy 
L. Bellingham hybrids 
L. Bolanderi 
L. Brownii var. cholchesteri 
L. canadense L. carniolicum 
L. carolinianum L. Cathyarum 
L. chalcedonicum L. Catesbaei 
L. columbianum L. cordatum 
L. distichum L. Duchartrei 
L. giganteum L. Grayi 
L. Humboldtii L. japonicum 
L. Kelloggii L. Martagon 
L. maritimum L. monadelphum 
L. michiganense L. occidentale 
L. pardalinum L. Parryi 
L. parviflorum L. parvum 
L. philadelphicun L. pomponium 
L. pyrenaicum L. rubellum 
L. rubescens L. speciosum 
L. superbum L. tsingtauense 
L. Szovitzianum 
It is now known that most of the slow 
germinatinng kinds require from 3-6 months 
at about 68-70 degrees F to start germinat- 
ion followed by 2 months at 32-40 degrees 
F., or over wintering outdoors to break the 
dormancy. Such germination the next sum- 
mer forming a tlny underground bulblet. 
This will not send up a green shoot until it 
has been chilled by winter cold or given oth- 
er cold treatment. 
It is advisable to seperate lily seed into the 
rapid and slow germinating types and plant 
each seperately. The seed may be planted 
in flats, in frames, or in open beds. The soil 
should be fertile, well drained and contain 
enough sand and humas to resist baking. A 
good friable garden loam is very satisfact- 
ery for outdoor planting. For flats aad 
frames a mixture of loam, granulated peat and 
sand in about equal parts works well. The 
seed shouldbe covered about '2”’ deep when 
planted in flats, and from %s-1 inch when 
sown in frames or open ground. It is good 
practice to space the seed about 42 inch each 
way in the flat, and about *% in rows six to 
8 inches apart in a frame or open ground 
bed. 
When Seed May Be Started 
Both types of seed may be planted in late 
fall or early winter, or held over and planied 
in April or early May. The quick growing 
lilies should not be planted too early in the 
fall, because they may germinate and be killed 
by subsequent low temperature. 
With both types of lilies sterilized soil is 
an advantage for the seed bed. Spraying 
the seedlings every 2 weeks with bordeaux 
mixture or using copper lime dust to con- 
trol the Botrytis disease is good practice. 
During the hottest part of the summer the 
seedlings should be protected with lath or 
course cloth shade. 
In late fall after the first growing season 
of the seedlings above ground, the beds or 
flats outdoors should be mulched to prevent 
heaving out of the bulblets during the winter. 
Sawdust, peat, glass wool or vermiculite are 
good materials that will not harbor mics 
which may cause damage if straw or hay are 
used. 
If refrigeration is available the germinat- 
ion of slow growing lilies may be speeded up 
by starting the seed, as soon as ripe, in moist 
peat or vermiculite in small mason jars or 
half-pint milk bottles. The seed is mixed 
thoroughly with the peat or vermiculite and 
the entire mass moistened. It is then placed 
in a jar or bottle that is covered with wax 
paper or some material to prevent drying 
out. The container is then stored at a 
temperature of 68-72 degrees F. After 4-6 
months the seed will have germinated to 
form tiny bulblets. The container should 
then be moved to a refrigerator and stored 
for from 2-3 months at 32-40 degrees F. 
Following this the tiny bulbs may be plant- 
ed about one inch deep in flats or outdoor 
beds. Shoots will appear above ground in a 
few weeks, at temperaatures around 65-70 
degrees F. This method speeds up the entire 
process, and saves at least one year with lil- 
ies of this type. If started in August, seed- 
lings may be had the next spring rather 
than a year later. 
Another Planting Method 
Another method used by Mr. G.L. Slate 
and not requiring a refrigerator is to plant 
seeds in the spring or early summer, before 
July, in flats in the usual way. The flats 
are then stacked one above the other in the 
cellar where they remain till October with in- 
spection about once a month and watering 
if this is necessary to keep the soil damp. 
During this time the seeds germinate to form 
small undrground bulblets. In early wint- 
er the flats are transferred to cold frames and 
carefully mulched. In the early spring the 
mulch is removed and the seedlings appear 
above ground. They are then grown on as 
with other methods. 
Tf lily seed has been planted in good fertile 
soil, it is not likely that any further fertiliz- 
ation will be necessary. If the seedlings 
leaves are light green in color and growth 
31 
is slow, a complete fertilizer, such as a 5-10-5 
may be used. If the seedlings are in flats, 
they may be watered with a solution made by 
dissolving about 2 tablespoonsful of the 5-10-5 
fertilizer per gallon of water. In open beds 
or frames a small handful of fertilizer to a 
three-foot row of seedlings should be ample. 
Lily seedlings are usually left in the flat or 
seed bed until the bulblets are at least %-12” 
in diameter. This may be at the end of the 
second growing season or even earlier with 
quick growing kinds. They should then be 
transplanted to a nursery row to attain flow- 
ering size or may be planted in their perman- 
ent location. The small bulbs should be cov- 
ered about 3” deep. Transplanting may be 
done in late summer while the tops are green 
or later in the fall when the tops have been 
killed by the frost. 
An Ideal Compost Box 
Every gardener should have a box to make 
compost from his weeds, grass, table scraps, 
etc., is almost a necessity. 
For size a box about4 x6 feet and about 
3-4 feet high is about right. If 2 of these are 
made and so as to stand about 2 feet apart, 
dry leaves can be put in this space. 
Make the box of 6 inch boards with an 
inch space between each board and also make 
the sides so that the bottoms are 2-3 inches 
longer than the top, so as to allow the mater- 
ial in the box to settle down easily. 
In starting the compost place weeds, grass 
and such materials in the bottom, after which 
the kitchen scraps can be added each day. 
Some soil is best added as the box is filled 
as well as Activo, a couple times a week. 
Lime in some form is also good to sprinkle 
on the green material. 
If you box is too large, it will be necess- 
ary to roll up some chicken wire into a 6” 
“chimney” and set this up in the middle of 
the box for air. 
When two boxes are made one can be 
standing while the other is being filled. 
If the bottom 2 boards on one of the long 
sides is made into a door to swing upwards, 
it will make an easy way to start taking the 
compost out of the box without disturbing 
the top part not yet decayed. 
Some times these boxes can be placed be- 
hind a building (close to the garden) so that 
the water from the roof can be diverted 
ply is necessary so that the material can be 
into the boxes when needed, but a water sup- 
kept in a miost condition and not allowed to 
“burn”, 
It is not necessary to have bottoms in the 
boxes. These boxes are inexpensive and easy 
to make. They provide a convenient place 
for the refuse around the house and garden 
and can be easily converted into valuable 
compost. 
Course materials like corn stalks, should 
be cut up some when placed in the box. If 
you keep poultry, the manure from this will 
make a valuable addition, especially if used 
regularily and not in any great quanity at a 
time. 
You may find it necessary to make a sort 
of screen of chicken ire for the top to keep 
cats out of the boxes and a rat trap in the 
corner to catch them if they bother; they 
make excellent compost, too! 
STARTING SOME TREE SEEDS 
Many tree sceds are hard to germinate but 
when started in pots, they are not only easily 
started but can be transplanted to the open 
ground with no set back. 
Seeds of the Oaks, Chestnuts and Norfolk 
Pine should be planted with the sharp edge 
down and half of the seed above the soil 
surface. 
